Launching Recruiting Specialists into an HR Generalist Model

Leslie SolondzVP, Employment Practices & Chief

Diversity OfficerRepublic Services, Inc.

What We Will Cover

• Generalists v. Specialists (good, bad, and ugly)

• The Stakeholders: Hiring Managers, Leaders, Candidates, and HR Generalists

• Building the Function

• Change Management

• Proving ROI

• Unexpected Challenges and Lessons Learned

HR Generalists & Recruiting Specialists

Are there meaningful differences?

What are they?

• Scope and Breadth of Responsibilities?• Business Knowledge?• Managerial Partnership?• Desire to Recruit Top Talent?• Personal Motivation and Style?

The Stakeholders

Hiring Managers** Fill my jobs Keep my people Hold my hand …. or leave me alone

Leaders Bring top talent Fill our jobs Show results and benefits

Candidates Tell me your story (differentiation) Prove your commitment to me

Human Resources** Give me time back Make me look good (not bad)

Building the Function: Key Questions

Just some of the MANY questions ….

How many recruiters? Where do they sit? Who do they report to? Who supervises them? Who pays them? Who reviews them? Who incentivizes them? What incentivizes them?

With pros and cons to every possible answer.

Embracing Change: Key #1 to Success

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

Albert Einstein

Embracing Change: Education

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Nelson Mandela

Embracing Change

Strategic Education – Food for Thought:

• Educate upstream or down (or both)?

• Have your stakeholders worked with recruiters

before?

• Do your stakeholders have reasonable expectations

for recruiting and recruiters?

• A little customer service may go a long way.

Embracing Change: Success?

“Convincing yourself doesn’t win an argument.”

Robert Half

“Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.”

Mahatma Ghandi

Partnership: Key #2 to Success

Partnering with HR Generalists:

• Recruiting does not happen in a vacuum, so

leverage your HR Generalists.

• Involve your HR Generalists strategically.

• Stay within scope.

• Give credit where credit is due. (But take

some, too.)

Partnership: Key #2 to Success

Partnering with Hiring Managers:

• Needs assessment and education

• Focus on a counselor/advisor model

• Don’t overpromise

• Deliver

• And remember that happy candidates lead to

happier hiring managers

Proving Return On Investment

Different proof for different stakeholders

Proving ROI for Human Resources:

1. TIME

2. TALENT

3. CAREER DEVELOPMENT

4. (And metrics are nice, too)

Unexpected Challenges & Lessons Learned

1. Everyone is a recruiting expert.2. Everyone takes credit.3. Everyone is the boss.4. Expectations expand quickly.5. Hire the right team (maybe not what you expect).6. Start how you want to continue.7. Nobody always knows best.8. Never turn down headcount.9. Have fun – there are few chances to build something

new.

DISCUSSION