Category: Talent Technology

Redeployment Revolution: AI-Driven Internal Mobility for an APAC Government Agency

Posted on by akessler
Redeployment Revolution: AI-Driven Internal Mobility for an APAC Government Agency

Internal Mobility by PeopleScout

Redeployment Revolution: AI-Driven Internal Mobility for an APAC Government Agency

A massive redeployment initiative with this long-term government client demanded a new approach to identifying, developing and mobilizing internal talent. We implemented our tech-powered Internal Mobility solution and in doing so, deepened our partnership, transforming our role from technology provider to a trusted talent advisor.

66,000 + employees empowered to find internal opportunities across 40 departments
800 employees within a healthcare department successfully redeployed
5,000 candidates added to talent pools

Situation 

This federal government organization has been a PeopleScout client for more than ten years. Until recently, we served primarily as a talent technology partner—the client leveraged our talent technology suite Affinix™ to manage the job posting and application process for positions within their healthcare arm.

Because the government and public sector client had no visibility of the skills and talent across departments, talent scarcity issues—due to rapid technology advancements, widening skills gaps and shifting demographics—were exacerbated. Without a central view of the workforce, each department was managing their talent acquisition activities independently, some with the support of recruitment technology, and some without. Additionally, employees lacked visibility into cross-department opportunities with no easy way to explore openings.

To support an immediate need, the client asked PeopleScout to develop a redeployment solution within two weeks for 800 healthcare employees. In addition, they asked us to create a long-term internal mobility program to support ongoing talent initiatives.

Solution 

PeopleScout’s Internal Mobility solution leverages AI to automatically match employees with open positions, tapping into a talent pool of qualified and engaged candidates to expedite hiring and create a culture of growth and retention. Leveraging their Affinix suite, we helped streamline the client’s internal sourcing processes and created a comprehensive view of employee skills and competencies to effectively redeploy 800 employees within the healthcare department.

We also developed an internal mobility portal to proactively support ongoing redeployment across the entire government organization, thereby creating a more agile workforce where employees can quickly and seamlessly be reassigned to areas of greatest need. Our custom solution included four key modules:

  • Internal Career Portal: We created a Workforce Mobility Hub to support surge, temporary and long-term redeployments. This custom branded, user-friendly platform enables employees to search for cross-department opportunities, self-manage their professional profiles and sign up for custom job alerts.
  • Employee Expression of Interest: Candidates who want to be considered for short- or long-term internal opportunities complete expression of interest forms, which automatically adds them to talent pools.
  • AI Matching and Search: Affinix AI technology automatically searches the employee database to match candidates to roles based on their skills, experience and preferences. Hiring managers use our AI-talent matching tool to create talent pools of workers which they then target directly using automated email campaigns in Affinix. Since its inception, over 5,000 employees have been added to a talent pool. 
  • Skills-Based Assessments: Affinix integrates with best-in-breed screening and assessment platforms to evaluate employees’ skills and experience against the requirements of the role, ensuring candidate fit and promoting long-term career growth.

Results 

Our tech-powered Internal Mobility solution successfully supported not only the redeployment of 800 healthcare employees, but it also supports ongoing internal mobility initiatives across the entire organization. In fact, we empower their 66,0000 full-time employees to mobilize across 40 departments, future-proofing the organization with a skilled and agile workforce.

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Federal government agency in APAC
  • INDUSTRY
    Government & Public Sector
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Affinix
  • ANNUAL HIRES
    66,000+ employees empowered with Internal Mobility, powered by Affinix™
Let’s Connect!

5 Signs Your Organization Needs RPO 

Posted on by akessler

Your workforce is crucial for organizational success. However, many companies find themselves struggling with the complexities and challenges of modern recruitment. That’s where Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) comes in—a strategic solution that can transform how organizations approach hiring.  

So, is RPO is right for your company?  

This article explores five key indicators that it’s time to consider RPO, and why it could be a game-changer for your talent acquisition strategy. 

1. You Lack Internal Recruiting Expertise 

Many organizations, especially small to medium-sized businesses or those in niche industries, may not have the luxury of a full-fledged, experienced recruiting team. This gap in expertise can lead to longer time-to-fill rates and potential mismatches between candidates and roles.  

RPO providers bring a wealth of recruiting knowledge gained across various industries and job functions. They stay up to date with the latest labor market trends, recruiting tools and techniques, and best practices.  

This expertise extends beyond just finding candidates. It includes employer branding, talent consulting, internal mobility and more. By tapping into this external expertise, you can elevate your entire recruitment function without the need to build and maintain this capability in-house.  

2. Your Recruitment Tech Stack is Lacking or Outdated 

If your organization is still relying on manual processes, spreadsheets or legacy talent technology, you’re falling behind. These outdated methods not only slow down your hiring process but also limit your reach and ability to engage with candidates.  

Modern candidates expect a seamless, digital-first experience throughout their recruitment journey, and failing to provide this can result in candidate drop-off and a damaged employer brand. Additionally, the lack of advanced analytics and reporting capabilities in older systems makes it difficult to gain insights into your recruitment performance and make data-driven decisions. 

Leading RPO providers offer a suite of cutting-edge recruitment technologies that can revolutionize your hiring process. These may include AI-powered candidate matching, automated screening tools and comprehensive analytics. By partnering with an RPO, you gain access to these technologies without the need for significant upfront investment or ongoing maintenance costs. This technological upgrade can lead to faster time-to-hire, improved candidate quality, and a more efficient overall recruitment process.  

3. Your Hiring Processes are Inconsistent or Inefficient  

A disjointed or inconsistent recruitment process can be a significant drain on an organization’s resources and effectiveness. It you’re struggling with long time-to-fill rates, high candidate drop-off rates or frequent complaints from hiring managers about the recruitment process, RPO can help.  

Your RPO partner can help you to implement standardized, streamlined processes that address these issues. They bring tried-and-tested methodologies that can be customized to fit your organization’s unique needs. This might include implementing consistent interview structures, standardizing assessment methods, or creating automated workflows through new technologies. This also has the knock-on effect of boosting fairness in your recruitment process. 

4. You’re Struggling to Remain Agile 

Many businesses experience significant fluctuations in their hiring needs, whether due to seasonal variations, project-based work or unpredictable market conditions. These fluctuations can make it challenging to maintain an appropriately sized in-house recruiting team. During peak periods, the team may be overwhelmed, leading to delays and potentially missed opportunities. Conversely, during slower periods, the team may be underutilized, representing an unnecessary fixed cost.  

One of the most significant benefits of RPO is its scalability. RPO providers can quickly ramp up resources during high-demand periods and scale back during lulls, ensuring that the recruitment capabilities match the needs of the business. With this kind of flexibility, you maintain hiring efficiency and quality regardless of volume. Plus, you optimize costs by only paying for the resources you actually need.  

5. Your Recruitment Costs are Too High 

Recruitment can be a significant expense for many organizations, especially when considering the full cost of maintaining an in-house team—including salaries, benefits, training—and technology investments. Additional costs can come from agency fees for hard-to-fill positions, job board subscriptions and employer branding initiatives. When these costs start to balloon, it’s a strong indicator that RPO might be a more cost-effective solution.  

RPO providers can often achieve economies of scale by spreading costs across multiple clients and leveraging their existing infrastructure and relationships. They may have preferential rates with job boards and assessment providers, and their efficient processes can reduce time-to-fill, thereby lowering your overall cost per hire.  

Ready to Explore RPO? 

If you recognize one or more of these signs in your company, why not explore RPO? Effective recruitment is not just about filling positions; it’s about finding the right talent to drive your organization forward. By leveraging the expertise, resources and flexibility of an RPO provider, you can turn your recruitment function from a challenge into a competitive advantage. 

