recruitment
Mission Possible
THREE THINGS THE MILITARY DOES WITH RECRUITING AND
ONBOARDING THAT COULD HELP YOUR BUSINESS
By Jay Ballard
A common complaint among companies is that it can be
expensive to recruit quality talent – and if the new hire
decides to leave shortly after joining a new organization,
those expenses are a loss.
The military is as concerned about recruitment and retention as
civilian businesses. A 2005 RAND study on U.S. Army recruiting
estimated that it costs approximately $15,000 for each person
who makes it to boot camp; when an organization the size of the
U.S. military recruits between 155,000 to 200,000 personnel per
year, those expenses add up. There is an obvious drive to maximize
recruiting success and initial retention, with the following three focal
areas being important contributors to that goal.
RECRUITERS
The primary HR-related expense for the U.S. military is the recruiter
program. Recruiters are experienced military members
who have been handpicked for the job because they’ve excelled personally
and professionally. They tend to be the first military person
that many potential recruits have ever met, so it’s important that
they are trained in recruiting techniques and can function as role
models for their service.
A recruiter’s job is to explain the military to potential recruits as
well as identify candidates suited for the military lifestyle. They operate
as both salespeople and gatekeepers. Virgin Atlantic has been
using this technique for several years – they put some of their best
people in the recruiting process in order to increase success by identifying
candidates who best align with company culture and energy.
With psychometric testing becoming more prevalent during the
interview process, there can be a tendency to rely more on those
results and less on a human recruiter’s impressions. The military
does test potential recruits, but the recruiters use those results
to inform, rather than dictate, their final hiring decision. Using
some of these techniques, particularly with regards to the quality
of recruiters and the focus on hiring for corporate culture fit,
the military sees better candidates and optimizes its future retention
goals.
Milles Studio/Shutterstock.com
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ MARCH/APRIL 2016 ❚ 35
