Emory Report

June 1, 1999

Volume 51, No. 32

In tight job market, recruiting takes innovation, teamwork Emory prides itself on providing employee-focused career opportunities, a good work environment and valuable benefits. In turn, job satisfaction ranks high here. In a recent survey conducted by an independent consulting firm, more than 90 percent of employees said they enjoy the work they do and the Emory environment. It is this job satisfaction that helps us maintain a relatively low turnover rate. Still, on any given day, 300 positions at the University and 200 at Emory Hospitals remain open. In today's tight labor market, competition for qualified candidates is fierce. Sitting on a job vacancy--even for a couple of days--can cost Emory a great candidate. As eager as our recruiters are to fill open positions, Employment Services cannot expedite the process until a department's hiring official submits a requisition specifying preferred qualifications. Since a candidate's resume is distributed to numerous deartments, hiring officials should respond quickly to ensure first dibs on candidates. Recruiting trends Earlier this year Emory implemented the Candidate Attraction and Strategic Hiring (CA$H) program, designed to encourage employees to refer qualified candidates for open jobs. Candidates who are hired and remain in their positions for at least 90 days earn the referrer $250. At the University and hospitals, 200 referrals have generated 75 hires. For positions requiring technology applicants, online advertising on sites such as <www.headhunter.net> and <www.computerjobs.com> reaches a targeted audience. Careerpath.com is another invaluable site, linking the job seeker to help-wanted ads nationwide. Advertising in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is effective as a local advertising tool, but when it links up with Careerpath the impact is tremendous. The clear difference between print and electronic media is the immediacy of online advertising. Online advertising allows an ad to be posted the same day the position opens and will likely generate responses within hours. By week's end, candidates can be identified, interviews scheduled and offers extended--before Sunday's classifieds section even hits the streets. Virtual job fairs are another trend. Employers partner with web sites such as Monster Board and CareerMosaic, posting a banner advertisement in a common area. Job seekers visit an employer's virtual area containing literature, descriptions of open positions and electronic applications. Such fairs usually run for a limited time, and applicants apply online, greatly reducing the recruiting cycle. Of course, many successful recruitment strategies aren't new at all. Last October, the University, hospitals, Emory Clinic and Wesley Woods together hosted our first traditional, in-person job fair, with more than 800 attendees and 41 hires. Most recently, a specialized job fair for medical research positions was held in April. Twenty-four hiring officials with current openings conducted one-on-one interviews with 195 applicants and have extended offers to six candidates. Future recruitment efforts may include specialized job fairs for information technology professionals and support staff. Partnering with temporary help agencies is another effective recruiting technique. Many Facilities Management and custodial positions are filled with temporary-to-regular employees. Managers interested in hiring a temporary employee as an interim option should contact Donna Crabb at 404-727-7590. Employment Services professionals are charged with effectively marketing Emory--the No. 1 employer in DeKalb County--to qualified candidates. But even the most seasoned recruiter must rely on the cooperation of the hiring official in the recruiting process. It takes teamwork to hire--and retain--employees for years to come. --Del King Del King is director of Employment Services. Return to June 1, 1999, contents page