If you’re ready to explore how RPO can help your business, let’s connect! 

9 Best Practices for Building an Internal Mobility Program 

Posted on by jpatel

Employers are facing a dual challenge: retaining top talent and filling critical roles. As the competition for skilled professionals intensifies, companies are turning their focus to their internal mobility program, recognizing the untapped potential within their own ranks.

Internal mobility isn’t just about moving employees between departments. It’s about creating a dynamic ecosystem where talent can flourish, skills can be developed and organizational knowledge can be leveraged to its fullest potential. Leading organizations are leveraging technology to support internal mobility, not only streamlining processes but also opening up new possibilities for employee growth and organizational success.

In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at internal mobility, the benefits for your business, and some best practices for building an effective internal mobility program.

What is Internal Mobility? 

First thing’s first—what is internal mobility? Internal mobility refers to the movement—both vertically and laterally—of employees within an organization. Internal mobility has become a necessity for filling critical skills gaps left in organizations. Through an internal mobility program an organization develops a specific process for moving internal talent between roles.  

Benefits of Internal Mobility 

The benefits of internal mobility extend far beyond simply filling vacant positions, impacting not only individual employees but also team dynamics, organizational culture and the bottom line. Let’s explore the key advantages that make internal mobility a cornerstone of successful talent management strategies. 

Save Time and Money 

Research suggests that the cost to replace an employee can be high as 50% to 60% of their salary with overall losses to the company as high as 90% to 200%. Two of the biggest benefits of an internal mobility strategy are cost savings and the ability to operate more efficiently—especially during a time when many organizations are operating with leaner teams after scaling down in response to economic challenges. 

The time and money spent on recruiting externally, like posting job ads, running recruitment marketing campaigns, sourcing and communicating with candidates can take a toll on already limited resources. Plus, external candidates often have higher salary expectations than internal employees. In fact, on average, the starting salary of an external hire is 18% to 20% more than that of internal candidates.  

Retain Top Talent  

Our recent research, The Skills Crisis Countdown, revealed a whopping 70% of employees would explore opportunities within their current organization before looking externally, which is great news for employers. By developing job skills within your organization and providing opportunities for mobility, you can achieve higher retention rates and reduce employee turnover. By implementing a skills-based internal talent mobility strategy, you’ll gain access to a robust pool of qualified internal candidates. 

Boost Productivity 

On average, it takes 28 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity in a mid-level role. Internal mobility allows you to easily search your existing employees, targeting the people who know your business and are ready to grow their careers with you.   

Internal candidates can use their experience with your organization’s structure and culture to acclimate and contribute to a new role quickly, often with less time spent on training. You’ll also have access to this talent almost immediately, allowing you to move quickly and reduce time spent searching for external candidates.  

Drive Employee Engagement  

A demonstrated investment in employee growth and development significantly boosts employee engagement. When organizations prioritize internal mobility, employees feel valued and motivated, seeing clear pathways for both upward and lateral career progression within the company. This sense of possibility and personal growth keeps employees intellectually stimulated, leading to higher levels of engagement and productivity. 

Moreover, internal mobility creates a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. Employees who know they have opportunities to expand their skill sets and take on new challenges are more likely to stay curious and proactive in their professional development. As a result, organizations benefit from a more agile workforce, with an internal bench of engaged, qualified candidates ready to swiftly fill skills gaps and meet changing business needs.  

Foster Diversity and Inclusion  

An internal mobility program can be a great way to proactively develop the diverse talent already existing within your organization. Utilizing internal talent and providing opportunities for growth will improve diversity and inclusion at your organization overall and will aid in succession planning. By giving employees the opportunity to move up, reskill and take pathways for growth within your organization, you’ll be fostering a more diverse workforce at all levels, including leadership.   

The Role of Technology in an Effective Internal Mobility Program

internal mobility program

Technology can enhance your internal mobility program and save your talent acquisition team time in a variety of ways through artificial intelligence, automation and more. For example, PeopleScout’s Internal Mobility solution is boosted by our proprietary talent technology, Affinix™. With the power of AI, we help employers to quickly source, promote and reassign talent across their organization, filling skills gaps now and into the future.   

PeopleScout’s Internal Mobility solution offers a comprehensive approach to identifying, developing and mobilizing internal talent through four key modules:  

  • Internal Career Portal: A custom-branded platform delivers a best-in-class experience for employees to explore internal opportunities and manage their professional profiles.  
  • AI Matching and Search: Affinix AI technology automatically matches internal candidates to new roles based on their skills, experience and preferences.  
  • Employee Expression of Interest: Employees can self-identify for consideration in new internal opportunities as they become available.  
  • Skills-Based Assessments: Evaluates employees’ existing skills and experience against role requirements, identifying learning opportunities and skills gaps. 

PeopleScout’s Internal Mobility solution enables a comprehensive view of employee skills and competencies, resulting in a more robust skills database and advanced job mapping. 

Case Study: Internal Mobility in Practice   

A government agency in Australia was operating with a lean workforce and limited resources. They required a solution that allowed them to leverage the skills and competencies of their existing workforce so they could save time, costs and resources.  

They turned to PeopleScout’s Internal Mobility solution to launch a platform to find and support workers looking to move within their department or to other agencies within the Australian government.  

Solution Highlights  

PeopleScout deployed our Internal Mobility solution, powered by Affinix™, to give the client insight into the scope and experience of their internal talent. With our solution: 

  • Employees self-manage their profiles which showcase demographics, education and work history. Plus, they can self-rate on specific skills and key competencies.  
  • Employees are given priority access and visibility to all job opportunities across the agency before they are advertised externally.  
  • AI technology matches candidates to open opportunities and provides alerts to candidates on open job opportunities.  
  • Engagement rates of existing staff increased, while the use of expensive contingent labor resources went down. 
  • Recruiters have a strong sense of what other positions may be a good fit for internal employees, based on hard and soft skills assessments.   

The client experienced a more engaged workforce as a result of enhanced workforce mobility, skills development and career opportunities.  

9 Best Practices for Building an Internal Mobility Program

Implementing a successful internal mobility program requires thoughtful planning and execution. While every organization’s needs are unique, we’ve developed certain best practices to guide our clients in creating a robust and effective program. The following strategies can help you build a culture that not only supports but actively encourages internal mobility, ensuring that both your employees and your organization reap the full benefits.

1. Establish Clear Policies and Processes

Develop a comprehensive policy that outlines eligibility criteria, application procedures and timelines for internal moves. This should include guidelines for how long an employee needs to be in their current role before applying for an internal move, the process for informing their current manager, and how internal candidates will be evaluated. Ensure these policies are easily accessible to all employees and that HR and management are aligned in their implementation.

2. Develop a Skills Inventory

Create a centralized database of employee skills, experiences and career aspirations by conducting an internal mobility skills audit. This inventory should be dynamic, allowing employees to update their profiles regularly. Use skills assessment tools to objectively evaluate competencies and consider implementing AI technologies to help you identify skill gaps and potential matches for open positions. This comprehensive view of your workforce’s capabilities enables you to get the most out of your talent and helps identify areas for training and development.

3. Implement a User-Friendly Internal Career Portal

Your internal career portal should be more than just a list of open positions. It should be intuitive and engaging, with detailed job descriptions, required and desired skills and potential career paths. Make sure it includes features like self-managed professional profiles and expression of interest capabilities. Ensure the platform is mobile-friendly to increase accessibility and engagement.

4. Encourage Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Boost upskilling at your organization by creating opportunities for employees to work across different teams and departments. This could involve establishing cross-functional project teams, implementing a formal job rotation program or organizing “innovation days” where employees from different areas come together to solve organizational challenges. These initiatives not only broaden employees’ skills but also increase their visibility across the organization, opening up more potential paths for mobility.

