Quality Grind Podcast Episode 6 – Talent Acquisition: Strategic and Tactical Insights Part 1

Jessica Taylor: [00:00:00] This is the Quality Grind Podcast presented by Medvacon. Conversations that go beyond compliance. Sharing insights geared toward helping you navigate the everyday grind of regulated life science industries. Here are your hosts, Joe Toscano and Mike Kent.

Mike Kent: Welcome back to The Grind, everyone! Mike and Joe back with you today to talk about Talent Acquisition. And with us, we have a very special guest. Rhiannon Shadrick, a senior recruiting specialist on the Medvacon team is here. Rhiannon, it’s great to have you here on the podcast. Welcome.

Rhiannon Shadrick: Thanks, Mike. It’s great to be here.

Mike Kent: And Joe Toscano, my co-host and illustrious president of Medvacon. Joe, as always, it’s great to have you here with me to talk about a really important subject, and something that hits all of us in the life sciences space from a lot of different angles. Where is it, do you think, that [00:01:00] we want to start today’s discussion?

Joe Toscano: Mike, thanks so much for the introduction and as always it’s great to be here with you. And Rhiannon, thanks so much for joining us today. Even though we all get to work together all the time, it’s really nice to have this conversation with you.

I think the three of us are gonna have a lot of fun exploring the area of talent acquisition, and hopefully offer our audience some suggestions that might be beneficial that they could utilize immediately in terms of improving their process.

So as you guys know, Medvacon, in addition to being a consulting company, also is a talent acquisition company. We help companies find full and part time employees. We get involved with a lot of different organizations and helping them with this process. And what we thought we could do today is just discuss briefly some of the internal challenges that organizations have, that if they could fix them just a bit, or do them in a different way, would actually make this process much more successful internally.

So I think it’ll be a fun conversation and hopefully some really good, helpful information [00:02:00] for everyone.

Mike Kent: Absolutely. And with that tee up Rhiannon, can you give us a sense of what some of those challenges are that you’re seeing that companies typically face in the talent acquisition space?

Rhiannon Shadrick: Absolutely! And thank you both for the invite today. I’m super excited for this conversation.

So I’d say one of the biggest issues that I see whenever I have conversations with clients is there’s just an inefficient hiring process. There’s a lot of gaps. There’s no set formula for what they’re looking for or any kind of process.

So that’s really one thing that they need to sit down and break down because that ensures a positive candidate experience as well.

Joe Toscano: Yeah, and you bring up a great point, Rhiannon, because that process is so important and there’s a lot of different people involved. You have a hiring manager. You have Human Resources. You have the recruiter. You have leadership that has to give approval for the position to be hired for. You also have Finance that has to approve salaries, benefits, [00:03:00] et cetera. So there’s a lot of moving pieces to this. And if a company doesn’t have a good process as to how that all fits together, sometimes it could be frustrating and drag out something that shouldn’t take as long as it does in order to find the right candidate and bring them on board.

Rhiannon Shadrick: Typically the rule of thumb in recruiting is we don’t want to go more than 43 days. 43 days I believe was the recent industry average for how long it takes from starting the candidate in the process to getting an offer and getting them through the door.

So in order to kind of tighten up these processes, what we can do is sit down with your team, figure out who’s available, let them know what the interview processes are, what questions should they ask. Because that can help alleviate time for you whenever you’re in the final interview, and you get a better idea of who this candidate is and a very well-rounded image of who will be joining your team.

Joe Toscano: Yeah, and to talk through this a little bit more, and we kind of outlined all the different departments. I think one of the [00:04:00] biggest challenges is, is there a clear job description, right? Is there something out there that really defines what the organization is looking for?

How many times have we been involved and, you know, today we need a candidate with a certain experience. Then tomorrow, they start adding or taking things away, and then the job description changes 10 times between Monday and Friday. And of course, there’s always internal factors that may cause that to happen. And that’s understandable.

But the more defined that job could be in advance before starting the process, I think the more successful an organization will be in terms of getting somebody that they really want on board.

Mike Kent: Yeah, and one of the things that I would add to that point on the job description. Oftentimes the hiring manager is focused on direct skills or specific tasks that they want that individual to be able to do competently. And that’s the majority of the job description.

