A Way to Bypass References When Hiring

 

The traditional method of hiring workers can be long, arduous and expensive.  As fun as that sounds, it would be nice if there was some kind of shortcut that could also bring in excellent candidates consistently.

This presentation (registration required for viewing, but you can download the slides) summarizes some workforce trends and techniques often  discussed in Eye On the Workforce, but also makes some interesting points related to hiring.

• In sourcing talent, according to this presentation, you have to make better use your employee's networks.
  the presentation didn't go into detail on this point, but employees can provide names of individuals who are looking - or not looking actively - for a new assignment. These names would take significant time and expense to generate without use of your employee network. Sure, more recruiters are using sites like LinkedIn to identify good candidates, but these candidates must still must go through reference checks. If you use your employee's networks, reference checking can be much less of a chore and may even be eliminated from the process.
• Also be sure not to poison the waters in which you are fishing. The same internet that allows your employees to build networks allows your candidates to research dirt on your company. Web sites like http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm provide those who have a problem with your organization to vent, thus turning potential candidates away before you can even make your case. You must develop a plan to respond to these types of postings if they occur. This may involve an internal public relations specialist or HR specialist, so don't hesitate to get assistance.

Even in this era of high unemployment, it has proven difficult to find the right candidate for the right job at the right time. use every technique you can to ensure your project has the high performers it needs to succeed.