“Gum On Shoe” Why Recruiting Shouldn't Report into Human Resources

**** A quick announcement, Myself and Jim Sparacia?https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/jim-sparacia-2845b01/?of Corporate Information Systems will be kicking off a twice a month podcast starting in September of 2023. This will give a unique perspective of the sales recruiting world, More details to follow *********

I’m a huge hockey fan, I believe it is one of the best sports and has some of the best athletes, when it comes to the betterment of the team concept. But I remember when you had one coach behind the bench, now you have three with another 2-3 viewing the game from up top. Each coach has a specialty, and each own the success or failure of those units. That is their priority and the experience of their craft is what enables them to teach others.

As a corporate recruiter, I've come to the conclusion that recruiting should not report into human resources.?In my opinion?Recruiting and Human Resources are two entities that are no longer similar. This opinion is not a criticism of HR; I've worked with some very talented people in that department. However, recruiting has evolved and is no longer the same as HR. It requires a specialized voice or representation of someone who understands the industry's ebbs and flows. To achieve success, companies need specialist recruiters who understand how the industry works and what it takes to succeed. Let me get more in depth as to why I believe that recruiting shouldn't report into human resources.

The first reason why recruiting shouldn't report into human resources is the unique needs of the recruiting process. The problem with having HR handle recruiting is that there is not necessarily a focus on recruiting alone. HR has several other aspects of the organization to worry about, which can detract from recruiting. Recruitment requires a specific skill set, including knowledge of industry trends, job markets, salaries, and advances in recruitment technology. In short, there is more to recruiting than simply matching applicants to job openings and conducting interviews. It requires a seasoned veteran to understand how to find the perfect candidate for a job opening. However, human resources professionals are not always versed in the latest employer branding, digital recruitment approaches, candidate personas, and dynamic engagement strategies that help create a competitive talent acquisition process.

This brings me to a real life example which just happened to a dear friend of mine, who is a very seasoned corporate recruiter and who reports into HR.?After sourcing a very tough Director opening and ultimately finding a strong candidate, whom they hired. Her first one on one with her leader after this hire, was focused on the importance of dispositioning candidates.?When a recruiter finds a candidate that would've cost the organization over 100k in agency fees, they would expect something more than just being asked why they are falling behind on dispositioning candidates. This kind of treatment erases or devalues the dedication, talent, and hard work that go into finding such candidates. It's not the candidate who just happened to apply; it's a purposeful, proactive search for the right individual. But the VP of HR wouldn't know that! Not their speciality!

Talent acquisition may require a unique organization, budget, and staffing structure compared to traditional HR. For example, recruiters may need multiple communications methods, higher candidate marketing spending, different ratios of recruiter to hire ratios, and slight changes to how candidate experience is measured and executed, each of which HR may not prioritize in their tasks and focus.

To round out my opinion, let's look at this from the perspective of the CEO or the CRO. Recruiting is a significant investment, both in terms of time and money. Getting the right candidate translates to a proper return on investment. Recruiters are specialists who understand the industry, connect with candidates, and weed out unqualified or unreliable candidates. They are the best people to ensure the growth of an organization, yet they're not given the right platform to operate on.

It is time for companies to recognize the contribution that recruiting makes to their growth and success and invest adequately in the field.

Companies should have recruiting divided in a separate unit reporting directly to senior-level executives.??Again from personal experience in both models. When Recruitment division is given its own tailored approach, then greater successes can be expected. This isn't a knock on HR by any means. Still, it's an acknowledgment that the recruitment process has become so important, that it requires the attention and strategic direction of experienced recruiters, who understand the technicalities involved in finding top talents and who will help shape the future of the company.