“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

There are three basic types of metrics that should be used by recruiting departments to see how well they’re performing.  Historical metrics like cost per hire and time to fill, tell you where you’ve been, but not where you are or where you’re going.  

As you know I suggest using the 10-factor talent scorecard to measure quality of hire on a pre-hire and post-hire basis. This form is available for members of the Recruiter’s Wall network to download. Using it is based the on the concept described in my book, Hire With Your Head (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2007), suggesting that in order to maximize assessment accuracy, candidates need to be assessed against real job needs. This way,10-factor talent scorecard rankings pre- and post-hire are directly comparable.

In all the brouhaha about great new sourcing initiatives and Web 2.0 tools, how much have your recruiters and hiring managers improved their ability to hire great people, not average people?

Do you have a recruiting strategy, or do you just adopt the latest fad and see if works? This probably won't work. Tactics don't determine strategy; strategy determines tactics. And when business conditions change, a company's strategy needs a corresponding change. So does the company's recruiting strategy. Some of these strategic changes are brought about by technology innovations, demographic shifts, changes in government policy, and economic cycles. Regardless of their causes, incorporating these changes and shifts into the business planning process allows companies to remain competitive.

As the economy tumbles, and companies right-size their recruiting departments, the bottom half is the first to go. Under this scenario, those formerly in the relatively secure 2nd quartile are now in the bottom half. So be wary or get better.