When it comes to leadership hiring – one size fits all strategy does not work at all – you will land up wasting loads of time, money, effort and still not get the desired on-time results.

Your leadership hiring strategy must be a mix of permanent, interim, fractional and on-demand hiring.

To make the right decision among interim recruitment, permanent recruitment, fractional recruitment, and on-demand recruitment, employers should consider the following factors:

Immediate Needs: If there are urgent leadership vacancies or short-term projects, interim recruitment or on-demand recruitment may be more suitable.

Long-term Stability: For core and strategic positions, permanent recruitment would be recommended.

Part-time Leadership: When part-time leadership is required for specific areas, fractional recruitment can be a good choice.

Specific Expertise: If the organization needs specialized skills or expertise for specific projects, on-demand recruitment may be the best option.

Cost Considerations: Employers should weigh the costs associated with each recruitment method based on their budget and resources.

Risk Tolerance: The level of risk an organization is willing to take on for the role’s duration should be considered. Interim and on-demand recruitment typically involve lower long-term commitments and associated risks.

Project-Based Needs: On-demand recruitment fits well when there are short-term projects or tasks requiring niche expertise.

Cultural Fit: For positions requiring alignment with the organization’s culture and long-term vision, permanent recruitment may be the ideal choice.

Time Constraints: If there are strict time constraints, employers may prefer interim or on-demand recruitment options, as they usually involve faster hiring processes.

Flexibility: Fractional and on-demand recruitment offer flexibility in tailoring the role and commitment based on specific needs.

Below is a comparative chart that can help you in this difficult but important decision:

Aspect	Interim Recruitment	Permanent Recruitment	Fractional Recruitment	On-Demand Recruitment
Duration	Short-term (temporary)	Long-term (permanent)	Flexible, based on need	Project-based or Short-term
Purpose	Filling immediate gaps	Securing permanent talent	Accessing part-time leadership	Quick and Specific Needs
Recruitment Process	Expedited and rapid	More extensive and time-consuming	Tailored to part-time roles	Swift and Targeted
Cost	Generally lower	Higher	Cost-effective for part-time needs	Variable based on projects
Skill Set	Specialized and adaptable	Long-term fit with organizational goals	Specific skills for part-time roles	Niche expertise as required
Experience	Often seasoned executives	Varied experience levels	Targeted experience for projects	Diverse expertise for projects
Commitment	Temporary, focused on a project	Ongoing commitment to the company	Part-time commitment to projects	Short-term commitment to tasks
Onboarding	Quick assimilation required	Comprehensive onboarding process	Efficient onboarding process	Rapid integration into projects
Risk and Reward	Lower risk, short-term impact	Higher risk, long-term impact	Balanced risk and flexible rewards	Moderate risk, project-dependent rewards
Recommended Situations	– Urgent leadership vacancies	– Strategic and core positions	– Part-time leadership needs	– Quick and specific talent needs

 

Ultimately, employers should assess their current needs, project requirements, available resources, and the desired commitment level before making a decision. It’s essential to align the recruitment strategy with the organization’s goals and long-term vision. Additionally, seeking advice from HR professionals or recruitment specialists can provide valuable insights for making the best decision.

The importance of hiring for soft skills and how to assess candidates’ soft skills using online tools and behavioural assessments

 

Soft skills are personality traits and behaviours that help employees interact with others and succeed in the workplace. Unlike technical skills or “hard” skills, soft skills are interpersonal and behavioural skills that help you to work well with other people and develop your career.

Some examples of soft skills are communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, creativity, and work ethic. These skills are often considered to be a complement to hard skills, which refer to a person’s knowledge and occupational skills.

Why are soft skills important for hiring?

Soft skills are important for hiring because they can have a significant impact on the performance and productivity of employees. According to a study by Harvard University, Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center, 85% of job success comes from having well-developed soft skills while only 15% comes from technical or hard skills.