But here, I think there’s an opportunity to look at things a bit more holistically. What’s the team [00:05:00] chemistry like? What’s the culture like? What’s the environment like? And then what attributes do you want in that person that you’re going to bring into the organization? And how do you make that a part of the process?

Rhiannon Shadrick: You really need to understand how all these puzzle pieces work together so that way you get the correct piece that fits in there. You don’t want to get a puzzle piece and jam it in there that doesn’t fit correctly. You want to make sure this person fits in cohesively with the team.

So, by the recruiter having that initial conversation with the hiring manager, we can get a big understanding of who’s on your team. What does it look like? Is it more junior? Do you need someone more senior? And then overall kind of see what attributes they’re looking for. Do they need someone more organized? Someone who’s more independent? That type of thing.

Joe Toscano: So, you know, we kinda talk about really understanding the job and making sure that when you’re ready to hire, what you’re looking for you’re very clear on, so that all the people doing the work from that point forward can really put the effort into identifying the right individual and getting them in [00:06:00] front of the company through the interview process, making sure they’re the best fit and then hired.

But I think what we’re really getting at here is a little bit organization before you pull the trigger to hire goes a long way. Because part of this is it takes forever to hire somebody sometimes.

And one of the biggest risks here isn’t just the disorganization leading up to it. It’s the risk of losing the right person. And that’s what everybody has to be mindful of. If they’re good, you’re not the only one who’s going to have an interest in them, right? If they’re able to stick around for a couple of months, you might want to relook at that hire. But if there’s somebody that has a great skill set and they’re a good fit for the job, the longer you track it out, the better the chance that they’re going to find it somewhere else with somebody that has a more efficient process.

Rhiannon Shadrick: Yeah, completely agreed. Timing is everything, especially candidates nowadays. Most of the time they expect an offer the next week. So if you drag it out, they [00:07:00] really don’t have the patience for that.

So making sure that you have those gaps on your calendar, letting the recruiter know, “Hey, I’m going to block off this time so that way you can book any candidates in here so I know I’m free.” Having all that clear communication goes a long way and makes the process so much smoother, both for the candidate and for the employees as well.

Mike Kent: Are we competent? Are we capable? Do we have processes and systems in place that we’re using? Do we go about things in a methodical, organized way, and do we show that?

Part of that first impression and ongoing impression for candidates is really how organizations brand themselves or present themselves to the world.

So Rhiannon, speak a little bit, if you would, around how organizations can present a consistent and accurate vision of themselves or perception of themselves [00:08:00] through what we just talked about, and any other ideas in terms of providing that consistent first image.

Rhiannon Shadrick: Absolutely. Branding is everything. Candidates, before they even apply to a job, 90 percent of the time they’re doing research on LinkedIn, Glassdoor. It’s surprising. It’s kind of funny. I see a lot of reviews actually on Reddit. It sounds like the weirdest place that you would get information, but there’s a lot of people that go on Reddit and talk about their interview experiences.

So, people talk. Making sure that you have a concise, clear brand shows that your employees are engaged, they’re happy. Also highlighting your core values. What do you do outside of the office? What different local organizations does the company support? So overall, this holistic image is going to end up being what draws these candidates to you. And the stronger the branding, the less you have to go out and reach for those candidates. They want to come to you. If you have a strong brand they say, “Hey, I [00:09:00] recognize this company. I want to go work for them.”

Joe Toscano: So, you both bring up a lot of good points. We talk about branding because the company has to do a really good job of getting themselves out there to attract the best talent, right? If you’re faced with an opportunity with a company that’s unknown versus one that is, they’re very similar in a lot of ways, most people would go with a recognized name versus somebody they know little about.

You said a key word before that I think is so important and that’s communication. And I think that’s one of the areas, too, that folks struggle. You’ll have a candidate come in and everything lines up and the interviews take place. But then nobody’s getting back to that candidate from the company in order to say to them, hey, you either did really well, or you maybe you didn’t do so well, which is good feedback, too. People should get it both ways. But that quick early communication is so important and adds to the credibility of that organization. Good or bad, people should be given that chance.

If people aren’t hearing back, the [00:10:00] first assumption they make, as we all know, is, “They didn’t like me. They don’t want me. Let me look somewhere else.” That’s a shame to lose somebody over giving them 30 seconds of feedback. And that’s an area that goes with everything you both just said. It’s reputation, it’s branding of the organization. If you want to retain the best candidates, you’ve got to get back to them quickly.

