Higher Education
Talent Acquisition Trends
Webinar
September 19, 2014
Why “Talent Acquisition”?
 Rapidly evolving context
 Rapidly evolving processes
 High impact
• Employee engagement
• Workforce effectiveness
• Community sustainability
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Talent Management Lifecycle
Effective talent management
integrates structures and
activities across the entire
talent lifecycle.
At each stage, metrics should
be used to understand both
the operational effectiveness
as well as the workforce
outcomes.
Workforce
Planning
Retirement and
Talent
Transition
Rewards
and
Engagement
Employee Relations
Policy and Program
Development
Governance and
Stakeholder
Engagement
Performance
Management
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Recruitment
and
Selection
Onboarding
and
Development
Current State
Addressing the Challenges
Employment complexity
 Many types of talent
 Multiple employee categories
 Complex appointment types
 Unique and generalist jobs
Decentralized operating models
 Heterogeneous management
structures and systems
 Divergent, entrenched processes
 Skepticism of “enterprise”
improvements
Multiple stakeholders
 Multiple direct and indirect
stakeholders
 Unarticulated service expectations
 High value to face-to-face service
and relationships
Inconsistent processes
 One-off or “improvised” processes
 Lack of documentation of local
processes
 Limited end-to-end process
stewardship
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Organizational Effectiveness Framework
Measurement
Process and
Collaboration
Structure and
Accountability
How do we organize ourselves?
How do we distribute work?
How does the HR function
collaborate and connect with
stakeholders?
Technology and Tools
Talent and
Engagement
Workforce
Outcomes
How do we use technology to
improve our service delivery?
Operational
Outcomes
How do we foster and maintain
HR talent?
Evaluation
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Structure and Accountability
COMMON THEMES
 Specific accountabilities or levels of service related to talent acquisition
and other HR practices are not well defined
 The organization and skill of distributed HR staff varies by unit
 Organizational alignment is not conducive to sharing best-practices (silos)
 Departments and divisions at times compete against one another for
talent
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Process and Collaboration
COMMON THEMES
 Central HR may play a key role in approving/posting transactions but
has a limited (or variable) role in recruiting or selecting talent
 Central HR is more focused on compliance
 Central HR has limited role in managing the candidate experience
 Hiring managers have divergent expectations of the HR function
 Applicants receive varying types/quality of communication
 Recruiting processes aren’t linked to other talent processes
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Technology and Tools
COMMON THEMES
 When applicant tracking systems are in place, they are often not
integrated with other systems (causing redundancy)
 Departments/divisions often maintain their own shadow systems or
spreadsheets to capture additional data
 ATS functionality is not fully deployed
 Technology is not fully used to drive and monitor candidate
communications
 End users do not have training to use technology effectively
 Systems and are not used to produce and disseminate metrics
© 2014 Huron Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
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Talent and Engagement
COMMON THEMES
 Central HR has limited resources with in-depth recruiting expertise
 Local units often view central HR as “not understanding their business”
 Smaller units, or those with frequent turnover in the HR area, struggle to
provide consistent, high-level service
 Learning and development around talent acquisition is primarily focused
on compliance
 Local units have developed or pursued their own training
 Some hiring managers and local administrative support only recruit
infrequently
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The Risks
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Unfair, or potentially unlawful, screening and hiring practices
Inefficient sourcing and screening activities
Inconsistent candidate and new hire experiences
Losing candidates to other opportunities
Low engagement, increased turnover, decreased
productivity
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Future State
Macroeconomic Context
 Shifting Job Market (focus on
6 Month Average Payroll Job Gains
(000s)
tech/professional)
 (Slowly) recovering economy
 Alternate models for staffing
(remote, outsource, freelance)
 Increasing needs and
expectations of flexibility
200
150
100
50
2012
2013
2014
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
 Urbanization; “clusterization”
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The Technology Frenzy
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Applicant Tracking “2.0”
Targeted Advertising
Apps
“Big Data”
Mobile
Social Media
Process Support (e.g., references)
Content beyond the resume
Semantic search and screen
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Universities are increasingly
employing technology, but
many struggle to fully integrate
technology.
