Febuary 2, 2016
Remedying the Issue of Employee Retention Through Better Hiring Practices
Employers want to staff their team with the best people possible. Unfortunately, the task is easier said than done: too often, employers suffer the costs of high turn-over rates and bad hiring decisions. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average cost of a bad hiring decision translates to about 30% of a business's potential first-year earnings.
- Know what you're looking for
When it comes to talent acquisition, you strive to hire the best candidate for the role. Before you begin looking for that talent, you must know exactly what skills are needed to fill that position. Does the role require years of experience in the field? Do you want someone who is proficient in certain types of computer software? Each role is different and calls for different talents and strengths.
If you know exactly what you are seeking, combing through resumes becomes much easier. You can immediately set aside the applicants who do not have the prerequisites for the job. To better visualize the type of person you want to join your team, you can create an outline of the ideal hire to find the best fit for the role. - Think Outside of the Resume
Although tangible skills are important, you need to consider the skills that a person has outside of what's printed on their resume. Talent acquisition includes all of a person's talents, not just their functional abilities. Some things to consider: do they work well with others in a collaborative environment? Are they amiable, friendly, and able to speak eloquently to clients? Do they have leadership skills that could help the company grow in the future? As you delve deeper into an applicant's qualifications, you must look for personality traits and work styles that will benefit your company and help you find people to optimize the roles you are filling. - Use Consulting Firms
As a business owner or manager, you ultimately have the final say when it comes to onboarding new hires. However, you should utilize the resources available to help you make the best hiring decisions. A human resources consultant can help you refine your hiring strategies to help you gain the most qualified candidate for the position.
For more specialized roles, executive HR search firms comb the top talents in today's competitive job market to recruit the most sought-after employees. Many human resources consultants can help with more than just hiring practices; they can assist with your entire HR infrastructure.
If your company has suffered from bad hiring decisions in the past, consider utilizing human resources consulting firms for all of your on-boarding needs.
Current Executive Searches
HR Executive Searches
The role
- Chief Human Resources Officer
The company
- Leading provider of online real estate and property management services
The locations
- Santa Clara, California (HQ), North America, EMEA
Top challenges
- Integration into a multinational parent company while keeping their individual identity and culture
Exciting note
- $200M in revenue with headcount growth of 250% by end of year
The role
- Chief People Officer
The company
- One of the key players in the online job search marketplace
The locations
- San Francisco, California (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Strategize and execute on aggressive growth plans as the company completes its next round of funding
Exciting note
- Build your own HR team, from Talent Acquisition to Learning & Development to Total Rewards to Business Partners
The role
- Vice President of HR
The company
- Nonprofit research institute tasked with driving global economic development and innovation
The locations
- Menlo Park, California (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- This role is tasked with creating the first shake-up to internal people policies in almost two decades!
Exciting note
- The opportunity to work with the foremost minds in biomedical sciences, chemistry and materials, computing, sensing and devices, Earth and space systems, economic development, education and learning, energy and environmental technology, and security and national defense
The role
- Vice President of HR
The company
- Private university specializing in art and design
The locations
- Savannah, Georgia (main campus), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Bring technology and innovation to the non-profit, education sphere
Exciting note
- Support a group of dedicated professors as they inspire creative young minds
The role
- Vice President of HR
The company
- Billion-dollar, 10,000 employee, global technology conglomerate
The locations
- Sunnyvale, CA (HQ), North America, South America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Define and build your own HR team to help you support the quickest-pivoting business unit within this organization
Exciting note
- With a newly released 'Buy' rating, this tech conglomerate is poised to revisit the high of its hey-day in short order
The role
- Head of HR
The company
- Family-owned, dynamic fin-tech and investment firm
The locations
- Chicago, Illinois (HQ), Seattle, Washington, North America
Top challenges
- Build a scalable HR infrastructure, create and deliver competitive recruiting and rewards strategies
Exciting note
- Tackle the challenge of building HR in a culture that straddles two very diverse worlds of engineering and Wall Street
The role
- Head of Talent Management
The company
- Billion-dollar global semiconductor company
The locations
- East Bay (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Define a newly-created function combining talent acquisition and retention during a critical pivot point in the business
Exciting note
- Leave a solid footprint on the global HR organization for years to come
The role
- Vice President of Talent Acquisition
The company
- Big data, analytics and SaaS company
The locations
- Redwood City, California (HQ), North America, South America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Rethink employer branding as the worldwide headquarters shifts to Silicon Valley
Exciting note
- The relocation of HQ will give you the opportunity to revamp the global TA function from the ground up
The role
- Head of Global Talent Acquisition
The company
- One of the fastest growing, most respected global SaaS companies
The locations
- San Francisco, California (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Partnering with the executive team to lead rapid growth trajectory and create a global best-in-class talent program
Exciting note
- Define the talent globally for recent expansion to 11 offices around the world
The role
- Senior Director of Global Talent Acquisition
The company
- Biotech company changing the world through cutting edge genomic-based research and development
The locations
- Redwood City, California (HQ), North America, EMEA
Top challenges
- Coaching and mentoring a young team of high-performing individuals while establishing and expanding a global TA function
Exciting note
- Partnering with a visionary, dynamic leadership team to radically improve the health and lives of people across the globe
The role
- Director of Talent Acquisition
The company
- Biotechnology and biomedical sciences company focused on diagnostics
The locations
- San Diego, California (HQ), North America, South America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Solve the war for talent for the fastest-growing business unit in this biotech
Exciting note
- This role will have the opportunity to strategize with corporate on impending global growth plans in Latin and South America and the APAC region!
