Given the struggles many businesses are experiencing during this economic downturn it is becoming increasingly important to hire smart. What does this mean? Well, from a technology standpoint, it means having relevant, timely information and the ability to analyze it so that proven hiring practices can be replicated consistently. There are no guarantees in hiring, but like in any environment businesses need to use systems and processes that give them the greatest probability of success.

As such, I want to reference a Blog post I came across some time ago that caught my attention. In this post TEC (Technology Evaluation Center) shares some information on Human Resources and Business Intelligence. Also, as a former Sage Abra Employer Solutions business partner, this is an area of interest to me and a product line that Solution Explorers has researched in preparation of helping businesses select the right software for their unique business needs.

Below is a Web link to TEC’s Blog post:

http://blog.technologyevaluation.com/blog/2009/12/17/workforce-analytics-%e2%80%93-a-blend-of-business-intelligence-and-human-resources/#comment-8385

Here are a few immediate thoughts…

1) Do buyers of this technology really know what they want by way of metrics?

2) Can vendors move away from dog-n-pony demos of this technology (BI mostly) and present real-scenario applications of the tool that resonate with the buyer?

3) Will buyers include in the initial purchase follow up services to configure metrics after some time of actual application use?

Historically, many (not all) software purchasers buy at the lowest cost and sacrifice follow up services. Then future approvals for more $ become difficult and therefore result in underutilization. All this to say that technology is great, and maturing, but have we buyers and sellers matured in our buying and selling practices/habits?

Finally, aside from software technology, this economic downturn has returned to us something we often lose by relying too much on technology and that is hiring via direct referrals from trusted sources. Today, new hires are winning from referrals and not resumes. Of course, technology tools like HR/BI, LinkedIN, other social networks, etc. are being used for referrals through viewing people’s connections. In the end, hiring smart, much like finding the right software for a client, means using a conglomerate of old school and new technology tools to navigate through a pool of candidates, filter irrelevant options, and selecting the candidate that matches pre-defined criteria. It’s hard work, and requires skill.

Thanks for your support and participation. I’m very excited about developing a mutually-rewarding online dialogue as we explore ways to “transform the software technology buying and selling experience.”

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