We’ve all seen them. Those annoyingly entertaining mimes who pull themselves down a sidewalk with an imaginary rope, or ride an imaginary escalator down behind a barricade. But the one they are probably the most well-known for is the imaginary box that has seemed to trap them. They can press on the walls, scream, pound their fists – but nothing penetrates that box!

If you are a HR leader who has decided to outsource your recruiting efforts, you can probably identify with Mr. Mime Man more than others. You signed the RPO agreement and now you feel like you are IN the game, but watching from the mime box while all of this activity goes on around you. On paper it says that you are in control of everything, but you know that this recruitment partner is pretty much controlling the success or failure of your company’s recruitment efforts (and ultimately your personal longevity with your employer).

Let me make this known from the beginning. I have served as the RPO provider to several companies. I was even one of HR.com’s RPO Subject Matter Experts for a couple of years – leading webcasts to discuss RPO engagements. I have sold them. I have managed them. I have recruited for them. I know RPO inside and out. Because I know it well, I also know that there are some downsides to the model that could be corrected to make it more effective and, quite honestly, more appealing, for HR executives and leaders to grasp. I created my own model as a result called IRM (Integrated Recruitment Model). It’s a hybrid approach using the strengths of both the corporate recruiter and the agency recruiter. It is organized in such a way that it removes the “US vs THEM” mentality out of the picture and has everyone focused on the success of the company’s efforts.

Imagine with me if Superman and Batman were to join forces. Batman didn’t have any special super human powers, but he had all of the tools and gadgets and gizmos that made him a force to be reckoned with. But then Superman had all of the special human powers – flying, strength, that eye thing he could do and look through or burn through anything. If you were to have them working alongside each other, each one focused on using their strengths to the benefit of each other as well as the company – that would be amazing!

One of the primary issues that seem to always arise when transitioning to a RPO engagement is that the internal recruiting team feels like if these “outsiders” come in and do well, that they’ll all lose their jobs. So, they aren’t exactly big fans who are supportive of the new engagement. They do not provide immediate assistance. They do not volunteer information that wasn’t specifically requested. It’s a territorial thing…you know? In IRM, this whole piece is taken away. It’s a mix of internal corporate recruiters who know the culture well, who have relationships with the managers who need people to be hired, who are passionate about the company. Then you add to that a team of agency recruiters who bring the tools, technologies, and the creativity and urgency to the picture. Each have unique objectives to accomplish that make everyone on the team successful…and when the team is successful, the team is rewarded (as a team).

If you want to see more details around IRM, go check out my IRM – Integrated Recruitment Modelgroup on Linked In. I led a webcast recently on the topic and posted the transcript on the group page. Or just reach out to me personally at info@dx2consulting.com.

Here’s to great success in your recruitment efforts – a new year with no limits, no ceiling, NO IMAGINARY BOXES!