Business growth or new strategies may require additional team members or employees with different skills. Don’t chase candidates with a shot gun hiring approach. Plan ahead for your 2007 recruiting initiatives to achieve a competitive advantage!

Ann Clifford

Dos and Don'ts
If my company offers a family friendly environment, can I ask a female candidate if she plans to have children?

See answer provided below.

Just in Time Recruiting
JIT is a concept born in manufacturing that has become popular in many aspects of business. To be successful with JIT Recruiting, you need to build resources (people talent) that you can tap into when the need arises. JIT is a long term solution; not a quick fix. Here are a few simple steps to get started now!

Define future needs - Pinpoint key talent needed to advance your company. Continually promote these opportunities throughout the year.

Brand your company as an employer of choice - Identify why people join your company. Communicate these reasons clearly to candidates throughout the hiring process and on your company’s career site.

Build relationships with qualified candidates - Mobilize your current staff and your network to connect with top talent. Encourage employees to become active in professional organizations.

(By Allison Witmeier, Safari Solutions, HR Consultant)

Energize Employee Referrals
Well-designed employee referral programs help attract and retain a satisfied and committed workforce. Effective programs foster employee awareness and involvement in the hiring process.

Use these techniques to enhance employee participation and improve the quality of referrals. 1. Recognize successful referrals. Peer group recognition promotes employee involvement more than money.

2. Create devices to enhance employee participation. Encourage employees to distribute business cards to their peers. Keep employees informed of available positions through your corporate career site.

3. Communicate feedback about referrals. If employees provide referrals yet receive no feedback, they will loose enthusiasm.

(By Janine Shockley, HR Consultant, Safari Solutions)

Safari Interview Tip
Ask candidates about their career goals for the next 3-5 years. Consider how those goals align with your corporate strategies. Flush out “canned” answers by asking how your company can help them reach their goals.

Safari Success Story
Epstein Weber & Conover, a Phoenix CPA firm, recognized the shortage of qualified accounting candidates. Engaging Safari Solutions for assistance, they embarked on a long term recruiting initiative resulting in the hire of three CPAs last year!

Did You Know
Base pay and the quality of the manager were by far the two biggest ways to attract and retain talent. (Source: ERE Daily 12-28-06)

Safari Quiz
Companies with the best utilization of their Employee Referral Programs see what percentage of all their hires made from this source?

A. 10% to 30%
B. 50% to 70%
C. 25% to 50%
D. 45% to 75%

Answer to Today's Dos and Don'ts
If my company offers a family friendly environment, can I ask a female candidate if she plans to have children?

While you may not have malicious intentions with this question, it can still be construed as discriminatory. For companies with 15 or more employees, it is an EEOC violation to consider pregnancy or possibility of pregnancy when considering a woman for a position. You should also stay clear of asking male candidates if they plan to start a family. Best to outline the benefits of working for your company without asking about a candidate’s current or future family status.

(Source: Allison Witmeier, HR Consultant, Safari Solutions)

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