You may also consider creating an endorsement and referral system in which a manager can refer an employee for an opening and provide their endorsement. This gives recruiters and hiring managers additional insight into which employees may be the best fit for open roles based on feedback from leaders who have worked directly with the internal candidate.

5. Provide Career Development Resources

Invest in a robust suite of career development tools and resources. This might include access to online learning platforms, workshops on career planning and skill development, or a formal mentorship program. Consider implementing individual development plans for all employees, with regular check-ins during which employees can discuss progress with their managers or mentors and adjust goals. The key is to empower employees to take charge of their own career development while providing the necessary support and resources.

6. Align with Business Strategy

Ensure your internal mobility program is not operating in isolation but is tightly integrated with your overall business strategy. Regularly review how internal moves are supporting key business objectives and addressing critical skill gaps. Involve leadership in identifying future skill needs in order to shape the direction of the program. This alignment ensures that internal mobility is not just benefiting individual employees, but actively contributing to your organization’s success.

7. Communicate Transparently

Develop a comprehensive communication strategy to promote your internal mobility program. Inform employees of the new program and provide clear guidance on how to navigate the internal job market, how the process will work and what to expect after applying for a role. If you have specific internal mobility software, include training on how to access the platform, create a profile, view job openings and submit an expression of interest or application.

Communications should include regular updates on open positions, success stories and program benefits. You could even provide tips on how to prepare for internal interviews and how to transition between roles. Consider hosting regular information sessions or webinars to address common questions and concerns.

8. Measure and Iterate

Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for your internal mobility program, such as internal fill rate, time-to-fill for internal vs. external hires, employee satisfaction scores and retention rates of internally moved employees. Consider collecting feedback through surveys and focus groups to understand the employee experience with the program. With this data you can refine and improve your processes, addressing pain points and capitalizing on what’s working well.

9. Leverage an RPO Partner to Support Internal Mobility

Partnering with a Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider can significantly enhance your internal mobility efforts. A skilled RPO partner can bring expertise in talent assessment, market insights and advanced recruiting technologies to your internal mobility program. They can help streamline the process of identifying and evaluating internal candidates, provide objective assessments of skills and potential and offer valuable benchmarking data.

Additionally, an RPO partner can support the development of internal talent pipelines and even manage aspects of your internal job board and internal recruitment process. By leveraging an RPO’s resources and knowledge, you can create a more robust, efficient and data-driven approach to internal mobility that complements your existing HR capabilities.

Internal Mobility & the Future of Work

As organizations navigate the complex landscape of talent acquisition and retention, internal mobility has emerged as a critical strategy for building a resilient and adaptive workforce. In an era where agility is paramount, internal mobility programs have become essential for fostering a dynamic and engaged employee base.

The role of technology in boosting internal mobility cannot be overstated. From AI-powered matching and search to skilled-based assessments, these advancements are transforming how organizations approach internal talent development and deployment.

By leveraging both advanced technologies and RPO partnerships, organizations can create a robust internal mobility program that supports continuous learning, career growth and workforce planning. This multifaceted approach not only aids in retaining top talent with key skills but also in developing a workforce that can swiftly adapt to changing business needs.

Beginner’s Guide to Early Careers Programs 

Posted on by akessler

A well-designed early careers program is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic imperative. As organizations vie for top Gen Z talent, those with robust, thoughtfully structured programs gain a significant edge. This article delves into the crucial elements of building a successful early careers initiative, and how engaging an RPO can help you structure your overall program and craft an effective early careers recruitment strategy. 

The following guide will explore how to create a program that not only attracts bright, ambitious graduates but also nurtures their growth, aligns with your business objectives, and builds a pipeline of future leaders. From rotational schemes and mentorship opportunities to innovative early careers recruitment tactics, we’ll cover the essential components of how an RPO partner can set your early careers program apart. 

The Impact of RPO for a Strong Early Careers Program 

Establishing a robust early careers program can be a complex undertaking, but partnering with an experienced recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) provider can significantly streamline the process. An RPO partner brings specialized expertise in designing and implementing comprehensive early careers initiatives, from structuring rotational schemes and mentorship programs to crafting tailored development pathways. They can help align your program with current industry best practices, ensuring it appeals to Gen Z talent while meeting your organization’s strategic objectives. 

Moreover, an RPO partner can revolutionize your early careers recruitment strategy, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches to attract top young talent. They can manage the entire recruitment lifecycle, from employer branding and candidate sourcing to assessment and onboarding, allowing you to focus on core business activities. By entrusting your early careers program to an RPO specialist, you’re not just filling entry-level positions—you’re investing in a scalable, future-proof talent acquisition strategy that will drive long-term organizational success and build a strong pipeline of future leaders. 

Considerations for Your Early Careers Program 

Before you can start thinking about how to recruit this dynamic generation, you need to think about how to structure your early careers program. Your RPO provider will guide you through some of the questions below as they help you create a blueprint for building your early careers program.  

Early Careers Program Structure 

  • What are the goals and objectives for your early careers program? Do you want to develop future leaders, or are you trying to find talent with particular skills?  
  • Have you created an early careers success profile? Who is the ideal early careers hire that will meet your program objectives and fit your company culture? What skills and capabilities do they need? What behaviors should they exhibit?  
  • What are your diversity targets for the early careers program? 
  • What will the program look like? Will early careers hires join a particular team or department? Or will they go through rotations with various departments before specializing? How long will each rotation last? What will they do during each rotation? 
  • How long is your early careers program? It could be one to three years, or even longer, depending on your objectives. 
  • Will you hire continuously for your early careers program or bring in annual or semi-annual cohorts? How big is each cohort? You’ll need to balance your program objectives with providing individualized attention and fostering connections. 
  • Do you have a dedicated early careers program coordinator? What about an executive sponsor or steering committee? 

Work Environment & Support Systems 

  • Where will your early careers talent work? Are they required to work from the office? Or are you open to hybrid working options to offer flexibility? 
  • How will you ensure retention of early careers talent? Mentoring programs that pair early careers talent with experienced professionals and buddy systems for peer-to-peer support are two ways to foster engagement, inclusion and community. 

Development Opportunities & Career Progression 

  • What training will your early careers talent need to be successful in the short and long term? Are these materials already created or do you need to develop them? Does the training take place in person, virtually or a hybrid? Do you need to invest in learning and development (L&D) technology? 
  • How will you measure the performance of your early careers talent? Gen Z loves feedback and will want to have career development discussions early and often. Your RPO partner can help ensure your managers and leaders are prepared with performance criteria and coaching frameworks. 
  • What is the career path for your emerging talent? Is there one set path for your program, or will it depend on the individual? Clearly outline potential career paths within the organization and ensure early careers talent know how to find opportunities for internal mobility once they’ve completed the program. 

Remember, an RPO partner will help you create a program that develops talent who align with your organization’s culture and strategic objectives. Plus, they will regularly review and adjust your program to ensure it remains relevant and effective in training and retaining top talent. 

Structuring Your Early Careers Recruitment Campaigns 

Once you know what your early careers program will look like, your RPO partner will then help you structure the recruitment process. Rolling and block campaigns are two different approaches to structuring early careers recruitment efforts. Both approaches have their merits, and some organizations use a hybrid model. The choice depends on factors like industry norms, organizational needs and the types of roles being filled. 

Rolling Campaigns  

In a rolling campaign, you recruit early careers talent throughout the year. Applications are accepted continuously, and candidates are evaluated as they apply. This means rolling campaigns can be more resource-intensive to manage and may make it harder to compare candidates directly. 