The role
- Vice President of Total Rewards
The company
- Big data, analytics and SaaS company
The locations
- Redwood City, California (HQ), North America, South America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Develop and implement a comprehensive global total rewards strategy
Exciting note
- This role will be pivotal to the integration efforts of several recent acquisitions
The role
- Senior Director of Total Rewards
The company
- Billion-dollar global electronics and media conglomerate
The locations
- San Mateo (HQ), California, North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Lead total rewards strategy design and implementation for one of the most well-known brands
Exciting note
- This brand is one of the most revolutionary in the electronics space
The role
- Senior HR Business Partner
The company
- One of the first and most-respected technology and research companies in Silicon Valley
The locations
- East Bay (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Lead performance management, focal review, and organizational assessment initiatives for a business line that encompasses almost half of the global workforce
Exciting note
- A newly announced shift in the business will give you serious exposure to change management
The role
- Director, HR Business Partner
The company
- Global biomedical engineering firm with huge R&D arm
The locations
- San Diego, California (HQ), North America, South America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Support a third of the company in the fastest-growing business unit
Exciting note
- This firm focuses on women's health and continues to drive innovation in the space
The role
- Director, HR Business Partner
The company
- Billion-dollar global engineering and financial services company
The locations
- San Mateo (HQ), California, North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Support the media business unit of a household name
Exciting note
- The stock price has more than doubled in the past five years alone!
The role
- Head of Diversity & Inclusion
The company
- Billion dollar, profitable global media company
The locations
- Sunnyvale, California (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Build on a success global diversity program, strategizing on future growth
Exciting note
- Though it often flies under the radar compared to the brand names, this company ranks as one of the most diverse and inclusive globally
The role
- Diversity Lead, Operations Strategist
The company
- Multi-billion dollar global social media company
The locations
- Menlo Park, California (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Strategize on global diversity programs with a focus on talent acquisition
Exciting note
- Be part of the team that truly redefines diversity for the tech and global business community as a whole
The role
- Diversity Lead, People Engagement Operations
The company
- The largest social media company in the world
The locations
- Menlo Park, California (HQ), North America, APAC, EMEA
Top challenges
- Strategize on global diversity programs with a focus on retention and professional development
Exciting note
- Be part of the team that truly redefines diversity for the tech and global business community as a whole
HR Consultant & Contractor's Corner
Our hottest global HR contracting and consulting assignments include:
- Providing Venture Capital and Private Equity Talent Partners with HR executive search, HR advisory, and compensation consulting expertise for their portfolio companies
- Executive leadership mentoring and on-call support for CEO’s, CFO’s and HR managers at start-up companies in tech hubs that include San Francisco, San Mateo, Mountain View (Silicon Valley), Seattle, Chicago, New York, Salt Lake City, Boise, Washington DC, London, Berlin and Singapore
- HR assessment for multiple startups ready to shore up their infrastructure before taking their businesses through a high growth stage or IPO
- Coaching executive teams through strategic planning for their leadership development function including succession planning and creating career development paths and retention plans for high potentials
- Interim Head of HR assignments with pre-IPO companies in software analytics, digital advertising, big data, biotech, and cloud-based service companies
- HR advising for several European and Asian headquartered companies interested in relocating their global headquarters or building regional headquarters in San Francisco/Silicon Valley
- Comprehensive review of compensation programs for post-IPO tech companies, including benchmarking and redesigning of short and long-term incentive plans
- Customized, high-touch outplacement projects for pre-IPO and mid-sized companies in the midst of restructuring or integrating acquisitions
HR Events
GOHuman Capital Institute 2015 Talent Acquisition Innovation Forum
November 4-5, 2015 – Los Angeles, CA
GO11th Annual Organization Design and Diagnostics Conference
December 10-11, 2015 - New York, NY
Spotlight on...
