Jenkins urges H/R decision-makers to “change their thinking of hiring to hunting” and to focus on “consistent measurable results.” She suggests that strategies be put into place to “obtain and retain the best candidates, not just qualified applicants.”

Who’s Minding the Store?
Human resource professionals have their priorities skewed,” comments Jenkins. “They appear to be consumed with cost-per-hire, total recruiting fees paid and how ‘fast’ someone is hired.” However the quality of the new hires, and the long-term value or cost to the company of hiring a mediocre applicant is completely overlooked.” It’s literally a vicious cycle. “The people who hold jobs in H/R and corporate recruiting came up in the same flawed system they work for.” Mis-focused and under-trained, “they ensure that ineffective recruiting processes prevail.”

The Culprits
Armed with superb resumes and impeccable qualifications, white-collar professionals now comprise one-fifth of all unemployed workers. “That’s double the rate from a decade ago,” “And they’re staying unemployed longer than before, too.”

Who are the culprits? “Humans and technology are both to blame, says Jenkins. She says that “rather than using technology as an addition to the toolkit required in making hiring and placement decisions, it’s become a substitute for thinking.”

There is still an alarming majority of corporate recruiters who “don’t actively source or market jobs. And they don’t bother to explore or define job competencies, either.” They simply retrieve resumes with certain ‘key’ words and then pass them on to the hiring managers.

The Referrals from Above
Jenkins also has concerns about hiring managers who seem more concerned with filling a hole than with filling a position with a qualified employee. One of the biggest stumbling blocks revolves around people who come as referrals from their senior management.