What would be the best way for HR to bring in more qualified applicants?

Scenario 2

Refer to the following scenario for questions 1 and 2 below.

A company has experienced a high degree of turnover during the past year. Senior leadership is concerned about the amount of turnover and worried that HR is not moving fast enough to fill these positions. The hiring managers say that the applicant pools have been weak lately and they have had trouble finding qualified applicants to hire from within the pools HR provides. HR has relied heavily on recruiting by word of mouth, which in the past generated applicants who fit the company’s culture. The award for referrals that results in hiring has also been popular with employees.

Question 1: What would be the best way for HR to bring in more qualified applicants?

1. Post job openings on Internet job sites and examine the effect on the applicant pool.
2. Talk to senior leaders to figure out which types of jobs are most difficult to fill.
3. Investigate how other organizations are identifying quality applicants.
4. Interview hiring managers to determine the specific gaps in knowledge and skill that need to be addressed.

Option 1 is the best answer because it generates a specific organizational intervention for recruiting practices that raises the organization’s potential for long-term success. Option 4 is the next-best option because it considers the business needs. Both choices demonstrate the Consultation competency. Option 2 is unacceptable because HR should be talking to the hiring managers rather than the senior leaders. Option 3 is not acceptable because the application of other companies’ processes may not be effective for this company.