By Gerry Crispin, CAREERXROADS 2000
The debate will continue beyond these comments but the landmines are primed
and placed...and there are quite a few companies treading heavily on
potentially dangerous ground.
Landmine #1.
As an employer, you are rapidly moving your employment
application and screening transactions to the Internet. The host of new and
improved tools, systems and forms that are now available for interested
applicants to formally apply in "writing" for specific positions (sometimes
within minutes of the position being posted to a company or third party
web site) are legion.
In addition to this more visible online accessibility (which, by the way
you are emphasizing in all your advertising) is your increasing capability
to "customize" a once generic application with specific questions relevant
to each job (too often "on the fly"), test specific competencies and even
conduct "virtual" interviews. All this with the express purpose of
automating the comparison of the job seeker's qualifications against
minimum job requirements so you can hone in on the individuals who meet or
exceed the position requirements.
These automated applications have enormous potential to speed up the hiring
process, cut costs and leverage the time and skills of recruiters who are
now handling recruiting loads unheard of only a few years ago. The trend to
managing more and more of the initial applicant intake activities via
emerging technology solutions through a company's internet web site, kiosks,
etc. is simply going to grow.
Imagine that your new and improved online process is already fully
functional. You have immediate access to every candidate who is minimally
qualified. Their digital records reside in your computer. You've never met
a one. Are they "applicants"? It's unlikely you have any idea about your
database's distribution of candidates by sex, race, veteran status etc.
because a) we can only find three companies who invite applicants to "opt-in"
such information and b) you are probably still defining an "applicant" as
the individuals who came in this morning to interview with the hiring
manager. Too late.
Landmine #2.
You have a subscription to several of the more popular
web site's resume databases. Your recruiters are addicted and religiously
mine them. (The sites, by the way, are getting more and more sophisticated
as they work to protect the job seeker's name, contact information, etc.).
You are filling more and more positions using these databases exclusively.
It's unlikely you have the foggiest idea about the distribution of race,
sex etc. because a) only a handful of sites attempt to collect this data
appropriately, and b) well, I'm not sure about "b)" but "a)" is sufficient.
See any problem here?
Ok, there's more but let's move on.
Q. So who cares. A. Plenty of folks do...enough to do something about it.
Main reason: Business necessity. We're in the business of competing for the
best and the brightest. Companies whose message reaches the best and
brightest from every corner will have a larger pool of qualified candidates
and an edge in keeping them. The sooner a company determines whether or not
their message is reaching ALL the best and the brightest, the faster they
can adjust their game plan to ensure that they do. It's as simple as that
(not to mention that diverting your own scarce resources to superficially
satisfy reporting requirements is inefficient, often unproductive, makes a
mockery of your commitment to diversity and sends an early negative message
to candidates about the environment they might enter).
The alternative is stepping up to a world class solution
A world class solution will define an "applicant" in a way that is
consistent with both regulatory obligations AND your business mission, core
values and goals. A world class solution will consider EVERY individual as an applicant when:
a) The person has, in fact, applied for a specific position AND
b) You have in some way acted to screen them in or out.
Collecting data on the "front end" clearly demonstrates (immediately) that
your qualified applicant pool is diverse. Acting early is not only
realistic (and practical given today's technology), it meets almost
anyone's interpretation of EEO regulatory requirements and, most
importantly, provides real time market research data to compete more
effectively and focusing employment strategies.
To implement a world class solution online: "Be consistent", "Get ahead of
the curve" and "Walk the talk".
1. Be Consistent.
Disclose boldly to everyone applying for a specific position on your
web site that they will be considered a potential "applicant" IF (for
example) they complete and submit an online application/test/interview.
Acknowledge their submission, tell them (automate) that they meet minimum
qualifications (or not) and provide self-service options (for those
qualified) to track the status of their application. Disclose what you will
do with their data long term AND invite them to "opt in" to your business
commitment by separately answering questions on race, gender, veteran
status, etc. Promising that the data will NOT be linked to their specific
application. Ask for referrals. Extra credit: Ask those that don't qualify
for referrals after providing guidance on the learning and experience
necessary to qualify.
To be consistent, whatever you do online must be consistent with what
you do offline. Although your online process will increasingly become the
prime route to your openings, "map" and review both your online and offline
processes. Eventually employers will emphasize online and remote entry
options exclusively as we ensure that everyone has access.
2. Get ahead of the curve
By acquiring "opt-in" race, gender etc. data up front, you can develop real
time automated analyses of your sourcing strategies and tactics. Everything
from your ability to determine qualitative differences between sources to
adverse impact at each stage of the employment process is possible.
Extra credit: What percentage of the visitors driven to your staffing page
actually is converted to some action...e-mail notification, resume
submission, referral, etc? What percentage of the remainder is potentially
qualified candidates who you have lost? What will convert them into taking
an action?
3. Walk the talk
Just because you can do it doesn't mean you do it. Employment soucing is a
constantly moving target. If you are willing to evaluate the data you
receive about "applicants" who have come to your web site does your internal
decision processes allow you to: immediately put your analyses to use; to
realign your staffing strategy to reach a more targeted as well as a more
diverse population. Employers of choice "Walk the talk".
Postscript: The US government (EEOC, OFCCP) has not (and likely will not)
provide a definitive answer to "what is an applicant?" We recommend reading
the excellent "whitepaper" available on SHRM's library at
http://www.shrm.org entitled THE DEFINITION OF AN APPLICANT: THE BURDEN OF
MAINTAINING RECORDS IN THE ELECTRONIC AGE, by Rodney H. Glover and Robert
A. Schwinger. You'll need to be an SHRM member.
Gerry Crispin, SPHR & Mark Mehler
CAREERXROADS 2000
"Where Talent and Opportunity Connect on the Internet"
shakerad@pipeline.com,
mmc@careerxroads.com
http://www.careerxroads.com
732-432-9172 or 732-514-4638
Education * Corporate Learning * Consulting