Moreover, soft skills are more difficult to teach than hard skills. While hard skills can be acquired through formal education and training programs, soft skills are often innate or developed through experience and practice. Therefore, hiring managers should look for candidates who already possess strong soft skills that match the requirements of the job role and the culture of the organization.

How to assess candidates’ soft skills using online tools and behavioural assessments?

Assessing candidates’ soft skills can be challenging because they are not easily measurable or observable. However, there are some online tools and behavioural assessments that can help hiring managers evaluate candidates’ soft abilities more effectively.

Online tools such as video interviews, gamified assessments, personality tests, situational judgment tests (SJTs), and online portfolios can provide insights into how candidates communicate, collaborate, solve problems, adapt to changes, and showcase their creativity.

Behavioural assessments such as behavioural interviews (BIs), role-playing exercises (RPEs), case studies (CSs), group discussions (GDs), presentations (Ps), and simulations (Ss) can measure how candidates demonstrate their soft skills in realistic scenarios that mimic the work environment.

Here are some tips on how to use these online tools and behavioural assessments:

– Define the key soft skill(s) required for each job role based on the job description

– Choose an appropriate online tool or behavioural assessment that matches the skill(s) you want to assess

– Design clear instructions and criteria for evaluating candidates’ responses

– Provide feedback to candidates on their performance

– Compare candidates’ scores across different tools or assessments

 

By using these methods, hiring managers can identify candidates who have strong potential for success in their organizations based on their soft skill competencies.

 

About the Author.

Ratnesh Jain is an entrepreneur, mentor & author.

IIM Ahmedabad alumni with 30+ years of professional and entrepreneurship experience. Past 17 years in Executive search & Growth consulting.

 

#ratneshjain #bluegenesresearch #bgr #executivesearch #recruiting #recruitment #hiring #hr #employerbranding #evp #talentacquisition #ta #humanresources #hrtrends #recruitmentraining #learnrecruiting #interviewingskills #recrutingskills #learning #psychometric #assessment #leadershiphiring #rpo

 

Ratnesh Jain founded Blue Genes Research on Feb 10, 2006. On our 17th anniversary, he reflects on BGR’s journey thus far, the key learnings we now live by, and his vision for the company’s future.

I am writing this today upon completing our 17 years, filled with gratitude for all who have supported us, pride in our achievements, and excitement about BGR’s future.

First, a big thank you to all who brought us to this milestone—including the team members, mentors, customers, thousands of LinkedIn connections, and lakhs of candidates we have met along the way—who have made this long and challenging journey incredibly enriching and rewarding.

As I look back on the past 17 years, I am proud that we have been able to help many corporates and entrepreneurs grow faster and better by partnering with them and solving their hiring challenges.

Today, I am reflecting on all we have acquired over these years, including the quantum of our team’s combined hands-on experience, deep knowledge, and delivery championship. These acquisitions have made us stronger and more capable than ever. 

I am thrilled to see that we are in a position to partner with even more entrepreneurs and corporates in making people their competitive strength.

TOP 10 LEARNINGS

Through the course of these 17 years, we have imbibed 10 key learnings into our DNA. We have acquired these through our own experiences as well as from observing the shortcomings of common recruitment practices, and I am happy to share them with you today:

1. Speed & accuracy of delivery is the only benchmark
Nothing is more important. No amount of marketing or pedigree or jazz can compete with fast, accurate results.

2. Solid research with a curious mind and a consulting approach is the best strategy
Listen to the client, conduct solid research, question assumptions, make the client aware of market realities, and offer the client practical and profitable advice.

3. The best possible—not best available—is the right choice
Never settle for the best available options. Often, the lowest hanging fruits don’t deliver the best performance in the long-run. Instead, strive hard for the best possible fit.

4. Searching where no one searches is worth the effort
The easiest and quickest sources, such as job portals and outdated databases, will not deliver the best possible results. Go for the hard route; start every search as a fresh search and look for referrals, live databases, and other up-to-date sources to headhunt the best possible and most suitable talent.