Benefits & Considerations for Rolling Campaigns: 

  • Flexibility for both employers and candidates
  • Ability to fill positions as needs arise 
  • Potentially shorter time-to-hire due to quicker responses and hiring decisions, which can keep candidates engaged 
  • Opportunity to capture top talent year-round 
  • Continuous recruitment aligns well with ongoing social media strategies, allowing for regular content and engagement opportunities 
  • Fewer applicants at a time means you can offer a more personalized recruitment experience, which Gen Z appreciates 

Block or Cohort Campaigns 

Block campaigns, also known as cohort recruiting, involve recruiting during a specific timeframe, often aligned with the academic calendar. For example, you might have an intern recruitment campaign in the spring to hire a cohort of summer interns, or you might hire in the spring to capture students as they graduate. Block campaigns are common in industries with predictable hiring needs and can be more efficient for processing large numbers of entry-level positions. 

Benefits & Considerations for Cohorts 

  • Set application deadlines and structured hiring cycles appeal to Gen Z’s desire for transparency and help them plan accordingly 
  • Great for internships and graduate programs that follow the academic calendar 
  • Creates a sense of urgency and competition among candidates inspiring them to put their best foot forward 
  • Allows for batch processing of applications making it easier to manage large volumes all at once 
  • Allows for group assessments centers or virtual events, which can showcase your company culture and allow candidates to interact with peers 
  • Can be perceived as fairer and more inclusive, which are important values for Gen Z 

Hybrid Approach 

Consider a hybrid model that combines elements of both rolling recruiting and cohort campaigns. It might look something like: 

  1. Main recruitment drives (cohorts) for graduate programs or internships 
  2. Year-round opportunities (rolling) for specific roles or departments 

    Benefits & Considerations of Hybrid Early Careers Recruitment  

    • Attracts a wider range of candidates, including those who may not align with specific cohort timelines  
    • May require additional resources and careful planning to manage both rolling and cohort recruitment simultaneously 
    • Can help distribute the recruitment workload throughout the year, potentially reducing stress on internal teams during peak periods  
    • May create challenges ensuring consistent assessment and selection processes across both recruitment methods 
    • May complicate budget forecasting for recruitment and training 

    RPO & Early Careers Programs 

    By partnering with an RPO, organizations can leverage their expertise to design comprehensive early careers programs that align with their strategic goals and resonate with Gen Z candidates. From innovative recruitment strategies to structured development paths, these programs offer a multifaceted approach to nurturing young professionals. Companies that invest in robust early careers initiatives will find themselves well-positioned to build a dynamic, skilled workforce capable of driving future success.  

    Nurse Recruitment Strategies to Address the Nursing Shortage

    Posted on by akessler

    The healthcare industry is facing a severe shortage of nurses and other frontline clinical staff, creating unprecedented challenges for medical facilities across the nation. This crisis, exacerbated by an aging population and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatens the quality, accessibility and continuity of patient care. Whether healthcare organizations require the recruitment of registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), or certified nursing assistants (CNAs), the need for innovative nurse recruitment strategies has never been more critical.  

    The shortage spans all levels of nursing, from entry-level positions to advanced practice roles. Hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and home health agencies are all feeling the pinch as they struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels. This scarcity of nursing professionals not only strains existing staff but also impacts patient outcomes, increases wait times, and can lead to the reduction or elimination of certain services. 

    This article explores the depth of the nursing shortage, its root causes, recruiting strategies for nurses for today’s competitive landscape. 

    The Nursing Shortage: A Growing Crisis 

    The current state of the nursing workforce paints a concerning picture for the future of healthcare. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the United States will face a shortage of 195,400 nurses by 2031. There are not enough nurses joining the field, which is not for lack of interested and qualified applicants. As many as 80,000 qualified applicants get turned away from nursing colleges because there are not enough nursing faculty, clinical sites, and resources to support larger class sizes. 

    Driven by the strain of the pandemic and a shrinking workforce, many healthcare workers are choosing to the leave the field due to burnout. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the rates of RN turnover in the United States have ticked up over recent years, growing from 17% in 2017 to 26% by 2021. More than a quarter of RNs report they plan to retire or leave nursing over the next five years. 

    With nationwide labor shortages and inflation, healthcare organizations face rising costs for salaries, benefits and contract staffing which strains budgets. Hospitals and health systems are paying an additional $24 billion per year for clinical labor than they were before the pandemic. In general, modern employees require more competitive compensation, benefits and perks to be enticed. This is even more crucial in rural settings where healthcare staff often must be convinced to relocate. 

    In order to keep patient care standards high amidst staffing shortages, the U.S. healthcare system relies heavily on costly contract and travel nurses which further drives up labor costs for hospitals. According to  the American Hospital Association, the portion of nurse labor expenses going to contract travel nurses has grown from 4.7% in 2019 to 38.6% in January 2022.  

    While travel nurses accounted for 23% of total nurse hours in January 2022, they represented nearly 40% of all nursing labor costs for hospitals. Plus, relying on traveling nurses can be bad for morale as staff nurses realize how much more money travel nurses are making—thus exacerbating retention challenges. 

    nurse recruitment strategies

    7 Best Practices in Nurse Recruitment 

    Traditional approaches to nursing recruiting are no longer sufficient in this high-demand environment. Healthcare providers must reimagine their recruitment processes, workplace cultures and career development opportunities to attract and retain top nursing talent across all specialties and experience levels. To address the shortage, healthcare organizations should consider these best practices in nurse recruitment. 

    1. Modernize Recruitment Technology 

    Often healthcare organizations are struggling with legacy recruitment technology that is no longer fit for purpose when it comes to modern healthcare recruitment. Investing in your recruitment tech stack helps you gain agility, streamline your processes and access a world-class candidate experience that today’s nurses have come to expect.  

    AI-powered sourcing tools can help identify the most promising healthcare talent in a matter of minutes.  Plus, advanced analytics arm you with the data you need to hone your recruitment strategy.  

    2. Expand Nurse Recruitment Channels 

    Expanding recruitment channels is essential in today’s competitive market. Partnering with nursing schools for early careers recruitment opportunities can help secure a pipeline of emerging talent. Utilizing social media platforms effectively can reach nursing candidates where they spend much of their time. Attendance at both virtual and in-person job fairs for healthcare recruitment can also yield positive results. 

    3. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits 

    Offering competitive compensation and benefits is more important than ever for clinical recruitment. Regular salary benchmarking ensures that pay rates remain attractive in a rapidly changing market. Comprehensive benefits packages, including perks like student loan repayment benefits and robust mental health support, can set an organization apart. For hard-to-fill positions, sign-on bonuses may be necessary to secure top talent over your competition. 

    4. Create Clear Career Advancement Pathways 

    Creating clear career advancement pathways is crucial for both recruitment and retention—but don’t just promote it to existing employees. Before joining, nurses want to know that there’s an established path to promotion to assure them there’s room to grow their skills and earning potential.  

    Use your CRM to share content with nursing candidates throughout the recruitment journey that showcases mentorship programs for new nurses or leadership tracks for more experienced nurses. No matter where they are in their careers, nursing candidates want to know their employer will offer support and guidance throughout their careers.  

    5. Emphasize Work-Life Balance 

    In today’s workforce, emphasizing work-life balance is non-negotiable, regardless of industry. But with burnout among nurses higher than ever, it’s important to show nursing candidates upfront that you’re committed to work-life balance.  

    Offering roles with flexible schedules, including part-time and job-sharing opportunities, can attract a wider pool of candidates. Ensure your job descriptions address paid time off and promotes your well-being perks and benefits.  

    6. Diversify Your Nursing Workforce 

    Diversity in nursing is not only an ethical imperative but also a practical necessity in serving increasingly diverse patient populations and supporting multilingual patient care. Developing targeted recruitment strategies for nurses from underrepresented groups can broaden the talent pool.