Mike Kent: And it’s so important that the image that the organization portrays out there is accurate and authentic.

To the point that you mentioned, Joe, if folks aren’t getting that communication, they’ll start asking questions. That can also raise some red flags about whether that process is really in place. And anytime you give a candidate an opportunity to have a question about that, it’s not going to, it’s not going to paint you in a really good light.

So are there other things that you’ve seen work well to ensure that the image and impression is consistent and [00:11:00] robust from the company’s side?

Rhiannon Shadrick: I would definitely say looking at current employees. If you want, if a candidate wants to see if a company is really talking, walking the talk, then look at current employee pages. Are they going and interacting outside of work with the organization? Are they going and doing team building? Really finding out from someone who’s experiencing it internally goes a long way than just reading something online. I know a lot of candidates who reach out to current employees and just say, “Hey, I saw this role online. I saw that you were in this role for two years. Can you tell me a little bit about it?” So really ensuring that even your current employees are on board and are on brand is really important. It goes a long way.

Joe Toscano: Yeah, and I would agree. And the word was used before: impression. First impression. Companies a lot of times will say, “Well, that candidate, you know, if that’s the best they’re going to do, and that’s what you’re going to see on a first [00:12:00] interview, then God knows what’s going to happen beyond that.”

What companies fail to find and understand, companies need to make a good first impression, too. A little bit of organization, having some ducks in a row, so to speak, before you actually start hiring, having the people lined up, having timeframes that things are going to happen, making sure it’s a concise and clear process is going to get you the best hire and make that great first impression, just like you want to see the candidate make.

It’s not difficult. It’s really just kind of putting these pieces together and making sure that occurs.

And Rhiannon, you bring up another good point. You know, people do talk, right? They’re gonna discuss what the company is doing. They might have been referred by other employees within the organization. That organization, part of their branding is what else are they doing outside of work? Or is that all they think of? Most companies do other things outside of the workplace, participate with organizations, nonprofits, things like that. If that’s of interest to you, then it’s [00:13:00] something that you want to see the company promote. Again, it just goes back to, “Hey, we’re really good in this space from a work perspective, but we also do these other things that might help attract the best talent.” So it’s important that they advertise that.

Mike Kent: Absolutely. Great points on everybody’s counts. One of the hot buttons that I’m sure everybody is just chomping at the bit to get to is the $64,000 question, right? Literally and figuratively.

How can organizations either do really well, or where are some areas where organizations come up short when handling things like compensation and benefits, either communicating those or having the right package in place? Rhiannon, what sort of things have you seen from your perspective that either paint organizations in a tricky spot or conversely, what are some things that organizations [00:14:00] have done really well?

Rhiannon Shadrick: So most candidates, of course, want to go in looking for the highest compensation. But I’ve seen in a lot of situations where candidates say, “You know what, I’m flexible depending on the benefits package.” So benefits really does play a huge part. I find that the biggest questions I’m asked are regarding 401k and paternal or parental leave. So those are two of like, probably the hottest topics that I’ve seen recently, as well as PTO. But I find that PTO isn’t as hot of a topic anymore.

But being super transparent in the job description, talking about what are the benefits. What do we offer? What’s something that sets us apart? I’ve seen some companies offer pet insurance and they put that in the job description.

So really highlighting those small things that set you apart that maybe is unique that you offer that others don’t offer, like even a gym membership. You’d be surprised how many people say, “Hey, that’s actually really beneficial for me.” So all of those little steps to try increasing employee [00:15:00] wellness is going to end up making a longer impact in the final decision of the candidate.

Joe Toscano: And you bring up a really good point. It’s not always just the salary. It’s everything around that salary. What is the entire compensation package? What’s being offered? What other things are they getting that depending on the individual, they might find more value in? People should know what they are and what they’re going to receive if they join an organization.

 And getting a clear idea of what is it exactly that this position is worth. You’re given a range, but the range is so big, you’re like, well, how do you determine where somebody falls within that spectrum?

And then, candidates see that, too. Nobody’s going to say, I want the low end of the range. Everybody’s going to want to be at the high end of the range. And if it’s too big of a spread, that already creates a lot of questions that you probably don’t want.

I think one of the biggest issues though is companies understanding what to pay individuals. Because a lot of times, we’ll get a list of, “We need somebody with all of these [00:16:00] qualifications, but we don’t want to pay him for all of those qualifications.” So the job description really needs to match and be competitive with what’s in the market.

