Human Resources and Recruiting During the Recession

Defining a clear human resources strategy is key totake your company to the next level. Another strange
long-term success during the current economicbyproduct of a recession is that top talent tends to be
downturn. Some companies have to make the difficultcoveted by the remaining healthy companies. Highly
decision of who to let go, while others face theskilled candidates can take advantage of the upside
daunting task of sifting through a mountain of jobdown job market and search for higher paying
applications for any position they have open.positions elsewhere or counter offers at their current
For those companies scrambling to stay afloat,company.
analyze each job task and determine the businessThree tips for companies looking to hire during the
functions that have the most redundancy. Lettingrecession:
someone go is always a difficult decision, so make- Keep it organized. More than ever, hiring managers
sure you act intelligently when you are forced toare inundated with applications during the hiring
downsize.process. Make sure your hiring managers are setup
Three tips for downsizing:with tools like recruiting software so they can
- If no one is sitting at the tables, make sure therestreamline applicant tracking and management.
aren't too many cooks in the kitchen. Being manager- Watch out for window shoppers. Highly skilled
top-heavy during a recession is a sure fire way toemployees might just be looking for a job offer so
burn through a lot of money.they can bump their salaries at their current
- Before letting someone go, always ask yourself if thecompanies. During the interview process do your due
remaining employees are the most agile and flexiblediligence to avoid these time wasters.
people you can retain. During a downturn it is critical to- Talent is talent. Make sure you utilize your top talent.
think like a small business and stick with the peopleThere should be a clearly defined reason for hiring
who can multi-task.new people. During economic downturns you need to
- Talent is talent. If you have the golden goose sitting inretain what you have and be extra diligent about who
an office somewhere, hang onto them tooth and nail.you hire.
Human capital is your most valuable asset no matterWhether your company is feeling the crunch or
what the situation.crushing the competition, many of the age-old human
For the growing companies, successful recruiting boilsresources best practices still apply. Just make sure
down to information management. Hiring managersyou are equipped to handle the rush or know who is
need to take advantage of the high supply in the jobgoing to make the cut. Success always depends on
market and pull in the diamonds in the rough that canyour people.