    👉 Check out our DE&I Resource Center for information to help guide you on your diversity, equity and inclusion journey. 

    7. Engage a Healthcare RPO Partner 

    To overcome recruiting roadblocks, healthcare organizations can partner with a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner to supplement internal recruiting teams and create sustainable talent acquisition strategies. When implemented correctly, a healthcare RPO program enhances recruiting effectiveness, attracts top talent and reduces cost, providing healthcare organizations with a competitive advantage. 

    The RPO Advantage for Nurse Recruitment 

    The nursing shortage is a complex challenge that requires a multifaceted approach. A growing number of forward-thinking healthcare talent acquisition and HR leaders have partnered with an RPO partner to stay ahead of the competition. An RPO program can help your organization implement these nurse recruitment best practices and position you as an employer of choice for nurses. 

    Discover how RPO can revolutionize your healthcare organization’s talent acquisition strategy with our ebook, Revolutionizing Healthcare Staffing: The RPO Advantage.   

    7 Direct Sourcing Best Practices in Talent Acquisition

    Posted on by akessler

    Direct sourcing is a pivotal strategy in talent acquisition that empowers organizations to proactively identify, attract and engage top talent. With the growth of the gig economy and blurring of lines between full-time and temporary employment, workers who traditionally seek full-time employment are increasingly willing to take up temporary placements—and vice versa. Organizations that create and nurture blended talent pools of both permanent and contingent workers through direct sourcing best practices can bypass traditional recruitment channels and connect with top talent in a more personalized and efficient manner.  

    Here are seven direct sourcing best practices to successfully implement direct sourcing as part of your talent acquisition strategy: 

    1. Focus on Your Employer Brand 

      A strong employer brand showcases what makes your company unique and appealing, serving as a powerful magnet for skilled professionals seeking temporary, project-based and full-time work. Investing in your employer brand pays dividends in direct sourcing by reducing time-to-hire, improving the quality of candidates and enhancing candidate engagement. Moreover, it helps build trust and credibility with potential workers, making them more likely to choose your organization over competitors. 

      To build an effective employer brand, start by developing a compelling employer value proposition (EVP) that highlights the distinct advantages of working with your organization. This should encompass your company’s values, culture and the unique opportunities you offer. Consider factors such as flexible work arrangements, challenging projects and professional development opportunities. Communicate these elements clearly and consistently across your website, social media platforms, email nurture campaigns and other channels to create a cohesive brand image. 

      With 41% of companies expecting to increase their use of contingent workers, it’s important to ensure that your EVP applies to both your temporary and permanent employees. Have you formally defined the value proposition for contractors? Contingent workers are a part of your cultural DNA and deserve the same experience as full-time workers. It may help to shift from using the term EVP, which implies the value is only experienced by those you employ directly, to using Worker Value Proposition (WVP) to make it more inclusive. Direct sourcing can help that drive that connection to the employer brand —regardless of classification. 

      2. Implement Robust Technology 

        Technology forms the second cornerstone of successful direct sourcing, providing the essential infrastructure for implementing and optimizing sourcing strategies. In fact, the effectiveness of most of our direct sourcing best practices hinges on the availability and proper utilization of advanced technology tools.  

        Look for solutions that offer AI-powered matching capabilities, which can dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of candidate selection. For example, PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing is a tech-powered solution that helps you rediscover candidates who are already in your candidate database with the use of AI. Affinix™, our proprietary talent acquisition suite, compares your job description against profiles in your database and identifies a list of the best candidates—whether they’re previous applicants, individuals who have filled out an expression of interest form for the role, or silver/bronze medalists from previous requisitions. You receive a weighted score for each candidate (based on previous job titles and experience, skills profile and management experience) along with a written summary. Your hiring manager can then determine which candidates they want to pursue immediately, and which to add to a talent pool, where they’ll receive additional outreach before being invited to apply.  

        We can also use our AI smart search technology to tap into 1.3 billion candidate profiles across multiple external talent databases. This vastly expands your access to talent by identifying strong candidates within seconds of opening a new job requisition.  

        In addition to outbound channels, PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing offers technology solutions for inbound sourcing channels including custom careers sites, internal job portals, expression of interest forms and programmatic advertising.  

        In addition to sourcing capabilities, prioritize platforms with robust automation to reduce manual tasks and free up your team to focus on strategic initiatives. Don’t forget comprehensive analytics to help you continually refine your sourcing strategies, identify trends and measure your efforts.  

        3. Create Segmented Talent Pools 

          Creating segmented talent pools is a crucial strategy in effective direct sourcing, allowing organizations to target their efforts more precisely and efficiently. By developing and maintaining pools of both permanent and contingent talent based on skills, experience levels and job types, companies can quickly identify and engage the best candidates for specific roles or projects.  

          This targeted approach allows for more personalized engagement strategies, tailored communication and faster matching of candidates to opportunities. Through analytics you can develop an understanding of each talent segment’s unique needs and motivations, allowing you to refine your value proposition for different groups. Ultimately, segmented talent pools build stronger connections with candidates, improving the quality of hires and the efficiency of your direct sourcing program. 

          4. Develop Talent Engagement Strategies 

            Once you’ve established distinct talent segments, it’s essential to develop and implement engagement approaches that resonate with each group’s unique characteristics and preferences. This personalized approach ensures that your communication is relevant, timely and effective, increasing the likelihood of attracting and retaining top talent for your organization. 

            Implement a robust CRM and recruitment marketing engine to streamline and automate these engagement processes, allowing for consistent and personalized interactions at scale. Regularly provide updates, feedback, and relevant information to keep candidates engaged and interested, fostering a sense of connection with your organization even before a specific opportunity arises. Your engagement strategy should also span social media, networking events, relevant online platforms, industry associations and SMS to keep your talent pools informed about opportunities and foster connection. 

            This approach not only helps you cultivate a diverse pool of specialized talent but also positions your organization as an attractive option for skilled professionals. By maintaining active engagement with passive talent, you create a ready pipeline of qualified candidates, enabling you to quickly scale your workforce and access a broad spectrum of skills and expertise when needed. 

            5. Focus on the Candidate Experience 

              In the realm of direct sourcing best practices, a positive candidate experience not only enhances your organization’s reputation but also increases the likelihood of successful placements and repeat engagements. Regardless of whether a candidate is up for a permanent or contingent role, they’ll be expecting a mobile-first, streamlined, informative and engaging process from initial outreach through placement. 

              Focus on transparency and communication throughout the sourcing process. Provide clear, detailed job descriptions and requirements, offer insights into your company culture and set realistic expectations regarding timelines and next steps. A tech-powered solution will feature automation that ensures candidates receive timely responses to their applications and inquiries.  

              By prioritizing a positive candidate experience, you not only improve your chances of securing top talent but also build a strong employer brand that attracts high-quality candidates to your talent pools over time. 

              6. Optimize Direct Sourcing Performance 

                Measuring and optimizing the performance of your direct sourcing program is crucial for long-term success and continuous improvement. To effectively gauge the impact of your efforts, it’s essential to track key metrics that provide insights into various aspects of your sourcing strategy such as time-to-fill, quality of hires, cost per hire, candidate engagement rates and source of hire. Additionally, monitor the size and quality of your talent pools, the effectiveness of your engagement strategies, and the overall satisfaction of both candidates and hiring managers.  

                Regularly analyzing these metrics will provide a comprehensive view of your direct sourcing program’s performance and highlight areas for improvement. For instance, if you notice a particular talent pool consistently yields high-quality candidates with shorter time-to-fill rates, you might allocate more resources to cultivating that segment. Similarly, if certain engagement tactics result in higher response rates, you can refine your communication strategies accordingly.  

