iCIMS Hire Expectations™

It’s Fall, which means pumpkin spice lattes and TV show premieres.

Many of you probably tuned in to see the premiere of Two and a Half Men. Now I love you, Ashton Kutcher. I believe you were a Calvin Klein underwear model, but you are not believable as a 20-something year old entrepreneur.

This season also includes two new period dramas that feature women in the workplace. Pan Am focuses on pilots and stewardesses working for Pan American World Airways during the 1960s. The Playboy Club is another period drama that centers around the employees (known as Bunnies) of the first Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963.
 
Things have certainly changed. Women today have plenty of options available, and today run some of the world’s best companies, such as PepsiCo, Archer Daniels Midland and W.L. Gore. Women are also entering the workforce in record numbers, and today make up more than half of US professionals. What does this mean for HR? It means that they need to focus on recruiting and retaining female talent.

This year, the Wall Street Journal’s Women in the Economy Conference split off into six career-stage sessions, and came up with four priorities each for dealing with each phase of the career life cycle.

I would like to highlight the four priorities for recruiting:

1. 360 MENTORING: Establish 360-degree mentoring, from the most senior-level executives to entry-level employees. Equip middle management to mentor and coach. Use data to measure mentoring.
2. 21ST-CENTURY WORKPLACE PRACTICES: Highlight the 21st-century workplace to potential hires - meaningful work opportunities, flex time, telecommuting, technology, and work environment. Establish formal policies and responsibilities for innovative practices.
3. FULLY ENGAGE NEW EMPLOYEES: Institute robust, long-term onboarding and engagement. Establish metrics on employee engagement. Recognize new employees as experts of their generation and build business opportunities for their ideas.
4. ACTIVELY RECRUIT WOMEN: Recruit women via social media, on campuses and traditional arenas. Highlight a company's women in its recruiting efforts. Partner with influential stakeholder and educational institutions (as early as elementary school). Communicate with young people about opportunities and options. Offer internships and scholarships.

When I was applying to jobs, I considered whether or not the job was at a workplace that developed female leadership. I looked for an employment brand that showed an appreciation for diversity and a spirit of collaboration.

Women, what drew you to your current place of employment? How much do you let work/life balance influence your career decisions? Should companies offer flex time, telecommuting, or childcare options?

Women bring a complementary skill set to the workplace, and can thus contribute to goal achievement. Recruiters should leverage technology to build a welcoming employment brand, engage female candidates, and connect them with professional mentors. The result will be a pipeline of talented females that can improve ROI.