Pre-employment hiring or talent acquisition consists of six functional processes that drive towards the goal of finding, hiring, and keeping new employees. 
As demonstrated in the graphic to the right, each function sets the stage for the next one. Planning identifies whom to recruit. Recruiting puts a call to action message in front of those potential new hires. Screening filters the candidate pool, while selection tests them to see if they “can” and “will” do the job. The offer process attempts to gain the “sale” and the on boarding process welcomes them into the organization. The most successful talent acquisition teams leverage data, process, and results tracking to drive quality of hire improvement.
But when it comes to developing talent acquisition strategies, many talent acquisition professionals do not have a decision-based approach to help manage day to day responsibilities unlike other business functions. For example, the science of finance helps the accounting function make better decisions. The science of marketing helps drive better sales function results. But many human resource groups do not have a science-based approach that helps drive better results by understanding how hiring links to performance improvements on the production floor. That gap is painfully felt in the talent acquisition process. To achieve great hiring results, the process needs to be managed and executed by setting metrics and then managing relentlessly towards those metrics to improve your quality of hire.
Developing a Talent Acquisition Process Using the Supply Chain Model
The first step in developing a strategic talent acquisition system in which you can drive towards your set talent acquisition goals is to develop a talent acquisition strategy. One business process analogy to use is supply chain management. Supply chain management is about getting the right materials and products to production and the point of sale at the right time. The talent acquisition process is similar but our experience shows that most supply chain process owners are more concerned about the inputs, rather than activities, into the process that impact the organizational outcomes like reliability and failure rates. Supply chain managers constantly seek measurements of the process that provide feedback on how to improve the process.
The chart below provides a comparison between supply chain models and talent acquisition models.
In our experience, many talent acquisition organizations don’t track the inputs, outcomes, and process improvement like this. Many hiring organizations are only concerned with activities. These activities may include sending out an employee referral flyer or posting jobs to the local unemployment office. They are busy but the activities are not tracked or linked to performance outcomes. Unlike the supply chain model which links inputs to quality outputs, accountability in the hiring process is limited. Imagine what an automobile manufacturer would say if 65 percent of the sourced parts were defective.
To improve your talent acquisition process, consider thinking like a supply chain manager and organize your pre-hire model around key processes, data, and results. And don't forget to download your free copy of 5 Talent Acquisition Commandments for Every Productive Mass Hiring Team to learn how to maximize the effieciency of your hiring process.
Topics: Talent Selection Ideas