The organizational and
employment complexity of the
institution constrains the
deployment of technology.
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Talent Acquisition
TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION RECRUITING
Employment Brand
establishing and communicating a strong organizational identity to recruit candidates
Social Media Presence
effectively leveraging social media to foster an ongoing relationship with perspective employees
Sourcing / Passive Recruitment
identifying and targeting potential candidates not actively applying for a particular open position
Succession Planning & Internal Recruitment
establishing a strong internal candidate pipeline to decrease hiring costs and time
Use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
addressing challenges with system integration and process redundancy
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Establishing an Employment Brand
“EMPLOYER OF CHOICE” BRANDING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
93% of administrators in higher education already consider their
institution to be a brand…
 Cross functional (HR, marketing, IT, public
relations)
 Linked to other institutional marketing and
branding
 Relevant to employees and current candidates
 Supported by employees as “brand
ambassadors”
 Measured and calibrated with metrics
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Social Media’s role in Talent Acquisition
INCORPORATING NEW PLATFORMS TO FIND TOP TALENT
More than half of employers don’t have policies on screening
candidates through social networking sites.
Pro: A way to reach candidates who might not
normally apply, candidates with specific niche
skill sets, and candidates in specific areas
Con: Using social media can lead to perceived
discrimination issues tied to “extra” candidate
information (race, religion, gender, age, etc.)
available and lack of formal process structure
To use effectively use social media within an organization’s Talent Acquisition process:
 Incorporate the organization Employment Brand in it’s social media recruiting strategy
 Commit to ongoing content development and management to maintain engaging presence
 Engage candidates with regular virtual events, inviting ongoing participation and feedback
© 2014 Huron Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
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Sourcing and Passive Recruitment
A NEW TWIST ON TRADITIONAL RECRUITING STRATEGIES
Recruiting efforts in Higher Education have historically relied on “active”
job seekers applying for open positions advertised by the institution.
Sourcing - proactive searching for qualified job candidates for current or planned open positions
(vs. reviewing resumes and applications sent in response to a job posting)
Passive Candidates - engaged professionals who do not consider themselves on the job
market, but may be open to a new opportunity if they learn about it
Organizations are proactively going after top candidates who may be employed and/or are not
actively looking.
Keys to success:
 Leverage professional networks and organizations
 Use advertising, with ads that inform and promote the organization, not just list job duties
 Formalize and encourage employee referrals to quickly access personal networks
 Simplify application process and push communications to those who want it
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Succession Planning and Internal Recruitment
ADDRESSING A KEY CHALLENGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Academic institutions employ a disproportionately higher number of
persons over the age of 65 relative to the general labor force.
Transferring knowledge and
cultivating talent are becoming
more urgent priorities.
Institutions are therefore beginning to conduct succession planning to boost internal recruitment using a
variety of techniques, such as
 Job sharing and cross training opportunities
 Formal mentoring programs, similar to those already used by faculty
 Placing staff in positions overlapping a pending retirement for experience and smooth transition
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Use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
APPLYING TECHNOLOGY TO HIGHER EDUCATION’S HR PRACTICES
.
Applicant tracking systems are not new, but they are expanding in
functionality and integration.
Resume parsing
In many institutions, applicant
tracking systems are used to
replace (or replicate) paper
processes for receiving and routing
applications.