5. Looking for the unknown makes for better matches
Resumes and job descriptions can be deceiving because, after all, they are marketing documents. In most cases, they represent only one side of the story. Taking them at face value could result in a poor match for both the company and the candidate. That’s why we dig deeper to find what is not told to us, to uncover the complete story.

6. Mis-selling won’t get you far
Communicate the right picture to the client and the candidate. For headhunters, mis-selling is the most short-sighted strategy, and a recipe for self-sabotage; sooner or later, it will damage your reputation and business.

7. Upgrading every day is essential to deliver the best
Regularly optimizing process excellence and technology usage empowers teams to deliver the best results fastest. For executive search and other recruitment efforts, staying on top of and adopting global best practices benefits clients tremendously.

8. A promise is everything
As cliché as it sounds, this is a time-tested strategy to build long-lasting goodwill. Promise what you can deliver, and then fulfil your promise. Only operate within domains in which you can deliver.

9. The hunger to grow must never die
Never lose the drive to serve clients better. At BGR, successful closure is our poison. We strive for that one smile of satisfaction that we can deliver to our client.

10. Taking full ownership of the assignment fuels success
When we accept an assignment, we accept full ownership of it. Then, we do what it takes to complete it successfully. This entails deploying our best dedicated resources who give the assignment their full attention until it is closed.

These 10 learnings have allowed us to maintain the extremely high quality of service we offer every single client at BGR. We will be taking them with us into the future, as we continue to tackle the toughest recruitment challenges.

WHAT NEXT?

The way I see it, our journey has just begun—we are only seventeen. There is so much more to master and deliver.

We will find new ways to empower our clients and solve their growth challenges by helping them hire the most suitable team members as quickly and accurately as possible.

We will use disruptive ways and the latest technology to evolve newer leadership hiring and recruitment methods, always empowering our team members to deliver the best possible.

THANK YOU

Once again, I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of our story for the steady support and encouragement BGR has received. Every interaction with you enriches us with new knowledge that allows us to help our team members, clients, and candidates grow faster and better, together.

I am honored and humbled to be surrounded by the talented and dedicated people on my team. Thank you for believing in our company vision and always striving to deliver the best.

To our excellent clients and exceptional candidates, thank you for being part of our incredible journey and for trusting us with your success.

After 17 years in the people business, we can say with certainty that there is no substitute for having the right people to drive growth—for our clients as well as for ourselves. 

Explore our new website to learn more about BGR and how we can help you build great teams faster.

Having an effective recruitment strategy can help a business attract and retain apt talent, which can in turn improve productivity and drive overall success.

Recruitment strategies that are aligned with business objectives and are robust, meaning they can withstand changes and challenges, tend to be more effective. Additionally, recruitment strategies that are easily repeatable and can be replicated with consistent results can also help to ensure a steady stream of top talent for the organization.

It’s important to design a strategy that takes into consideration the specific needs and goals of the organization, so that the recruitment efforts are aligned with the overall vision and objectives of the business.

Having a robust strategy means that the recruitment process is resilient to external factors such as economic downturns or changes in the industry, and can adapt to new requirements if needed.

Creating a great recruitment strategy involves several key steps:

1. Understand your business needs: Identify the specific roles and skills that are required to achieve your business objectives. Understand what kind of talent you’re looking for, and what qualifications and experience are necessary.

2. Develop a sourcing plan: Identify the most effective channels for sourcing candidates, such as job boards, social media, employee referrals, and professional networks. Utilize recruiting software and ATS to automate the process.

3. Create an attractive employer brand: Develop an employer brand that highlights your company’s values, culture, and benefits in order to attract top talent. A positive reputation can help bring in more qualified and motivated candidates.

4. Optimize your recruitment process: Design and implement a streamlined and efficient recruitment process that includes clear job descriptions, accurate salary information, and consistent interview questions. Utilize technology and data to make the process more efficient.

5. Measure and improve: Regularly measure the success of your recruitment strategy, and make changes as needed to improve overall performance. Gather data from ATS and recruitment process to understand the demographics, sources, and other insights from the candidates.

