#SHRM14: If The Dude Were an HR Professional…

Well first of all, he’d be employed, which is very un-dude like. If The Dude were to harness his passion for bowling (and lay off the white Russians), he could potentially be a very compassionate and innovative leader in HR…maybe.

This Aggression Will Not Stand

If The Dude could offer his candidates anything, it would be a great experience. He’s not big on stats, because let’s face it, everyone has an agenda, but a Qualigence infographic revealed that 52% of candidates complained that they didn’t feel like they were being treated as individuals in the hiring process. Unless you’re a nihilist, that’s a statistic that should mean something to recruiters.

With all we know now about how the candidate experience can affect the overall brand, and transversely the success of the organization, this is an area in which all recruiters could focus on improving.

Donny, You’re Out of Your Element

He’d know his strengths and he’d know his weaknesses. A bowler he is, a social media or marketing expert he ain’t. With changing trends, best practices and technologies, recruiters need to realize when their out of their element and seek help. That help can come from teaming up with the marketing department, hiring a social media expert, or getting the recruiting technology that works for their unique needs. One of The Dudes favorite ERE contributors, Jaque Vilet said:

“By placing Recruiting under Marketing, it would strengthen its ability to become truly strategic. There is also an opportunity for synergy between the two in a way that would not occur if Recruiting continued to report to HR.”

Smokey My Friend, You’re Entering a World of Pain

After Smokey tried to mark it an eight, he also announced that he didn’t have a mobile recruiting strategy. Huge mistake. As Josh Bersin said, “Mobile is the platform, not a platform”. He also said, “…HR buyers want software their employees will use. Mobile is becoming a critical buying criteria, so vendors with weak mobile strategies are going to fall behind.” It’s best to just mark it an eight and get a mobile strategy before Sobchack has a pull a gun during league play.

The Rug Really Tied the Room Together

The Dude knows when a rug ties the room together and he knows when a candidate can do the same for a team. We’re talking about cultural fit here. The Dude always seems to be a bit low on fundage, so he knows that the cost of a bad hire can really make an impact on the organization. 43% of companies end up making a bad hire because they needed to fill the job quickly.

You can’t really rush The Dude, it just doesn’t happen. He knows that taking the time to find the right fit, will almost always result in a better investment, long term, even when you factor in the costs associated with an empty desk.

I know it’s a bit of a stretch –HR and The Big Lebowski, but somebody had to do it! Besides that, who knows what he would have been capable if his briefcase hadn’t been stolen. In closing, I hope I see you all at SHRM National 2014. I know I’ll be there with a beverage man. If you see me, come say hi and we’ll share a white Russian.

– The Dude Abides

Going to SHRM National in Orlando?

Help a great cause by attending the Big Lebowski “Bowl for a Cause” fundraiser Sunday Night.

Not going to be there? Contribute here!

photo credit: vidmon via photopin cc

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.