VF&Co 20th Anniversary Party
The countdown is on to VF&Co's 20th Anniversary party, featuring celebrity bartenders, specialty cocktails and hors d'oeuvres! If you haven’t received your Paperless Post invite yet, check your spam folder or submit your RSVP directly to Ben Taylor (ben@vfandco.com).
The flurry of hiring continues
If you anticipate a need for a Head of HR, TA, People Ops, L&D, Total Rewards or HR Business Partner, email Tristan Petak (tristan@vfandco.com) to schedule your executive search consultation before the holidays!
D&I is the new hot topic
Diversity. Inclusion. Belonging. Whatever you call it, it’s the new name of the game in winning the war for talent and building a truly integrated global team. We’re building out D&I teams for several name-brand high-tech and biotech companies in the Bay Area. Ask us how you can start!
About VF&Co
Valerie Frederickson & Company (VF&Co) is a human resource executive search, HR consulting and corporate outplacement firm known for helping clients build and sustain winning teams in today´s rapidly changing marketplace. Since 1995, VF&Co specializes in creating customized solutions to meet an organization´s human resource needs at every stage and size from start–up to Global 500.
Outplacement Practice
Re–evaluating your outplacement vendors? Require a higher utilization rate for your outplacement dollar? Need higher touch services and consistency across all markets? Since 1995, VF&Co is the outplacement firm of choice for sophisticated corporate buyers. Join the numerous Fortune 500 employers and small firms who have selected us over their previous vendor and are now enjoying the best of both worlds: each employee well taken care of, and consistency in every city.
Price shopping or need to customize a program? Contact our Corporate Outplacement Team at 650-614-0220 or email them at outplacement@vfandco.com for more information on our outplacement services.
HR Consulting Practice
With the dramatic increase of global technology outsourcing and the continued geographic dispersion of corporate teams, the need for international human resources strategy, design, and project implementation has increased. Our global team of HR consultants has the specialized skills and breadth of expertise to develop and lead your initiatives—saving you time, money, and resources. We can manage the international recruiting function, help you hire key local managers or an entire startup team in an overseas market, and establish HR systems for global expansion.
Why clients choose VF&Co:
- Results-driven, value-oriented. To keep your HR programs in line with your corporate direction, we provide HR strategy, cost-effective HR infrastructure, and pragmatic HR advice across all critical areas of human resource management.
- Any size, any stage. We draw upon years of experience with startups, midsize firms and large global enterprises to guide our clients strategically through any stage of growth.
- Work smarter, not harder. In survey after survey, CEO's say the number-one issue keeping them up at night is "people problems." We help you solve them so that you can get back to focusing on your business.
Contact our HR Consulting Team at 650.614.0220 or email them at consulting@vfandco.com for more information on our HR consulting services
HR Executive Search Practice
Why clients choose VF&Co as their human resources-specialized executive search firm:
- Prompt results. The average time from start of search to presentation of the winning HR candidate is 21 days. 50% of HR searches are completed in less than 45 days.
- Superior results. More than 95% of HR executives placed by VF&Co are still with their companies five years following placement.
- High client satisfaction. More than 90% of the firm's work is either repeat business or from referrals. A number of clients have been with VF&Co for more than a decade.
You get:
- Access to the best global human resources executive talent available through extensive networks built upon long–term relationships with U.S. and global executives
- Customized HR executive search solutions that fit your goals, budget and timeline
- Interim HR management during the search process, followed by an assimilation period to ensure a smooth transition
Interim HR management during the search process, followed by an assimilation period to ensure a smooth transition Contact our human resources executive search team at 650.614.0220 or email us at executivesearch@vfandco.com to learn how your organization can reap the benefits VF&Co can deliver: Improved performance and greater success through your most valuable asset—your people.
Diversity Statement
VF&Co welcomes and encourages all diversity candidates to contact us directly. We highly value the diversity of our VF&Co team, placement of diverse executives into our client companies and our diverse clients, candidates, and supplier partnerships. We want to help swing the pendulum the other way.
About Our Newsletter
The VF&Co newsletter, "VF&Co In the Know," and VF&Co Executive Search Update are the intellectual property of Valerie Frederickson & Company. They are a free resource to business professionals. To subscribe to this newsletter, email newsletter@vfandco.com.