JobDig -> HR & Management -> Hiring -> Using Educational Institutions Beyond Entry Level Recruiting

Using Educational Institutions Beyond Entry Level Recruiting

Recruiting for diversity goes well beyond the emerging or entry level workforce. Most companies have used colleges, universities and other training institutions for internships or new graduates for entry level positions. While this is still needed and productive it does not tap the other needed workforce; diversity in mid-management. Keeping the pipeline flowing can not be achieved if it’s skewed to the inexperienced end of the pipe. Knowledge and experience is being depleted through the aging and retirement of the baby boomers. These areas are even more critical if you are to stay competitive.

I encourage everyone to read The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book by Dr. Ira S. Wolfe (Creative Communications Publications, 2004). He outlines and categorizes the facts as to why the worker shortage will not go away. Again, as I’ve always maintained: it’s not only the quantity of the available workforce, but also the quality. The material in The Perfect Labor Storm may scare you. The information in this article should help prepare you.

Let’s go back to the issue of educational institutions. Companies think of college recruitment and attending job fairs to attract students and new graduates. The next step is to not only develop relationships with people (Career Services, department heads or professors) in these departments but also the Alumni Association of these institutions.

Where did your current employees graduate from?
How well were they prepared for the world of work?
Are they members of their alma mater’s alumni association and if so, how active are they?
Do they receive regular publications from that school and how do they use that information?
Is there a particular school that has a better track record than the rest?

Most people think of money when it comes to clout with these institutions via the Alumni Associations or the Office of Giving. It may help (it sure won’t hurt), but effective use of creativity and well developed relationships with people within these associations will go further. You will be able to find those individuals who are past graduates, faculty, and department heads whose information is being continually updated. You will also be able to find people that you have lost track of and could now use to help you succeed better now that they have 10-20 years of experience to hone their skills.

If certain techniques are used you will be able to avoid a candidate mining or corporate raider reputation. Again, using the information and contacts within the Alumni resources will help you to weather the perfect labor storm since it’s all about successful relationship building. This must be a company wide effort, not a one person or one department responsibility. Everyone must lend their talents to develop a system and implement the process. One person can function as the team leader to achieve consistency.

About Kathy Bornheimer

Company: KB & Associates
Website: http://www.streetsmartjobsearch.com/

Kathy Bornheimer has over 20 years of experience in recruitment and career coaching. She spent several years recruiting in engineering before migrating to IT professionals.

Since 1992, Kathy has had her own business, K.B. & Associates, and knows what it's like to be in continual search for new business (jobs). Her sales presentations are comparable to interviewing and marketing materials are her resumes.

As a recruiter, Kathy was repeatedly involved in the hiring process with both the employer and the candidate. She was the proverbial "fly on the wall" and was privy to both sides of the issue. In addition, she also witnessed the successes and failures from both sides in the process.

As the Director of Career Services at Bryant & Stratton College in Milwaukee, Kathy successfully transformed the department from a traditional administrative function in academia to a staffing agency model. Successful matches between the recent graduates and students were made for Milwaukee area hiring needs. In 2004, Kathy transferred out of the Career Services department on the degree side of the college to the Continuing Education division (Professional Skills Center). During her brief tenure there, she developed and implemented the internship program for Clinical Coding and taught "Retooling for Your New Career" in course and workshop formats.

Currently, Kathy puts all of her efforts into her business, and continues to address employment issues affecting today's workforce and the workforce of the future. Kathy is also the author of "The Street Smart Approach to Job Search" (Dorrance Publishing, 2004) and is the co-author of "Work Makes Me Sick (Prescribe Something Quick)!" (2006). In the past, she was a regular contributor to Technical Support magazine (Technical Enterprises). Kathy continues to provide programs, seminars and workshops that are related to employment issues.