In the world of talent acquisition, we've all seen the many references to recruiting and marketing, and how that translates into thinking about the hiring pipeline like a funnel.  The problem with the funnel, in our opinion, is the shape.

Funnels are wide at the top, and then get very narrow at the bottom.  The implication is that many people apply, and very few get hired.  In fact, a company this morning was bragging about having 5k applications for 5 hires.

While many companies brag about how it's harder to get a job there than to get into Harvard, and that's a nice headline, the reality is that having tons of applicants can be a bad thing.  Think about wading through 5k resumes.  Think about all the phone screens.  Think about the chances of hiring someone who wasn't a good fit.  5k applicants means the job description was way too broad.

We believe the ideal hiring funnel looks more like a cylinder.  A few, qualified and educated people apply.  They are screened, and out comes your hires.  How do we start to make the funnel look more like a cylinder?  It starts with allowing potential applicants to get an in depth look at the company so that they can opt in if interested, and, more importantly, opt out if this isn't for them.

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