If there is an area within an organization that has been transformed and reversed over the last few years, it is the area we know as Human Resources, Human Resources, Personnel Management, Employee, People, etc., among many other names that has adopted. Along with these, the roles that compose it, its responsibilities and with them the processes that go through it were transformed. Sectors such as talent attraction, training and development have been spaces of great transformation, not only in that objectives pursued (and pursue) but also in the as were going (and are going) to reach them, closely associated with the terminology we know today as WoW (way of working). It is clear that, if one looks at each organization with a magnifying glass, even each item and/or sub-item, there are infinite nuances, scenarios and different opinions on what position these areas should have, so it becomes complex to group or categorize each case.
Being a professional in the area of attracting talent in 2023 implies much more than that old terminology that was used as “send CVs” or “they called me for an interview”. Today, it is important that we understand that this team works together with other areas to achieve the objective of attracting and hiring talent. Gone is that concept where “HR interviews candidates” and “sends CVs” for evaluation by the area leader. The objective of hiring talent is as important for the area of attraction as it is for the leader who needs to fill the positionWithout a doubt, it is a co-created and team work.
As a professional in the area of talent, I believe that it is essential that we can embrace the idea that the growth and development of teams of collaborators within an organization is the responsibility of all those involved. Talent attraction areas have the enormous challenge of attracting and managing selection processes; And I say enormous challenge not so much because of the ability to do it with excellence but because of the ability to drive that excellence, in communication and in decisions, be transversal and sustained throughout the process, at all levels and with all interviewers. These are areas that have a direct impact on Employer Brand initiatives, Experience (of the candidate and the employee), Diversity, Equity and Inclusionamong other.
How important it is to have a team of interviewers who can meet and understand if the person in front of them is the right one (or not) for the role they are looking for, from an objective and unbiased perspective, right? The phrase can be read as a question, as a statement, or in many cases, as a wish. The truth is that training interviewers is a great added value for the organization without a doubt. There are many professionals within organizations who are experts in their field of action and who could “realize” / “verify” if the candidate is the right one, although that does not necessarily make them “good interviewers”. It is important that those who participate as interviewers understand that the candidate’s experience must be a pleasant, comfortable experience. Note that what I am mentioning is not tied to advancing in the selection process but to providing a safe, empathetic space where the someone else feels comfortable and can develop everything you want to say without feeling conditioned or judged.
Believe me, it is not that easy to know how to ask questions. For the leaders who have within their responsibilities the hiring of talent for their teams, I ask them:
- Are we clear about what responsibilities this position will have? Are they responsibilities of a person with a seniority of senior or semi-senior?
- Have we defined the career/development plan that we can give to the talent that we incorporate?
Designing a talent recruitment strategy becomes an imperative in order to continue growing and be aligned with this post-pandemic reality. It is understanding what we are looking for, why we are hiring and what is the career proposal that is offered as a company; it is to focus on the quality of communication, feedback, experience; it is to train interviewers who are clear about what they want to know about the person in front of them by providing a warm and safe space and finally interviewers who value the diversity of ways of doing and being.
Ludmila Dubini Zerga is Chief People Officer and co-founder of Boost Inc.
by Ludmila Dubini Zerga