                Continuously refining your approach based on performance data ensures that your direct sourcing program remains agile and effective, adapting to changing market conditions and organizational needs. Remember, the goal is not just to collect data, but to translate these insights into improvements. 

                7. Consider Outsourcing to a Talent Partner 

                  While implementing a successful direct sourcing strategy can yield a competitive edge, it requires substantial resources, expertise and ongoing management. This is where a total talent solutions partner can be a game-changer for organizations.  

                  Outsourced total talent solutions providers who offer recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and managed service programs (MSP) have the advantage of scale and specialization. They continuously invest in the latest sourcing technologies, stay abreast of market trends and refine their strategies based on data from multiple clients across various industries. This expertise enables them to build and manage segmented talent pools more efficiently, implement sophisticated engagement strategies and deliver an outstanding candidate experience.  

                  Moreover, a partner brings consultation to a direct sourcing solution. By evaluating the skills gaps in your organization in line with your anticipated demand, a talent partner can help you develop more formal workforce planning to keep you ahead of the curve. Direct sourcing can play a major role in pipelining talent so you can tap into it at the right time. 

                  This approach not only saves time and costs from staffing agencies, but it also provides access to a broader and more diverse talent pool, enhances employer branding efforts and improves the quality of hires. Ultimately, partnering with a provider to help execute direct sourcing best practices enables organizations to achieve better results faster, positioning them to combine approaches for contingent and permanent talent acquisition management and take steps toward total workforce management. 

                  Allied Health Recruiting & Retention Best Practices 

                  Posted on by akessler

                  With an aging population pushing demand for healthcare ever higher, allied healthcare professionals—physical and occupational therapists, medical laboratory scientists, dietitians and nutritionists, dental hygienists, optometrists, phlebotomists and many more—play crucial roles in the care, diagnosis and treatment of patients. However, healthcare organizations worldwide face significant challenges in recruiting and retaining these vital providers, potentially compromising patient care outcomes. To maintain high standards of care, it’s crucial for healthcare organizations to master the art of allied health recruiting and retention. 

                  This article will explore common challenges as well as offer best practices for attracting top talent and creating an environment where allied health professionals can thrive. 

                  Challenges in Allied Health Recruiting 

                  Allied health recruiting faces several significant hurdles in today’s challenging environment as competition for allied health professionals continues to grow: 

                  • Staffing shortages: Demand for allied health staffing often outpaces the supply of qualified candidates and there’s a lack of graduates in many allied health fields. With many organizations vying for the same pool of candidates, standing out can be difficult.  
                  • High turnover rates: Turnover rates in healthcare are at an all-time high due to poor work-life balance, lack of career growth, and burnout, especially post-pandemic. Plus, a competitive job market makes it easy to job hop.  
                  • Rising labor costs driven by reliance on allied health staffing agencies: In order to counteract staffing shortages and turnover and maintain a high standard of care, healthcare organizations are relying on costly allied health staffing companies to supply contract healthcare workers, driving up overall labor costs.   
                  • Budget constraints: Offering competitive salaries and benefits to combat turnover while staying within budget can be a balancing act. Many allied roles are perceived as underpaid relative to the education required to perform them, encouraging allied workers to pursue higher paid clinical roles or opportunities outside healthcare. 
                  • Pressure to diversify the allied workforce: In order to provide the best patient care, healthcare systems are increasingly under pressure to match patient demographics which are increasingly multicultural and multilingual.  
                  • Evolving skill requirements: As healthcare technology and practices evolve, so do the skills required of allied health professionals. The increasing complexity of patient care requires more specialized knowledge.   
                  • Geographic limitations: Some healthcare facilities, particularly those in rural or underserved areas, may struggle to attract candidates due to their location. Rural areas struggle to attract and retain allied health professionals. Urban areas often have higher living costs, making it difficult for these lower-paid roles.  
                  • Compliance demands: Extra care must be taken around credentialing and licensing checks for the allied workforce.  
                  • Legacy recruitment technology: Healthcare organizations may struggle with old, legacy recruitment technology that is no longer fit for purpose—or not have a recruitment tech stack at all.  

                  Best Practices for Allied Health Recruiting & Retention 

                  Let’s dive into some game-changing allied healthcare recruiting solutions to help you overcome these challenges: 

                  Showcase Your Unique Culture 

                  Don’t just tell potential candidates about your workplace—show them! Instead of simply describing your environment, use social media and your website to provide a behind-the-scenes look at your team in action. Consider creating video testimonials from current employees or virtual facility tours to help potential candidates envision themselves as part of your organization.  

                  Another area to showcase is learning and development and recognition. Ongoing education opportunities, conference attendance and skill development programs are all great topics for recruitment content. Additionally, showcase outstanding performers on your social media channels, from an employee-of-the-month or someone who’s gotten special kudos from a patient. This will show potential employees that you’re invested in your team’s growth and job satisfaction. 

                  Offer Competitive Compensation Packages 

                  It’s not just about the salary. Consider offering unique perks that set you apart, such as student loan repayment assistance, schedule flexibility, wellness programs or even sabbaticals for long-term employees. These benefits can make a significant difference in attracting and retaining top talent. Remember, you’re not just filling a position; you’re investing in a long-term relationship. 

                  Streamline Your Recruitment Process 

                  In the fast-paced world of healthcare, time is of the essence. Make your application process quick, mobile-friendly and frictionless. The easier it is to apply, the more top-notch candidates you’ll attract. Consider implementing a one-click apply option or allowing candidates to apply with their LinkedIn profiles. Remember to keep candidates informed throughout the process with automated updates and clear timelines. 

                  Leverage Technology 

                  Healthcare talent acquisition teams often struggle with legacy recruitment technology that hasn’t kept up with modern candidate expectations. Consider implementing AI-powered tools to screen résumés, chatbots to answer candidate questions and video interviews to connect with applicants from anywhere. These tools can help keep top candidates engaged and ensure no promising applicants fall through the cracks. 

                  Create a Robust Onboarding Program 

                  First impressions matter. Creating a robust onboarding program is essential for setting new allied health professionals up for success. Onboarding should extend to include check-ins at 30, 60 and 90 days, ensuring new hires feel supported as they integrate into your organization. Complement this with a mentorship program that pairs new hires with experienced team members. This approach not only helps newcomers learn the ropes but also builds relationships and fosters a sense of belonging. 

                  Beyond the onboarding phase, regular communication is key to retaining allied health professionals. Instead of relying solely on annual reviews, implement a system of frequent check-ins. Whether it’s quarterly performance discussions or more informal conversations, ongoing dialogue allows you to catch and resolve issues early, keeping your team engaged and satisfied. By addressing potential concerns promptly, you can prevent minor issues from escalating into turnover, ultimately creating a more cohesive and stable team environment. 

                  Showcase Clear Career Paths 

                  Show potential allied health professionals where they can go within your organization. Clear career paths demonstrate that you’re invested in their long-term success. This could include leadership tracks, specialization opportunities or even paths to different roles within the organization. Make sure to discuss these opportunities during the recruitment process and showcase them in your attraction materials. 

                  Consider RPO for Allied Health Recruiting 

                  Another option to improve your allied health recruiting outcomes is to engage a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner. RPO recruiting for allied health can help you implement strategies to combat challenges and improve your ability to attract, recruit and retain top allied health professionals. This collaborative approach allows internal HR teams to focus on strategic workforce initiatives while the RPO partner handles the day-to-day allied health recruitment challenges. 

                  Healthcare recruiting is dynamic and ever evolving. With persistence, creativity and the support of an RPO partner, you can build a strong, engaged allied health recruiting program that drives excellence in patient care.  

