The Aptitude Index: Your Guide to Selecting the Right Talent Acquisition Provider

compass with the arrow pointing towards the word talent

In August 2015, unemployment in the United States fell to 5.1% – the lowest rate in over seven years. Over 173,000 new jobs were added and many Americans who were left jobless a few years ago now have an opportunity to find work. While a strong job market is positive for the U.S. economy, it also creates a sense of fear for any talent acquisition department. With more jobs to fill, recruiters have to attract the best people in a very short amount of time- a challenge for even the best recruiters. According to research conducted by McKinsey & Company, 40% of companies that plan to hire next year said they have had unfilled openings for six months or longer because they cannot find qualified applicants.

Technology can play a major role in helping organizations improve efficiency and manage an increase in hiring needs. But determining what providers to select is not as simple as it used to be. In January 2016, we will publish our first Aptitude Index talent acquisition report that will profile the leading talent acquisition platforms and how they are helping companies improve efficiencies, the candidate experience and the quality of hires.

Looking through the lens of the customer journey, from organizational readiness to ongoing improvement, the aptitude index looks beyond product capabilities and gets after differentiators that you wouldn’t find on a demo or a solution provider’s website.

Below are some of the differentiators we are exploring:

  • Product Capabilities: features and functionality
  • Customer Support: resources dedicated to the customer
  • Services: training, implementation, change management, and post-implementation
  • Research and Development: investment in the product
  • Leadership: leadership of the company, including background and staying power
  • Employee Retention: continuity of client relationships
  • Delivery Models: on-premise or SaaS
  • Financial Viability: growth potential and exit strategy
  • Domain Expertise: heritage and expertise in talent acquisition
  • Partnership Philosophy: approach to integration and partnerships
  • Customer Satisfaction: sentiment and mood

We will be posting updates are we go through this process and collect data and information.

 

Author

  • Madeline Laurano

    Madeline Laurano is the founder and chief analyst of Aptitude Research. For over 18 years, Madeline’s primary focus has been on the HCM market, specializing in talent acquisition and employee experience. Her work helps companies both validate and re-evaluate their strategies and understand the role technology can play in driving business outcomes. She has watched HCM transform from a back-office function to a strategic company initiative with a focus on partnerships, experience and efficiency. Before founding Aptitude Research, Madeline held research roles at Aberdeen, Bersin by Deloitte, ERE Media and Brandon Hall Group. She is the co-author of Best Practices in Leading a Global Workforce and is often quoted in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yahoo News, The New York Times and The Financial Times. She is a frequent presenter at industry conferences including the HR Technology Conference and Exposition, SHRM, IHRIM, HCI’s Strategic Talent Acquisition Conference, Unleash, GDS International’s HCM Summit, and HRO Today. In her spare time, she is a runner, an avid sports fan and juggles a house full of boys (where a spontaneous indoor hockey game is not unheard of!).