Staffing Services
A major goal for Staffing Services' second year was to streamline the resume management and applicant tracking processes. In January, we upgraded our applicant tracking system (RESTRAC) to a web-based system, WebHire. This system allows us instant access to applications and resumes almost as soon as they are submitted by applicants through the new Staffing Services pages of the HR web site. At their request, we have trained some managers to use the system so that they may have immediate access to applicant information related to their posted positions. Between January 14 (our go-live date) and June 30, we have received more than 22,000 electronic resumes.
Job seekers who apply online must complete a new online application form. The application process also invites a job seeker to voluntarily disclose EEO information. While the specific EEO information is not shared with a hiring manager until after an offer has been made and accepted, we can share information about the diversity of the applicant pool and whether or not further outreach might be appropriate. Previously this information was collected by printing address labels and mailing forms to applicants who were then asked to return them to the Affirmative Action Office; the data, when returned, was entered manually into a tracking system. The return rate was less than 30 percent. Online, we receive information from 40–60 percent of our candidates.
During the past year we have been able to implement many of the recommendations made by the Applicant Tracking Business Process Redesign and Design Review Teams. We are able to customize services for managers who want assistance identifying well-qualified candidates for their jobs, for example. We are able to post or close open positions within hours after receiving appropriate notification. The new Staffing Services pages of the HR web site provide a step-by-step guide to the hiring process and include links to relevant forms and resources.
Julienne Kelly joined the Staffing Services team in the late fall. With HR assistant Martha Kudzma, she implemented the new New Employee Orientation Program in early February. The program materials and all forms as well as the video are available online through the New Employee Orientation link on the Staffing Services web pages. As of June 30, 210 new benefits-eligible employees have attended the new orientation.
When Regina Caines retired in March, Laura Avakian appointed Phil Lima to coordinate and lead a Diversity Management Team. Robert Martinez, a staffing services recruiter, and Wendy Williams, the director of staffing, were asked by Laura Avakian to serve on the team. We look forward to supporting managers in their outreach efforts to ensure they have a diverse applicant pool.
More information about Staffing Services can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu/hr/staffing/.