Human Resource Department of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Number of Applicants for Talent Acquisition Vacancies in Comparison to Other Departments

The Talent Acquisition department in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) is experiencing issues when recruiting individuals in the job market to fill vacancies. Over the past two years, there has been a clear distinction between the department and others as only fifty individuals have appeared for a job in the company compared to five hundred in other departments. The number is low to the point that the head of TA at BCBSM has inspired a study on the reasons behind this and the possible solutions. In the sections below, the paper highlights differences in strategies and possible causes of this state in the human resource department in the firm.

Strategies Used in Recruitment In Comparison to Other Departments

Concerning recruiting strategies, the Talent Acquisition department differs from others in the company regarding effectiveness and sourcing places. TA job postings can be ineffective (Boselli et al., 2018). Writing a good job description is an art form that usually gets ignored. Many people fail to understand that it acts as an advertisement. As an advertiser, one needs to sell the product’s target audience, which is a position. There are a few essential steps individuals can take to do this effectively. The first step is to reach the right audience using keywords and a representative job title (Boselli et al., 2018). This can be done by considering the terms ideal job seekers use to search. After that, the department can create a job posting that integrates the terms. For example, job posting titles or descriptions with non-traditional words get fewer applicants than others without.

The second step is going beyond a job’s responsibilities as well as requirements and consists of matters that will appeal to job seekers. Employees desire to attain a comfortable and fulfilling personal and professional life. This means that they want to earn good wages, adequate medical care, have job security, room for growth, and be recognized for their work (Boselli et al., 2018). By including such issues in the descriptions, one stands a chance of receiving many applications.

Apart from job posting presentations, the Talent Acquisition department has failed in its strategies when it comes to finding its target audience. Others in the company have understood the importance of sourcing in the right places. Poor efforts in this area can be a significant bottleneck in the number of individuals applying for the advertised positions. One way of improving is rethinking the type of job boards someone is utilizing to market the opportunities (Boselli et al., 2018). Since the department is seeking a solution to its low quantity and quality pool of applicants, the personnel in charge should be pursuing job boards that can access the most people. In case of inadequate information on the matter, Google search is recommended to help in determining which to prioritize. They can select boards depending on the job type (Boselli et al., 2018). Some niche job boards aid in targeting better particular roles. This is encouraging as it promises a return on investment in the sourcing efforts.

Advertising and Communication of the Vacancies

The Talent Acquisition department in BCBSM has not been able to reach as many people as it should with its job vacancy advertisements. The survey conducted on the matter shows that most applicants hear about the positions from friends or referrals. In the digital age, the majority of companies are utilizing social media platforms to enable them to reach the broadest possible population of potential candidates. Only 6.67% of the people hearing about the vacancies through social media is a bad indicator. It would be better for the department to utilize digital marketing strategies to improve its visibility in the online space.

In the event someone has a great job posting and realistic expectations, then it is possible that they just do not reach employment opportunity seekers. With many job boards available to the public and an increasing recruitment trend in social media, getting job seekers’ attention is difficult. Therefore, a recruiting group needs to diversify its search strategy to earn more visibility. One can learn from competitors sharing opportunities in similar positions.

Requirements

During the survey, it was discovered that the requirements placed on knowledge, skills, and ability might be the cause of a few applicants. From the results, there is a portion, which is 3.33%, that thinks that the CSR assessment conducted was very hard (Puncheva-Michelotti et al., 2018). In case the job posting is well written but fails to lure good candidates, then it is time to assess the expectations. Unrealistic expectations usually emerge when an employer requires too much experience or too specific a skill set. They can also arise when employers anticipate many individuals but offer below-market compensation (Puncheva-Michelotti et al., 2018). For the department in discussion to be able to establish whether it has unrealistic expectations, research is important. This can be accomplished by talking to candidates and others in the industry and then determining which area the department is flexible. For example, if there are skills or not that the firm is ready and willing to teach the new employees. After answering the question, the recruiter can edit and re-post the job opening.

Other Factors Responsible for Fewer Applicants

Apart from the reasons listed above, there are other factors that could cause fewer applicants for the Talent Acquisition department when compared to other departments in the same organization. There is a chance that the process of application is complicated (Puncheva-Michelotti et al., 2018). Once a person decides to apply, it is important for the employer or recruiter not to make them undergo unnecessary steps while submitting their applications. For instance, when asking for a resume, one should consider not asking individuals to fill out an online form containing queries on information already in the document. This tedious procedure can result in candidates losing patience to finish their application. According to the results of the survey, many people are satisfied with the complete hiring process. However, it would be proper to realize that a good procedure would have shown more people being very satisfied.

Another factor is using wrong job titles since once someone posts a job description; they desire to ensure that relevant candidates can discover it online. The primary way that this happens is when an applicant uses a title to search for a particular role of choice. In case the title does not match the usual language a person would utilize, then the employer could miss some actively interested parties. There are many ways to determine which specific words to use. The TA department personnel can compile a list of possible titles they think a seeker would search and enter into a different job board to check the number of results. This gives a sense of the terms commonly utilized in the sector. Similarly, a tool such as Google Trends can be helpful in comparing the terms widely referenced in real-time or in the last twenty-four hours (Puncheva-Michelotti et al., 2018). By optimizing the job titles, the Talent Acquisition department would guarantee that they get the most attention out of the sourcing investment.

How the Leadership Can Increase the Applicants Pool

Improvement in recruiting usually focuses on candidate experience, which is essential. Further betterment might target the interview training for hiring managers, which ensures they concentrate on conducting a fair process. However, leaders have been ignored in the procedure (Boselli et al., 2018). In a universe where the demand for talent is more pressing, the best leaders offer a chance to attract more applicants in terms of quality and quantity.

When joining a business, individuals seek people who are excited about the company’s mission. The indication of a great culture is that every person can sell that mission since they are equally excited about accomplishing it (Boselli et al., 2018). However, there can never be anyone in a better position to sell both the vision and mission of a firm than a leader. Reiterating the organization’s message is an act that the leadership does routinely to investors and customers. This means that they have the experience to do it better than most individuals.

Lastly, organizational culture and values are key factors in the current job market. No matter the preferences of the candidates, everyone is searching for firms that depict how they like to work. Few are grateful to be working and can accept any type of condition (Boselli et al., 2018). The majority desire every aspect of the job to be fitting for them. A leader can demonstrate the values of the company by telling stories from their daily engagements. This has proven to entice potential employees in the job marketplace.

References

Boselli, R., Cesarini, M., Mercorio, F., & Mezzanzanica, M. (2018). Classifying online job advertisements through machine learning. Future Generation Computer Systems, 86, 319-328. Web.

Puncheva-Michelotti, P., Hudson, S., & Jin, G. (2018). Employer branding and CSR communication in online recruitment advertising. Business Horizons, 61(4), 643-651. Web.

Click Here To Order Now!