                  Why Small and Medium Enterprises Should Consider Recruitment Process Outsourcing

                  Posted on by akessler

                  Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unique challenges in attracting and retaining top talent. Limited resources, lack of dedicated recruitment teams, and the need for agility in hiring can often put smaller businesses at a disadvantage.  

                  That’s where Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) comes in— a versatile strategy that businesses of all sizes can leverage to their advantage.  

                  Yes, we’re here to dispel the misconception that RPO is a luxury reserved for large enterprises with deep pockets. By offering scalable, expert-driven talent solutions, RPO providers are leveling the playing field. They bring enterprise-grade hiring practices within reach of SMEs, allowing them to compete for talent on par with larger corporations.  

                  Let’s explore how RPO is reshaping the talent landscape for businesses of all sizes. 

                  The Shifting Landscape of RPO 

                  Data from Everest Group highlights a striking trend: the proportion of new RPO deals involving smaller organizations nearly doubled from 23% in 2017 to 43% in 2022. This significant shift underscores the growing recognition among SMEs of RPO’s value in scaling hiring efforts and navigating an unpredictable labor market. 

                  Leading providers are offering more flexible, short-term solutions designed to address immediate needs without the lengthy implementation periods traditionally associated with RPO. For instance, modular solutions like PeopleScout’s Amplifiers™ and our ready-to-go RPO solution, Accelerate™, allow smaller enterprises to harness the power of RPO faster. These innovations are making RPO more accessible and responsive to the dynamic needs of growing businesses, further democratizing access to professional recruitment expertise. 

                  Debunking the “Big Business Only” Myth: Why SMEs are Embracing RPO 

                  The notion that RPO is exclusive to large enterprises is a myth. In reality, RPO can be particularly effective for SMEs experiencing rapid growth or expanding their geographic reach. Here’s why: 

                  • Unmatched Expertise: RPO providers bring a wealth of experience gathered from working with diverse clients across many industries. Smaller companies gain access to seasoned recruiters, best practices and industry insights to help them compete for top talent. Plus, an RPO partner will help you develop and refine your recruitment processes, setting a foundation for sustainable growth. 
                  • Scalability and Flexibility: As you scale, an RPO solution will adapt to your fluctuating talent needs. Whether you need to ramp up hiring quickly for a new product launch or scale down during slower periods, RPO offers an agility that you can’t replicate in-house.  
                  • Time-Saving Efficiency: By taking on time-consuming tasks like sourcing, interview scheduling and candidate management, RPO partners free up your internal teams—from HR to hiring managers—to focus on strategic priorities and business objectives.  
                  • Cost Management: RPO streamlines processes and leverages cutting-edge recruitment technologies, often resulting in significant cost savings and more manageable recruitment spend compared to maintaining a full-time in-house team or relying on traditional staffing agencies.  
                  • Access to the Latest Technology: Speaking of technology, leading RPOs have their finger on the pulse of the ever-expanding talent tech marketplace. Look for a partner who offers technology consulting to advise on how to capitalize on your existing recruitment tech stack or to recommend new tools to introduce more automation, analytics and innovation for better candidate experience.  
                  • Enhanced Candidate Experience: RPO providers excel at creating a memorable candidate journey, from initial contact through onboarding, ensuring a positive experience that reflects well on your brand.  

                  Is RPO Right for Your Business? 

                  If you’re a small or medium-sized business looking to scale, improve your hiring processes, or simply manage recruitment more effectively, RPO is worth considering. The key is finding an RPO partner that will take the time to understand your unique needs and will tailor a solution to align with your company’s goals and culture. 

                  PeopleScout’s RPO solutions provide value for businesses of all sizes. We’re not just focused on filling positions; we’re here to help you build a talent acquisition strategy that can drive your business forward. Whether you’re a startup looking to make your first key hires or a mid-sized company aiming to optimize your recruitment process, PeopleScout RPO might be just what you need. Let’s connect! 

                  Direct Sourcing

                  Posted on by akessler

                  Direct Sourcing by PeopleScout

                  PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing is a tech-powered solution for engaging top talent for permanent and contingent roles, while leveraging the power of your employer brand. We lay the framework for a sustainable total talent strategy by proactively creating a pipeline of freelance, temporary and permanent talent from your existing database combined with our global reach of 1.3B candidate profiles.

                  Download this fact sheet to learn more.

                  Download Fact Sheet

                  Learn more about PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing solution.

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                  Dig into More Talent Insights

                  7 Direct Sourcing Best Practices in Talent Acquisition
                  Articles

                  7 Direct Sourcing Best Practices in Talent Acquisition

                  Direct sourcing is a pivotal strategy in talent acquisition that empowers organizations to proactively identify, attract and engage top talent. With the growth of the gig economy and blurring of lines between full-time and temporary employment, workers who traditionally seek full-time employment are increasingly willing to take up temporary placements—and vice versa. Organizations that create…

                  Direct Sourcing
                  Fact Sheets

                  Direct Sourcing

                  Direct Sourcing by PeopleScout PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing is a tech-powered solution for engaging top talent for permanent and contingent roles, while leveraging the power of your employer brand. We lay the framework for a sustainable total talent strategy by proactively creating a pipeline of freelance, temporary and permanent talent from your existing database combined with…

                  Overcoming Healthcare Talent Shortage with Tech-Powered Direct Sourcing
                  Case Studies

                  Overcoming Healthcare Talent Shortage with Tech-Powered Direct Sourcing

                  Situation  This Australian radiology network operates in 270 clinics, employs over 350 doctors and 4,000 staff and performs over six million patient procedures a year, making them one of the largest medical imaging providers in the world. The organization needed to hire high-volume, critical healthcare roles across both metropolitan and regional locations, but they were…

                  Skills-Based Assessment: Where Potential Surpasses Pedigree

                  Posted on by akessler

                  Skills profiles across industries have already changed dramatically and will continue to evolve at breakneck speed. In the next 15 years, we’ll see a staggering change in the skills required to perform our work. The mismatch between the demands of the future workforce and traditional recruitment practices emphasizes why skills-based hiring strategies are now mission critical. To address these shifts, organizations must take a more nuanced approach to the evaluation of a candidate’s abilities. A skills-based assessment can provide a comprehensive profile of a candidate’s capabilities, allowing talent acquisition leaders to understand not just if someone can perform a role but their potential for future growth. 

                  So, how can organizations effectively incorporate skills assessments into their talent acquisition strategy? This article will cover types of skills-based assessments, the benefits and some tips on how to get started.  

                  The Limitations of Old Evaluation Methods 

                  For decades, a candidate’s educational qualifications and work history served as proxies for their potential job performance. Hiring managers relied on academic degrees and years of experience to determine if someone had the necessary knowledge and abilities to succeed in a role. Traditional methods of evaluating candidates based solely on educational credentials and work experience are becoming increasingly ineffective in predicting job success. 

                  Research shows these résumé- or CV-based evaluation methods have significant flaws: 

                  • Educational attainment does not always equal job performance. A recent study revealed that 72% employers don’t see a degree as a reliable signal for assessing the skills of a candidate. Yet, 52% are still hiring from degree programs because it’s considered a less risky choice.  
                  • Work experience becomes an unreliable indicator as jobs evolve. As skills requirements change, years spent in a role does not mean someone has the skills needed for that same role in the years to come. 
                  • These methods exhibit bias and lack diversity. Over-reliance on education disqualifies capable candidates who lack degrees for socioeconomic reasons. According to Deloitte, a third of Gen Zers and millennials say they decided not to pursue higher education with the leading reason being financial constraints. 

                  Defining Skills for Your Organization 

                  The term “skill” is broad and encompasses every type of characteristic or capability that could be needed by employees to do a great job in a role. Capturing and defining skills requirements across your organization is an essential first step for developing a skills-based model. 

