The hiring conundrum: quality versus the clock

The conundrum facing all hiring managers is the pull to find quality talent and the push of the clock to find them with expediency. Quality hires, as we’ve seen in this blog series, take work. Quality hires demand:

• Realistic expectations
• Efficient prescreening
• Confident processing
• Consistency

Toward that end, MEA is here to help. We know the market is tight. Our members discuss this with us every day. We have developed tools to assist with each stage of the hiring process. We have created options for our members that address the “Quality Versus the Clock” conundrum. Let’s take a quick look.

Realistic Expectations

MEA will work side by side with you to develop an effective job description with a strong marketing message. We will consult with you regarding the market and compensation trends. We will make sure your expectations are in line with reality. Our MEA.Jobs posting service will get your position posted to most of the major job boards for a fraction of the cost of those same boards’ individual prices. You will have full access to these candidates as well as an integrated Applicant Tracking System to keep tabs on your progress.

Efficient Prescreening

MEA will manage your candidate flow. We know prescreening candidates, no matter their source, is time consuming and frustrating. Our Candidate Sourcing model is designed to take all that work off your desk. MEA will develop your job description, manage the advertisements and postings, and prescreen all those candidates against your requirements. We speak with the best, assure their alignment with the position and deliver a stack of resumes to you. This way, you’re only speaking to interested, engaged and qualified applicants from the very beginning.

Confident Processing

We know the work that goes into the hiring process. It’s what we do. MEA has a Full Life Cycle Hiring option that provides engagement and expertise along the entire journey. We work as a hands-on consultative team to manage the job description, compensation, marketing, qualification, administration and negotiation until the new hire is at their station. Most employment agencies are now charging 25% of the first year’s salary for this service. MEA, as always, is 12% for our members.

Consistency

A consistent process is the beginning of an excellent candidate experience and in this market, an excellent reputation is key to attracting excellent employees. MEA is a certified partner of the Predictive Index. With this tool, MEA will give you an edge over the competition. PI’s software gives you access to their powerful Job, Behavioral, Cognitive and Sales Assessments. The analytics will ensure consistency and rank candidates against job requirements in real time. PI will take some subjectivity out of the hiring equation and provide consistent, objective insights to make better informed decisions.

A final word, folks, about hiring in today’s environment. When you strike gold, don’t keep digging.  Don’t tempt the clock by looking for another chunk of gold to compare against the first. In other words, don’t base your hiring selection on the comparison of your available candidates. Base your hiring on the confidence that your chosen candidate will excel in his new position.

The options mentioned above will ensure you have the bandwidth and confidence to do just that.

Let MEA help.

About the Author

Patrick McLaughlin is a Talent Acquisition Industry Professional. He owns all the scars and accolades a successful 25-year career in recruiting can bestow. He’s learned the hard way that good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.

As the Director of Recruiting Services at MEA, Pat has developed a core selection of Recruiting Products designed to alleviate MEA Member’s growing pains when it comes to Job Posting, Sourcing, Recruitment and Supplemental Staffing. Please reach out to him to discuss your hiring initiatives.