HR intelligence: what is this method and how to use it
For some, HR intelligence is a collection of recommendations about a candidate for others it is a study of companies, often competitive, to study their recruiting policies. In this article, we will look at why such a tool is used in recruiting and find out in which case it is more effective.
HR intelligence: where and why to look for information about a potential employee
To find out more information about a candidate, a recruiter most often turns to a person’s former employers and colleagues for recommendations.
The purpose of such HR intelligence is:
- confirm the information about the candidate that he told during the selection stages for the vacancy;
- identify his strengths, with the help of which he can show the maximum result in a new position;
- identify growth zones that need to be developed.
With HR intelligence, everyone in the recruiting trinity – the customer, the hunter, and the job seeker – benefits. HR and the customer can prepare for the arrival of a specific person in the company, and the candidate himself adapts faster and begins to show himself.
Where is the first place for a recruiter to go for recommendations? These can be former managers and clients, partners and acquaintances, colleagues of a similar level, and HR directors. First, you should contact those whom the applicant himself indicated. Alternatively, you can call the company directly and speak to your local HR department. This will help you compare reviews and avoid embellishment of the candidate by loyal colleagues. In addition, do not forget about social networks, which can tell how a person lives.
4 steps to effective exploration
Decide why you need recommendations, what exactly you want to find out.
During the call itself, introduce yourself and explain that this feedback will be useful to both parties to the call. This will allow your interlocutor to reflect and draw conclusions, and you will establish a workflow.
- Warn about confidentiality.
- Ask open-ended questions (How? Why? What did you succeed?), The answers to which involve more than just “yes” and “no”. Ask about the specific number of strengths of the candidate. For example, only 2-3 qualities come to mind first.
- Ask what the candidate should pay attention to, what growth zones to develop, in the opinion of his ex-boss or colleagues. The answer to the question – are you ready to re-cooperate with the candidate will be very indicative.
- At the end of such a conversation, you should thank the interlocutor for the time and offer to exchange contacts.
This kind of HR intelligence can also become a kind of networking for a recruter.
Competitive intelligence
Large companies are often in the process of looking for great talent. Including, those that are already working for competitors. To hunt them down, recruiters conduct competitive HR intelligence, during which they find out working conditions, salary levels, bonus system – in general, everything related to personnel policy. This information helps to form a more relevant offer. In addition, knowledge of the market will help not only attract new candidates but also retain the already working specialists.
Sources of information in the course of such intelligence are often people, employees of the companies you are interested in. Here, profile events, conferences, and meetings will come in handy, at which you need to get acquainted, ask, make inquiries. It so happens that some HR directors of a large company even lecture on various recruting topics. This is the most ideal platform to ask honestly everything that interests you, publicly or privately.
At the same time, do not ignore the fact that you are living in a digital era, and recruiting has long stepped towards digitalization. Special software for recruiting is a real must in your work. Try the CleverStaff system and say goodbye to routine tasks, expand your base of candidates and fill every 5 vacancies using the same database, which is 54% faster than searching for outside applicants. You can order a demo of the software solution here.