6. Be consistent and reliable: One aspect of creating a great recruitment strategy is to be consistent in the process and selection criteria. Ensure that all hiring managers and recruiters are aware of the process and selection criteria and use them in their hiring process

7. Communicate effectively: Communicate clearly with candidates and hiring managers at all stages of the recruitment process. Keep them informed of their status and next steps in a timely and professional manner.

8. Collaborate with other teams: collaborate with other teams such as HR and Marketing to get support and gather insight on how to improve the recruitment process.

Keep in mind, a great recruitment strategy is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Regularly reviewing and updating your strategy will help ensure that you’re always in a position to attract and retain the best talent.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Talk to us if:

• You want to draft a effective Recruitment strategy for your organization

• You want your current recruitment strategy to be improved

Blue Genes Research [BGR] – Hire your next star player in record time.

Delivering top-tier Indian talent, personally headhunted & vetted for you by HR veterans and Management consultants.

Since 2006, our highly-specialized team of senior HR veterans and management consultants has been helping companies put the right people on the job using a hands-on approach and streamlined yet thorough process. We get results because we don’t just match candidates to required skill sets; we connect you with top-tier hidden talent that will align perfectly with your organization’s culture, vision, and challenges—all in record time.

Talk to us to discuss your leadership hiring challenges. PM me or email me at: rkj@bgr.chittlesoft.net

Your organizations growth and profitability depends on the quality and speed of your leadership hiring.

Below are top 10 ways your company can drive Executive search / Leadership hiring efficiencies:

1. Clearly define the job requirements and desired candidate qualifications before starting the search process. This will help narrow the pool of potential candidates and save time in the long run.

2. Engage an executive search firm or headhunter specialising in leadership hiring to assist with the recruitment process. These professionals have extensive knowledge, networks and resources that can help identify and attract top talent more efficiently.

3. Leverage employee referrals. Employees often have connections in their personal and professional networks that could be strong candidates for open positions.

4. Utilize social media and professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, to reach a wider pool of potential candidates. Of course this is a long drawn process if you don’t have ready communities / network.

5. Utilize resume databases and job boards to efficiently identify and reach out to a large number of potential candidates.

6. Consider using a skills assessment tool to pre-screen candidates and ensure that they have the necessary qualifications for the role and save everyone’s precious time.

7. Have a clear and efficient interview process in place, including well-defined evaluation criteria, a structured interview guide and a internal TAT.

8. Utilize video conferencing tools, such as Zoom or Skype, to conduct the initial rounds of interviews, saving time and resources on travel.

9. Consider offering a sign-on bonus or other incentives to attract top talent more quickly.

10. Communicate regularly with candidates throughout the recruitment process to keep them informed and engaged, and to ensure that the process moves efficiently.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Talk to us if:

• You are unable to close a position in spite of all efforts

• You have a confidential / critical position to be closed fast

Blue Genes Research [BGR] – Hire your next star player in record time.

Delivering top-tier Indian talent, personally headhunted & vetted for you by HR veterans and Management consultants.

Since 2006, our highly-specialized team of senior HR veterans and management consultants has been helping companies put the right people on the job using a hands-on approach and streamlined yet thorough process. We get results because we don’t just match candidates to required skill sets; we connect you with top-tier hidden talent that will align perfectly with your organization’s culture, vision, and challenges—all in record time.

Talk to us to discuss your leadership hiring challenges. PM me or email me at: ratnesh@bgr.chittlesoft.net

Top 10 ways Technology will disrupt Recruiting in 2023.

Are your organization and people ready for these?

