There are literally hundreds if not thousands of opinions about Recruiting & Staffing Fundamentals, in thinking about it this past week I thought we really need an analysis of what makes for a good recruiting function, a solid recruiter, sourcer, and a solid strategic staffing and HR approach. 

Therefore - I decided that I would investigate this amazing and important of fundamental elements of a good staffing desk.  What is it that makes for some really exciting and stellar outcomes that define the caliber of the super star recruiter of our generation? 

I will analyze and approach some stellar folks and possibly provide their thoughts in my analysis as well pull some information from some amazing sources that add some really amazing valuable insight to the RBC community.  This I suppose is my gift back to a profession that has treated me so well - and I think it is vital to look at such thought provoking resources as SHRM, The American Staffing Association, NACE, RBC, and many other wonderful resources - in tapping these resources, I think sharing some thoughts on where we are going, have been and what the future holds is truly an important step.

When I sat back recently and thought about what I could write I thought a series on the Recruiting Life-cycle, and some shared best practices might interest my fellow blogging community and fellow staffing professionals whom love this site so much. 

When I started with the community some 6 years ago when Slouch did us all a favor and this community was literally sitting at the 100s, there was in those beginning days a lot of amazing and thought provoking discussions and still to this day I visit often to find new insights that make me proud to be a recruiter, so why not - a journey such as this will be VERY enjoyable.  I personally have benefitted in many ways from thought provoking articles, interesting thought leaders, and on several occassions being featured as a blogger.  I would love to explore perhaps a 10+ part installment series of a variety of staffing topics that may give back to the RBC community and so here is my introduction on what I will cover over a 10 week period and I entitle it Recruiting & Staffing Fundamentals - A Series About Rising to the Top.  Think of a hot air balloon pilot and think of what rising to the top means.  When a hot air balloon rises, it starts deflated, but as the air pushes it up, then it rises because hot air has that property.  Just think if we could take a few key elements and break them down into the top 10 topics that staffing/recruiting & HR professionals need to be successful - if we can't cover it in 10 I'll cover it in a little more but I think I'll start my series starting this weekend on the following:

• Staffing Desk Organization & Time Management: how organized in your time as a recruiter you are is a vital skill.  I'll look at some best practices I have learned and invite analysis on this important topic.
• Economic and Macro Level Fundamentals and Knowledge: Understanding the business climate, job factors, economic fluctuations, technology, new laws, compensation, and other factors that affect our ability to attract, retain and engage candidates are important fundamental considerations - I'll pull resources from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, SHRM Line Report, ADP's Employment Index, and the American Staffing Association's data points to really see what 2013 has as recruiting challenges as we head into 2014 as well the opportunity to provide real time knowledge sharing.
• Finding Talent and Sourcing: I'll cover and discuss some thoughts on sourcing, where it's headed, social media fundamentals, telephone sourcing, branding, and pipelining for our modern day recruiting desk.
• Fundamental Candidate Screening Concerns for our Modern Day: analysis and discussion on why staffing practioners must be good interviewers, how to interview, how to pull out important information vs. secondary information.  An analysis of why this one skill can make or break a recruiter's desk.
• Fundamentals of Offer Negotiation: A look at human nature, how to negotiate, and how to close a candidate are very critical - in our ever tightening labor market it is vital to be able to close candidates in a manner that will keep them on board for years to come.
• Hiring Manager Relations and Manager Control: an analysis of the importance of a good intake session, the ability to set expectations, provide a consultative staffing partnership, providing managers with information for their benefit, and ensuring their understanding and your understanding of the key role to fill, and the steps to get there and how to help them give feedback real-time throughout the process.
• Candidate Relations/Candidate Experience and Candidate Control: an analysis of how to work with candidates, how best to engage them for feedback real time throughout the process, an analysis of the different types of candidates, internal candidate relations, external candidate relations, and other steps that enable the candidate experience to be optimal and to keep the process moving.
• Staffing's partnership with HR: how to engage HR Business Partners for maximum results, inspiring them to work closely with staffing, and build a trust between these two essential areas of the talent acquisition team.  Also an analysis of how to achieve one's goals and build partnerships that build trust and loyalty.
• Effective Staffing Agency Partnerships: how can inside HR/Staffing teams partner with agencies and vice versa.
• Kaizen - How to Adopt a Continuous Improvement Step for your Staffing Function: Ideas on continually building the staffing reputation through harmonious interactions, growth, direct feedback, etc.
• Recruiter Career Management: This is number 11 but I think I can in affect add one more - this fundamental is tied to a recruiter's ongoing growth, ideas for change, and ideas for engagement - real time efforts to plan one's own career road for maximum results.

This is just the start - any further ideas you may wish to explore or research further in an effort to make for an even BETTER RECRUITER and even better discussion on staffing fundamentals? Please comment here with your thoughts for such a step.  I am so excited to explore these introductory topics and potentially interview amazing staffing professionals.  And what a great community! RBC continues with rich contact every day.  I look forward to this multi-week blogging journey, and the opportunity to help make my business partners, peers, etc even happier through shared best practices.  HR/Staffing/Recruiting are still a VERY good place to be.

This post is of my own creation - it does not represent the beliefs or opinions, or overall corporate direction of ADP in any way.  I am a proud ADP Recruiting associate and I am solely responsible for this blog's content.  I thank you for reading and for the potential to have you share your own insights.