Jay Brunetti has been in the business of finding and placing professionals at staffing agencies for years. In this session, Jay will discuss strategies and an action plan to find exceptional staffing talent despite a tight labor market.

1. Strategies for Identifying and Assessing
Talent for the Staffing Industry
Jay Brunetti
Co-Founder / Managing Partner
HireAlliance
Jay@HireAlliance.com

2. Staffing Services
Talent Acquisition
Consulting

3. People
Process
Pipeline

4. People
Who are you
looking for?

5. “…we are looking for someone with experience… we
don’t have time to train...”
“…I want a rainmaker!...”

6. Identify the key attributes needed
for people in your firm to succeed.
Who are the best people in your
company…and why are they successful?
Identify the DNA your top
people possess, and use that
as your hiring template.

7. People
What does success look
like at your company?

8. “…someone who can hit the ground running...”

10. Expectations should be clear and specific
Have a timeline with measurable
actions and production
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Using Bullhorn Screening Candidates Submitting to Clients Feedback Calls Closing a Deal
Months
First 6 Months

11. People
Job Descriptions

12. Recruiter
***** is one of the premier leaders in the staffing industry. For over 50 years, we’ve thrived on
building relationships and making a positive impact in the lives of those we touch. We believe in
acting with integrity, doing the right thing and giving back to our communities.
Our flexible and direct hire staffing specialists engage over 23,000 highly skilled Technology and
Finance & Accounting professionals annually, connecting them with more than 4,000 customers.
Our national network of 60 offices, two national recruiting centers, and 2,000+ associates
support our ability to meet the needs of customers of all sizes, including 70% of the Fortune
100.
Join the our family and we will support you with expert training, innovative tools, an amazing
culture, and a team of Great People that will cheer you on your road to success!
Summary:
The Talent Manager plays a critical role in fueling our growth by connecting Great People
together. The Talent Manager executes sourcing and recruiting strategies to identify and attract
qualified and diverse candidates, and then matches them to opportunities with our clients. This
position demands an exceptional balance of drive and commitment, coupled with exemplary
interpersonal skills, topped off with a creative mindset. As a developed business partner, the
Talent Manager will interact with all levels of leadership to facilitate the internal hiring process.

13. Job Descriptions
Shorten them!
(People have zero attention span!)

14. Job Descriptions
They should have a conversational tone
Focus should be on the attributes needed
and what success looks like

15. Your job at HireAlliance is to build relationships with staffing and talent acquisition professionals. Whether you are working with a client
looking to hire great people, or talking to a superstar looking for their next home, the relationship, built on value and trust, is what should
drive you.
Personality characteristics that are a must:
 A comfort level in reaching out/talking to people who you don’t know
o Can you have a conversation with someone you don’t know as if you’ve known them forever?
o Does it come natural to you to connect with someone you just met?
 Internal drive and self-motivation
o Are you harder on yourself than on other people…constantly pushing yourself without any need for someone else to push you?
o People who love crushing goals, and are born overachievers love working in the staffing industry.
 Multitasker and organized
o If your house looks like something on the show “Hoarders,” then staffing is probably not for you.
o Type A, anal-retentive, borderline OCD – those are common terms used for people doing well in the staffing world.
 Money motivated
o Who isn’t? But staffing is a very difficult job to do if you are content making between $25K and $45K. There are easier sales jobs out there in that
salary range. Successful people in staffing are pushing 6 figures in their 2nd to 3rd year in the business…and they are working very hard to hit
those numbers.
There are more traits that could make it easier for someone to be successful in the staffing business – but that is a good core list of what most staffing
agencies are looking for. Oh – and the ability to dish out (and understand) sarcasm is an absolute must. Proven fact – if most sarcasm goes over your head –
you shouldn’t be in the staffing business. Actually not really sure if it’s a “fact” … but from our 20 years in the business, I can tell you that sarcasm helps!

16. Process
Does an interview process
exist?

17. • Consistent / Repeatable Interview Process
• Behavioral Interviews – Attributes-Focused
• Who in your organization is involved?
• What questions are being asked by which people?
• Is there value in having a panel-style interview?
• Understanding the candidate’s DNA/wiring
• Behaviors are more important than skills – skills can be
taught!

18. • Horn / Halo Effect
• It is a cognitive bias that causes you to allow one
trait, either good (halo) or bad (horns), to
overshadow other traits, behaviors, actions, or
beliefs.
• In psychology, horns effects and halo
effects happen all the time. Attractive people are,
on average, thought to be more intelligent even
though this isn’t true.

19. • Horn / Halo Effect

20. • Horn / Halo Effect
Interview Duration (minutes)0 45
Hiring Line
Candidate A
Candidate B

21. Pipeline
According to a recent study by the ERE,
only 38% of all companies consistently recruit
throughout the year.

22. Never Hire in a Panic
• More likely to make the wrong decision when pressured.
• It costs companies 250% of annual compensation per
exited employee.
• Even if all desks are full…never stop meeting potential
new candidates for your organization.

23. Plan for the Future
• Do not look at your talent pipeline only in
the short term.
• Consider what your organization is going to look like 6,
12, and 18 months down the road.
• Do not ignore future graduates…they are the employees
of tomorrow.

24. Get Everyone Involved
• Create an environment where everyone is talking about
who could be a fit for the team.
• Your internal employees need to be telling your “story”
to attract the right people.
• Gen Y, Millennials…whatever they are called…they are
here to stay!
• What matters most to them is culture, a sense of
belonging, and feeling like they make a difference.

25. Summary
People
• Know the attributes that make people successful
• Understand what success looks like
• Create job descriptions that attract and entice
Process
• Have one that is consistent and repeatable
• Behavioral interviews focused on attributes
• Horn / Halo – beware!
Pipeline
• Don’t wait until the desk is empty
• Plan for the future
• Get everyone involved!

27. Strategies for Identifying and
Assessing Talent for the Staffing Industry

28. Q & A

29. Strategies for Identifying and Assessing
Talent for the Staffing Industry
Jay Brunetti
Co-Founder / Managing Partner
HireAlliance
Jay@HireAlliance.com