Social media integration
Screening / skills testing
Applicant communications
Talent management integration
Onboarding
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Developing the Right Solution for You
Huron Talent Acquisition Framework
Measurement
Awareness
Attraction
Assessment
Agreement
Strong Start
Candidate Experience
Awareness – candidate awareness of opportunities and employer value proposition
Attraction – recruiting qualified talent to apply for a specific vacancy
Assessment – determining which prospects should be converted to candidates and hires
Agreement – finalizing terms of hire for selected individual
Strong Start – providing relevant support to transition hires to their new roles
Candidate Experience – contributing to a position candidate experience
Measurement – using metrics and relevant data to articulate success in a quantifiable way
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University of Missouri
The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 in
Columbia, Mo., as the first public university west of the
Mississippi River
Budget, FY2014
$2.1 billion
Research & related expenditures, FY2012
$239.8 million (research Very High)
Fall 2013 Enrollment
Total: 34,658
Undergraduate: 77.8 percent
Full-Time Employees (2013-2014)
Total: 13,255
MU Health Care: 4,533
Faculty and Instructors: 2,139
© 2014 Huron Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
The size, location, funding,
and focus of the institution
are all important factors that
shape the talent acquisition
program.
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Why Talent Acquisition?
MU
Strategic
Operating
Plan
• MU must employ high-performing
employees
HRS
Sought to
Improve
• Process used to Hire
• Candidate Experience
• Quality of Hire
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Engagement Process
Activity
Plan and Collect
Information
Conduct
Assessment and
Develop
Recommendations
Develop Policy
and Procedures
Implementation
and Change
Support
(Optional)
Kickoff Meeting
Establish TA
Redevelopment Team
Develop Draft FutureState Policy
Develop Change and
Implementation Plan
Initial Information Request
Document Current-State
TA Process
Develop Draft FutureState Process Map
Develop Support
Elements
Campus Engagement
Planning
Conduct Focus Groups &
Interviews
Develop Inventory of
Support Elements
Develop Training and
Instructional Materials
Complete Future-State
Principle Process
Develop Program
Evaluation Metrics
Deliverable
Develop and Vet TA
Report
Project Charter
Report of Engagement
Findings
Draft Future-State
Program Policy
Change and
Implementation Plan
TA Recommendation
Report
Draft Future-State
Process Map
Process Training Materials
Inventory of Necessary
Support Elements
Program Evaluation
Metrics
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University of Missouri
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
5 executive interviews
• ICA, Advancement, DOIT, Student Affairs, Journalism
5 focus groups
• New hires, division managers, division users, interviewers, HRS
5 talent acquisition redevelopment team meetings
• developed a set of recommendations based upon collaborative
brainstorming with MU redevelopment team
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Mizzou Implementation Timeline
Q1 (Sept)
Q2 (Dec)
Q3 (Mar)
Clerical Pipeline
Pilot Program
Revised Business Process
Enhanced Screening
Skills Assessments
Shorten Time to Fill
Attraction & Selection
Revise Requisition
Preferred Screening on
Positions
Sourcing/Posting on
LinkedIn
Best Practices
Recruitment Branding
© 2014 Huron Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Candidate Experience
Communication
Job Announcements
Offer Letters
Non-Hired Candidates
Enhanced Attraction to MU
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Mizzou Pipeline Process Components
The University is beginning a pilot program to create a pipeline of
clerical support staff.
HRS (Central HR Side)
 Generic Postings / Generic
Openings
 HRS Screening of applicants
(questions, phone, interview)
 Candidate skills assessment
 Ongoing communication with
candidates
© 2014 Huron Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Unit Side
 Central HR interacts with Unit
Supervisor to confirm
competencies and expectations
 Unit reviews specific candidates
 Unit communicates with
applicants
 Unit follows standard offer
process
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Success Factors
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Think across the talent lifecycle
Know your talent needs and your market
Engage stakeholders from across the campus
Remember the importance of fundamentals
Demonstrate success through targeted programs
Use technology as a tool, not a solution
Experiment and measure (balance practice and policy)
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Future Events
Thank You For Joining Us Today
Please look for our booth at the upcoming CUPA-HR Conference in San Antonio
(October 28 – 30).
For any questions or inquiries about this webinar, please contact us.
Kurt Dorschel
Director
Huron Consulting – Higher Education
kdorschel@huronconsultinggroup.com
Timothy McIntosh, PHR
Sr. Human Resource Manager, Talent Management
Human Resource Services - University of Missouri
mcintoshts@missouri.edu
© 2014 Huron Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
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