I’ve heard those outside TA sometimes say, “Really, how hard can it be? You just find people, interview them and get them hired!” Well, it’s a little more complicated than that, but it might be worth asking, “Do we make recruiting harder than it should be?” A great question that Vera Stamenkovich of Arrow Electronics asked herself and her team and came up with some very interesting answers. She shares those answers and much more on Episode 10 of Big Fish in the Talent Pool, The Podcast for Talent Leaders, available now on iTunes and Soundcloud.
Vera has been with Arrow Electronics in Denver, Colorado for six years and oversees all hiring, including professional, technical, sales and light industrial for the global Fortune 113 firm. Several years ago, Arrow engaged a Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partner help stabilize the supply/demand quotient, allowing Vera to discern the best solution for the longer-term future. In my discussion with her, she details the eventual decision to respectfully and methodically move away from the RPO solution, taking recruiting back in-house. A change that big is not for the faint-of-heart, but the results and customer feedback show that for Arrow, it was the right decision.
The Arrow TA team has now implemented a more deliberate, segmented talent acquisition solution for their internal customers. Now, micro-teams of TA specialists are integrated with the various lines of business, proactively and reactively meeting the talent needs of this endlessly diverse and growing company. Her secret to change management? Constant communication, testing ideas and listening intently to leaders.
Vera covers all this and also gives us a view into her own career choices, with some interesting twists and turns. You will love her perspective on switching industries, moving to another city for the right opportunity, and much more.
We hope this podcast is an encouragement to you in your own journey to make a difference for others in the talent space. It’s a privilege to do what we do in TA, and I hope my conversations with leaders make you even more passionate about doing it well!
Erin McDermott Peterson is a Partner with PeopleResults. Follow her on Twitter @ErinMcPeterson or connect via email at epeterson@people-results.com