                  So, what skills should companies look to define? Skills fall within three categories:  

                  • Hard Skills / Technical Skills: These are the expertise areas like programming languages (i.e., python, Java), data analysis, financial modeling, and other role-specific knowledge. While they’re crucial for many jobs, they actually make up a small fraction of the overall skills picture.  
                  • Soft Skills: Often undervalued, soft skills like problem-solving, emotional intelligence, communication and critical thinking are the grease that allows hard skills to operate smoothly. For most roles outside of niche specialties, these human skills make up the vast majority of what’s needed for success.  
                  • Values Alignment and Organizational Fit: Less about executing the day-to-day work, this is about whether someone’s personality, mindset and motivations mesh with the company culture and values. It’s about determining if the candidate embodies the attitudes and behaviors you want to see in the role and at your organization. 

                  Making the effort to align on the skills needed for each role across your organization will not only ensure the success of your skills-based assessment transformation but will also support learning and development, career pathing and talent management. 

                  Types of Skills-Based Assessment 

                  As part of a skills-based hiring strategy, skills assessments focus on a candidate’s demonstrated skills and competencies rather than traditional qualifications like education, years of experience or work history. Skills-based assessments help you map a candidate’s skillset to a role’s requirements, gauging whether someone can actually perform well according to the role’s core skills. It also helps you judge candidates objectively, removing barriers for underrepresented groups, and find the best match for the job.  

                  Different types of skills-based assessments provide a more predictive and holistic view of talent, including: 

                  Hard Skills  

                  Skills assessments that measure hard skills help you evaluate technical capabilities like programming, data analytics, writing and more that power performance in specific job tasks. 

                  Hard skills-based assessment examples: 

                  • Coding tests: For technical roles, coding tests can assess a candidate’s programming skills, problem-solving abilities and familiarity with specific languages or frameworks. 
                  • Simulations: Hands-on simulations or role-playing exercises can assess a candidate’s ability to perform specific job-related tasks, providing insights into their practical skills and competencies. 

                  Soft Skills

                  Skills-based assessment for soft skills help identify transferable abilities like communication, problem-solving and emotional intelligence that enable workplace success. 

                  Soft skills-based assessment examples: 

                  • Situational judgement test: SJTs present candidates with multiple job-related scenarios and asks them to choose the most appropriate response from a list of options. Having an SJT as part of your assessment center lets you evaluate candidates’ performance against real-world scenarios. Plus, candidates get a better feel for what the day-to-day job would look like.  
                  • Case studies: Presenting candidates with realistic business scenarios or case studies can evaluate their analytical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving capabilities in ways relevant to the job. 
                  • Interviews: Asking in the interview about preferred approach and style allows the candidate to self-report.  

                  Values Fit  

                  Values fit assessment measures alignment between a candidate’s outlook and company culture, which can impact employee engagement and retention. 

                  Values fit assessment examples: 

                  • Values questionnaires: Values questionnaires are designed to measure a candidate’s values, beliefs and motivations to help you understand what drives a candidate and how well their values align with your company’s culture and mission. However, hiring managers may feel confident when they see a candidate’s values in action, i.e., when observing values-based behaviors in assessment center exercises. Alternatively, values-based questions can be included in an interview. 
                  • Personality assessments: While not directly assessing skills, personality assessments can provide valuable insights into a candidate’s work style, preferences and potential cultural fit within the organization. 

                  Benefits of Skills-Based Assessments

                  Embracing skills-based assessment helps you move beyond the limitations of evaluating based on past experience to focus on present potential. Here are some of the benefits: 

                  Delivering Value to Candidates 

                  Skills assessments should provide clear value to candidates as well as the organisation: 

                  • Creates Transparency for the Candidate 
                    When the assessment outputs feed directly into the interview process, the candidate has a more personalized experience, making the interview feel more collaborative. Plus, candidates see how their effort during the assessment center connects to the actual role.  
                  • Provides an Opportunity for Development 
                    Skills assessments can become a career development tool. Even if the candidate doesn’t get the job, they gain visibility into their skills gaps and useful insight into building their skills for the future. 

                  Delivering Value to Employers 

                  Skills-based assessments also offer several advantages to employers over old evaluation methods: 

                  • Better Prediction of Performance 
                    Skills-based assessments provide better insight into on-the-job capabilities than education or experience alone, creating evidence-based, less biased hiring decisions. 
                  • Creates Wider Talent Pools 
                    Assessing for skills uncovers capable candidates regardless of their background, helping you tap into talent you would have otherwise overlooked. 
                  • Facilitates Internal Mobility 
                    Skill assessments aren’t just for recruiting. They can assist with identifying reskilling needs in your existing workforce, driving internal mobility and increasing retention. 
                  • Data-Driven Decisions 
                    Leveraging data from your skills assessment allows for analyzing gaps, workforce planning and building career pathing and development programs. 

                  Making the Shift to a Skills-Based Assessment Strategy 

                  While the benefits are clear, many organizations struggle with how to effectively implement skills-based assessment. The following section outlines key steps and considerations for successfully integrating assessments into your hiring process. From identifying critical skills for each role to selecting appropriate assessment tools and training hiring managers, these guidelines will help your organization make a smooth and effective transition to skills-based hiring.  

                  1. Create Stakeholder Buy-In  

                  The first step in moving toward skills-based assessments is communicating with hiring managers and leadership the “why” behind skills assessments and how they benefit candidates and the business. This will help you down the line when it comes to adoption of skills-first evaluation amongst hiring manager and recruiters. Make sure you address any concerns around changes to legacy processes and discuss ways to integrate skills data into hiring workflows and systems. 

                  2. Define Your Desired Skills and Competencies 

                  To effectively implement talent assessments in a skills-based hiring strategy, organizations must first clearly define the desired skills and competencies your business is looking for. Skills-based assessments can be implemented at different levels: 

                  • Role-Specific: Assessments directly tailored to the particular skills profile needed for success in a given job. Candidates are measured against a target skills benchmark. 
                  • Organization-Wide: A broader evaluation of a candidate’s skills compared to the general abilities the company needs in its workforce. This enables skills mapping and planning beyond just filling an immediate role. This is a more strategic approach for organizations already comfortable with a skills-based approach, as all roles in the organization require mapping against a full set of potential competencies.  

                  This process should involve input from hiring managers, current and past successful employees and other stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive understanding of each role’s requirements.  

                  3. Choose the Appropriate Assessment Tools  

                  With the desired skills and competencies identified, you can then select the appropriate assessment tools that best measure those abilities. This may involve implementing off-the-shelf assessments, developing custom assessments or a combination of both. There are many tools to choose from, so to avoid being overwhelmed, consider engaging a Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partner. PeopleScout’s assessment team features assessment psychologists that specialize in helping organizations determine the right tools for their talent program.  

                  4. Facilitate Change Management  

                  Once you’ve put skills-based assessments into practice, make sure you have training in place on the interpretation of your skills-based assessments output and how hiring managers should use this in their hiring decisions. You should also capture and share data with hiring managers and leadership to show the benefits of the change.  

                  Skills-Based Assessment & The Future of Work 

                  The accelerating pace of technological change means organizations can no longer rely on backward-looking education and experience signals alone to build teams. In the decades ahead, skills will only become more central in attracting, developing and deploying talent.  

                  An experienced RPO partner can be instrumental in helping organizations transition to and optimize skills-based assessments. RPO providers can help you identify the most relevant assessment tools for specific roles, integrate these seamlessly into your hiring process, and train internal teams on interpreting assessment results and using them effectively in hiring decisions. With an RPO partner, organizations can more efficiently adopt skills-based hiring practices, building strategic advantage in navigating the future of work. 

                  Learn more about our award-winning talent assessment solutions.