1. Automation: Technology will continue to automate and streamline many tasks within the recruiting process, such as resume sorting and job posting. This will allow recruiters to focus on more high-level tasks, such as building relationships with candidates and conducting interviews.
2. Artificial intelligence: AI algorithms will be able to analyze data from job applicants, such as resumes and social media profiles, to identify the most qualified candidates. This will save recruiters time and effort in sifting through large pools of applicants.
3. Virtual interviews:With the proliferation of video conferencing platforms, recruiters will be able to conduct virtual interviews with candidates from anywhere in the world. This will allow companies to expand their talent pool and reduce the need for in-person interviews.
4. Predictive analytics: Recruitment software will use data analytics to predict the likelihood of a candidate being a successful hire, based on factors such as past performance and skillset. This will help recruiters make more informed hiring decisions.
5. Social media:Social media platforms will continue to be a key tool for recruiters to find and connect with potential candidates. Recruiters will also be able to use social media to showcase company culture and values, attracting the right fit for their organization.
6. Personalized job recommendations: Recruitment software will be able to use data on an individual’s skills, experience, and career goals to recommend relevant job openings. This will help candidates find opportunities that align with their goals and make the job search process more efficient.
7. Virtual reality: Virtual reality technology will allow recruiters to give candidates virtual tours of their office and work environment, helping them get a better sense of the company culture before deciding whether to apply for a job.
8. Predictive hiring:Technology will be able to analyze data on a company’s current employees and identify the skills and traits that lead to success within the organization. This will help recruiters predict which candidates are most likely to thrive in a specific role.
9. Gamification: Recruitment software will use gamification techniques to engage and assess candidates through interactive challenges and assessments. This will give recruiters a more accurate understanding of a candidate’s skills and abilities.
10. Candidate self-selection: Candidates will be able to use technology to identify and apply for job openings that align with their skills and career goals. This will allow recruiters to focus on building relationships with the most qualified candidates, rather than spending time on initial screening.

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Blue Genes Research [BGR]

Hire your next star player in record time.

Delivering top-tier Indian talent, personally headhunted & vetted for you by HR veterans and Management consultants since 2016.

Since 2006, our highly-specialized team of senior HR veterans and management consultants has been helping companies put the right people on the job using a hands-on approach and streamlined yet thorough process. We get results because we don’t just match candidates to required skill sets; we connect you with top-tier hidden talent that will align perfectly with your organization’s culture, vision, and challenges—all in record time.

Talk to us to discuss your recruiting challenges. PM me or email me at: ratnesh@bgr.chittlesoft.net

After the great resignation, quite quitting, and moonlighting now comes Quick Quitting.

#ratneshjain

Met a CA fresher who joined the Big 4 with much zeal and then left them in less than 6 months and joined a corporate.

Another CEO with 20+ years experience joined a listed company with great reputation, but left in less than 3 quarters.

#quickquitting is a new trend where recently joined employees leave the employer quicker – in less than 2-3 quarters.

REASONS?

Few of the key reasons these new employees leave the employer are:

– Mismatch in expected culture

– Mismatch in promised job profile

– Undue work pressure

– No work life balance

– No challenges or excitement

– Poor onboarding & training

– No/Low connection and engagement

– Got better offers

ROOT CAUSE

1. Bad references

Your existing employees, vendors and ex employees – all are now easily accessible on the replica suiza rolex lady datejust 31 mm acero inoxidable esfera plateada y bisel liso 178240 social media – if you do not treat them properly and they are not satisfied with you – then you are already dead.

2. Bad recruitment practices

The problem starts with the recruitment process and communication – inhouse teams and inexperienced recruitment consultants are unable to communicate the value proposition appropriately. Remember recruitment is sales & marketing more than HR. The best recruiters in the world have sales background not HR. Internal recruitment teams are normally ok for junior positions but you must engage experienced specialist recruiters for mid/senior level positions.

3. Bad Employee experience

Employees these days are expecting a lot from their employers. You need to keep them excited, challenged and engaged – you need to provide a first-class experience.This again starts with bad recruitment practices – miscommunication, overselling & false commitments – creates the base for dissatisfaction, and when they join the rolex daytona 40mm uomo 116589 silver dial employer everything comes out in open.

4. Bad Leadership engagement

Engage senior leadership more frequently – it could be in form of physical meets, formal meetings, casual chats, online meets, video messages, text messages – any form or factor but active engagement is very important for the new employee to feel connected and part of the dream.

