The Ultimate Guide to Successfully Recruiting Dynamics ERP & CRM Talent (Part III: Adaptation and Re-Targeting)

This is installment #3 in a series of weekly blog posts that will come to outline, in detail, the process by which one successfully recruits top Microsoft Dynamics ERP & CRM talent. Please come back often, and let us know if you have any questions at all.

Step Three – Adaptation and Re-Targeting

Adaptation Strategy:

Hiring an ERP/CRM professional is a dynamic process. Because today’s marketplace demand beats supply, the successful hirer learns to adapt. In a perfect world, the Senior Functional Consultant with the right module experience who lives five miles from the office would respond to a job description, “When can I start?!” In the
reality of today’s market, the perfect candidate may not be in the ideal geography and may not possess 100% of the experience sought.

The reality of how time and money relate to one another in the hiring process makes adaptation a necessity. It’s not uncommon for a hiring manager to attempt to avoid a bad hire (and its related costs) by holding out for the “perfect” candidate for weeks or even months. An often overlooked side effect of this tactic is the cost of
business lost from a lack of adequate resources. Bringing on a new employee who may need time to adjust or catch up could end up saving time, money, and relationships with your clients in the long run.

An adaptation strategy involves frequent evaluation of the requirements for a qualified candidate. A job description could easily be re-targeted three or more times during the recruitment life-cycle.

Evaluation Tools for Re-Targeting:

Now, say you’ve drafted a beautiful and compelling job description. You’ve reviewed it, rewritten it and posted/tweeted/disseminated your job to every job board or forum available to you. What if after 7-14 days, you’re still not receiving quality responses? Now it’s time to consider the following in order to re-target your search.

A little flexibility and creativity can go a long way to unlock new possibilities for a seemingly impossible search, leading you to a great find for your company.

Re-Targeting Checklist:

1. Are any of the required skills listed in your job description ones that could be acquired within the first 60-days of being on the job? (i.e. certification, proficiency in a given module, or with a specific industry)
2. Does this position ABSOLUTELY require the candidate to relocate to your home office? Is there a part-time solution? How much “face time” do you truly need for the role to be effective?
3. Is the compensation level being offered for this role in line with current market rates?
4. Is it possible for you to consider transferring or sponsoring an H1b visa? Can you consider candidates on a TN (NAFTA) visa?
5. Would you consider a contract-to-hire options to allow a trial period for both the candidate and your company?
6. Could you hire on a contract basis? Is it more urgent to meet the immediate workload of find a long-term team member?