Stan Rolfe interviews Mas Bianchi On How To Make Your Talent Acquisition Function Shine

Stan Rolfe (@StanRolfe) Senior Advisor People & Culture for REL, caught up with Mas Bianchi (@mas_bianchi) Group Manager – Marketing, Communications and Sourcing at Monadelphous to get her thoughts on what she’s currently doing to get the most from her Talent Acquisition function, and how now is the time for your function to shine.

Lessons from Mas Bianchi:

• By incorporating comms and marketing into sourcing, Monadelphous has created a holistic, consistent, accurate reflection of their brand.
• Mas believes a well developed talent pipeline is the most efficient, low cost and engaging way to reduce costs and create more efficacy from support services
• Over the past 12 months Monadelphous has minimised time to fill and cost of hire by developing talent pipelines for business critical roles.
• It is not always essential to have the latest and greatest tech, try and be creative with the systems and tools you currently have to gain as much efficiency as possible, before looking at technology that can help you in years ahead
• Monadelphous has created more efficiency in the screening and assessments of Graduates through the use of Sonru Online Video Interviewing
• The key to getting a business case for an investment in tech and system improvement approved by executives is to present them clear data. Communicate through the language of Finance.
• For a long successful and happy career in talent acquisition, don’t lose sight of the pleasure and satisfaction you gain from helping someone with their career.

Read the full interview below.
SR: Kevin Wheeler, Futurist and regular speaking at ATCEvents talk about how Talent Acquisition will meld with the likes of Communications and Marketing. Your role title reflects his prediction. In reality, is it working?
MB: Yes it is working. We’ve been able to look at the whole candidate and employee lifecycle and experience. We’ve identified a lot of opportunity to improve this experience through the many touch points candidates and employees encounter with the Monadelphous brand. What we have found is that quality candidates want to know the great stuff about Monadelphous, but they also want a true account of the challenges. Incorporating the Communications and Marketing components into the Sourcing role has allowed us to create a holistic, consistent, accurate reflection of the Monadelphous brand and a person’s experience with it.
SR: In the current Perth economy, where do you believe business is getting the best return on investment when it comes to the talent management function?
MB: Now is the time for Talent Acquisition functions to shine. Employers are looking at reducing costs whilst creating more efficiency from support services. In my opinion, the most efficient, low cost, and engaging way to do this is through a well-developed talent pipeline. Whilst this is a time consuming task to implement and develop business critical talent pipelines, it does not have to be complex. Be creative with the systems and tools you have to gain as much efficiency as possible. Whilst new technologies can help, it is not always essential to have the latest and greatest piece of software.
SR: In terms of innovation within Talent Acquisition, tell us about the Monadelphous journey. Where are you at, what tools are you using or considering and why?                                                            
MB: The last 12 months has seen us focused on Brand. First and foremost we have developed pipelines of business critical roles to minimise time to fill and cost of hire. We’ve recently rolled out a refreshed corporate website which provides for more relevant information and content to prospective employees. We’ve introduced Social Media to provide more engaging content and interaction with people. We are using Sonru Online Video Interviews for our Graduate Applications. This has created greater efficiency in the screening and shortlisting process. We are also looking at creating more efficiency from our existing technology whilst reviewing new technologies which may assist us in the years ahead.
SR: When developing a business case for investment in technology, system improvement etc within Talent Management, where do you believe your peers go wrong? How can they improve their success rate in gaining business approval?
MB: Depending on what’s being asked, these things can be a considerable investment both in time and in cost. We might know all the reasons why we need to do it, but execs want to see the benefits, and analysis. The data. People in Talent Management need to learn how to more effectively communicate to executives through the language of Finance.
SR: As a regular attendee of ATCEvents, what are some of the key takeaways for you? What benefit will people get from attending?
MB: ATCEvents provides new wave thinking, and new solutions. You have the opportunity to hear how other industries are managing the same issues you are experiencing. I come away feeling inspired, am more innovative, and a different perspective on things. It’s also a great opportunity to network.
SR: What parting advice can you provide to those aspiring recruiters in relation to a long, successful career in Talent Acquisition?
MB:Don’t lose sight of what it is you are doing. Our roles impact peoples lives, you play a part in their journey through life. Sometimes this can often be forgotten after many years of recruiting. Try and remember your first years, the pleasure and satisfaction you gained from helping someone with their career.
SR: Mas, on behalf of #ATC Talent Talks and the #ATCEvent team thank you for your time. We hope to see you at #ATC2015. 
*In an earlier version, Talent Box was mentioned as being Monadelphous’ video interviewing tool, when in fact it is Sonru.