Ready, Set, Hire

Don't forgo value for the sake of speed
There is cautious optimism rolling across the nation now that the economy is picking up steam. In fact, International Data Group, Inc. (IDG) forecasts global IT spending to continue growing this year. While it's a sign that things are continuing to move in the right direction, the progress towards hiring IT Talent is still slow.

What's not moving slowly is the competition for talent as companies prepare to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead. We believe the heat is turning up even more for top-level talent with the specialized skills that are in high demand. While preparing to meet the demands of the upswing with on-demand talent is smart business planning, knee-jerk hiring is not.

STAR BASE Consulting has some practical advice for thoughtful talent management.

Value speaks volumes
To say the effects of the recession will not be easily forgotten is an understatement. In fact, at STAR BASE, one thing that was reaffirmed for us over the last recession is the importance of putting value first. At the end of the day, hiring top talent is going to be a differentiator between succeeding and not. This is where value will make all the difference.

We believe that ensuring value in the world of IT boils down to establishing a relationship with your talent management provider. After all, the "new norm" in IT is about business partnerships—not just technical support. In today's world, the level to which your talent provider knows your company, understands your culture and has a grasp of your needs will be the ultimate gauge of meeting demands not just effectively, but efficiently.

It's natural in the high-speed, high-tech world to expect results at lightning speed. But, can a talent management provider really get a strong sense of all the details of a position and your culture when it's pushed through like any other transaction?

Efficiency is absolutely imperative, but speed shouldn't supersede the diligence—and ultimately the time—it takes to find the most suitable IT professional for your company.

We recently experienced this when a client came to us in need of a hard to find technical resource. The client had reached out to other staffing firms who supplied them with a surplus of resumes very quickly.

STAR BASE took the time to fully understand the engagement as well as the culture of the company and rhythm of the department. By the end of week two of their search process and after reviewing numerous resumes and conducting several interviews, the client received one resume from STAR BASE and it was the right resume. This candidate was interviewed and ultimately hired for that position.

Identify a people-centric staffing firm
Given the importance of finding those value hires at this time and in this economy, we would like to share a few tips from the American Staffing Association that we believe will lead you to a successful talent management partnership.

1. Broaden your choices. Investigate multiple vendors, check out references and ask for examples of their work. The firms should know your business, your culture and your needs.
2. Investigate their recruiting practices. Dig into their methods for recruiting to understand how they go about identifying candidates that will be a solid fit.
3. Understand the vendors' value systems. Are they a good employer? In the case of contract assignments, will the firm you are working with be a good employer to the contractor? The individual's happiness can greatly influence their work.
4. Assess the vendors' advisory capacity. Can you count on them for advice? The firm you work with should be able to provide honest council and guidance on your talent needs.

Remember that value is king
Hiring is going to increase as is competition for talent. These crossroads present a good reminder that ultimately the driver of success is value.

To learn more about the Talent on Demand services STAR BASE provides, please contact us at 513.245.0400 or visit our Web site at www.starbaseinc.com.