5. Bad peer group experience

This again goes back to how you treat your existing employees, what culture you have developed and how satisfied your existing employees are. People like to stay where they have warm and welcoming relationships with colleagues. No team connect no sense of belonging.

6. Bad Reporting Manager

Please please please – train your managers in people management and employee experience A manager’s role is huge and can make a big difference. A manager must not behave like a boss, rather must behave like a friend, mentor, coach – someone whom the new mployee can trust and learn from.

7. Bad processes

Design your processes with minimum friction points and intuitive – like a iphone is designed. Don’t have a long beaurocratic boring processes that no one likes. Cut all your existng processes into half. The more you restrict (especially the new generation) the more they feel repelled to your organization.

Remember – Employee Experience is as much (If not more) important than Customer Experience. Happy People = Happy Business

SOLUTION?

You must immediately engage external experts to conduct an audit of your recruitment and employee wholesale celine experience process.

Identify the gaps and find a solution to patch up the gaps.

WE CAN HELP

Blue Genes Research is a HR & Recruitment Consulting firm established in 2006, run by a group of IIM, IIT, TISS, JBIMS & XLRI alumni Veteran HR practitioners and business consultants with 250 years of cumulative experience.

WHAT WE CAN DO?

We can conduct a unbiased independent audit of your recruitment and employee experience process, identify the gaps and provide a solution and ways to patch up the gaps on short term and long term basis.

Feel free to message me or write to me at ratnesh@bgr.chittlesoft.net



Warren Buffett said – “The Three Things I Look For in a Person – Integrity, Intelligence & Energy”.

Most of us would agree BUT the big challenge is to find out these in an interview or when you meet someone in a limited time.

Below are my thoughts:

Intelligence.

There are a thousand ways to define intelligence – I would define intelligence as the ability to Day Dream, Listen and Appreciate different points of view, Ask without hesitation, Adapt, Compromise, Team approach, Solve, Innovate, Decide, and Act.

Energy

Again there are many ways to judge energy – I would define energy as the ability to be: Confident, Appreciate & Motivate others, Think and talk positive, Curiosity and questions, Easy going, Positive approach, Action-oriented and consistent.

Integrity

This is most difficult to judge. To me, integrity means having a consistent character, keeping promises, being on time, accepting your mistakes, dealing positively, and learning from failures – even when there is pressure or incentive to compromise.

Of course – Aptitude & Psychometric tests and Reference checks help a lot in verifying and deep-diving & correcting your understanding during the interview.

What are your thoughts on this?

Dear Recruiters, HR managers, Hiring managers, Business leaders…

Are you aware that the Candidate Experience you are delivering during the Talent Acquisition process is permanently damaging your Employer Brand and your Personal Brand?

Willingly or unwillingly everyone in talent acquisition is guilty of delivering a bad candidate experience many times and land up damaging your Employer/Personal brand permanently.

And now it is all the more challenging in these challenging times..

Yes, right now the demand-supply is on the other side – there are lesser jobs and overflow candidates – and to deliver a better candidate experience in such situation is all the more important and challenging.

Lack of response. Process delays. Bad Interview experience. Bad or no communication. Unreasonable salary negotiations. Offers renegotiated/withdrawn. and much more…

But don’t forget this situation will not remain the same for lifetime – the tide will change and the demand-supply will reverse – also Good talent is always in demand.

While you are assessing the candidate – the candidate is also assessing you – and making permanent perceptions on your Employer Brand and Personal Brand.

You will need and meet the same talent again in coming years and then the talent won’t be interested in your brand.

Please try your best to deliver the best Candidate experience.

And it takes simple steps like respecting their time, listening, responding, informing, providing feedback and coaching.

Be responsive, professional & empathetic – especially during these difficult times.

Also please note – you are not doing a favor to the candidate by delivering a good experience – this makes a great business sense – Delivering Great Candidate Experience is your smartest Investment.