And we help a lot there. We’re able to bring a lot of market data back and say, look, if you really want this type of person, this is really where they need to be versus perhaps what you’re budgeting for. Or if that’s really your budget, then let’s reconsider what’s most important and what’s not so important, because you’re probably not going to have anybody accept a job having it all. So let’s really focus on those skill sets and the things that we really want to ensure they have so it’s the best fit for the type of position that you currently have available.

But I think being realistic and being competitive is really important.

Rhiannon Shadrick: Absolutely! Sitting down and prioritizing what skills are non-negotiable is/should be one of the first steps. So that way when you have the conversation with the recruiter, the recruiter should say, “Okay, if I go and look at a candidate pool and I can’t [00:17:00] find specific qualifications, what are some skills that you’re willing to be flexible on and what qualifications are an absolute must?” So that way, moving forward, I can ask those questions right out of the gate. And then that way I can say, “Okay these are some would be nice to haves, but have you had experience in this?” And then that way they can speak to it. So whenever you go to the hiring manager, you can say they have the core skills you’re looking for and they also have these pluses.

Joe Toscano: It is so important for the hiring manager to have a conversation with the recruiter, right? They really need to sit down, discuss, even if it’s for 30 minutes. What is the job? What is it that they really want? What’s important to them? Let’s prioritize. And I find it amazing many times how often that doesn’t occur at the level in which it should, right? But if that simple step could also be taken? Wow, you’re just so much better positioned for success.

Rhiannon Shadrick: So let’s summarize what we’ve discussed so far in terms of the challenges companies [00:18:00] face with talent acquisition. The first is having a well defined, organized hiring process where everyone is fully engaged and prepared. This takes a lot of communication and planning across the board.

Have the hiring manager and recruiter talked about specific needs, expectations, what ifs, and timing? Does the approved job description include all the skills and attributes that will make the new hire successful? Is time blocked off on everyone’s calendars to allow interviews and follow up discussions to happen quickly? Making sure your ducks are in a row before you start can make the hiring experience better for everyone.

The second challenge is the employer’s first impression and branding. If the hiring process is clunky, disorganized, or chaotic, the candidate will pick up on this and wonder if your company is really a place they’d want to work. More importantly, is there timely communication and feedback from the company to keep candidates engaged?

And then, what are you doing to show potential candidates what you’re all about? Are you partnering with local organizations or charities? [00:19:00] Promote that! How are your employees showing up outside of work? What’s your company’s social media presence saying about the organization, and does it match up with reality? As much as you’re relying on the candidates to make a good first impression, your company has to do the same thing in order to attract top talent.

And the last challenge we touched on is benefits and compensation. This is a tough one, but understanding the market and being able to offer attractive total compensation packages over just a salary is important.

Part of that goes back to the job description and knowing what are the must haves versus nice to haves. Then, how could that affect not only the pool of potential candidates, but finding the right one and getting them to sign that offer letter. And if you can’t find the person that you’re looking for, we talked about the steps you could take to find the best fit for your team.

Joe Toscano: So I think we had a good conversation in regards to some of the common challenges that we see in working with companies and how we help them in terms of getting all of this organized.

Mike Kent: [00:20:00] Absolutely. And as you might expect, there’s so much more to explore here. So we invite you to join us for part two of Talent Acquisition, where Joe, Rhiannon and I focus specifically on recruiters and candidates. We’ll identify some specific challenges that both face and walk through a few simple strategies that can help recruiters and candidates improve their chances of having an experience worth advertising. How can finding the right candidate and landing the right opportunity, get easier, and dare I say, more enjoyable? Join us to find out, next time here on The Grind.

Joe Toscano: If Medvacon can help you and your organization, we’re happy to do so. We specialize in the following areas: Quality and Compliance, Validation and Qualification Services, Project Management, Tech Transfers, General and Specialized Training Programs, Engineering Services, and Talent Acquisition. If you have general questions as well, feel free to give us a call at any time.

We can easily be [00:21:00] reached at 833-633-8226, or via our website at http://www.medvacon.com. Thanks so much, and we look forward to speaking with you.

Jessica Taylor: Thank you for listening to the Quality Grind Podcast presented by Medvacon. To learn more or to hear additional episodes, visit us at www. medvacon. com.