It goes without saying that this has been an incredibly tough quarter so far in the business world, particularly in the technology sector that RocketPower is highly engaged in.

We know from talking with our clients that as we head into late November, as they and we look forward, there are two key things ongoing right now in the People and Talent arena:

• Evolving the foundation of how hiring and managing people is done in a rapidly changing environment.

• Looking forward and planning how to achieve headcount, product, and revenue growth goals for 2023 in an effective and profitable manner.

No matter what situation you find yourself in as a Talent or People Leader, or Founder, we want to take this opportunity to share our approach. We call it the RP Way, and we believe it can be of help as you tackle your hiring challenges now -  and into 2023 and beyond.

The RP Way is summed up in this acronym: DPA 

• Data

• Process

• Accountability

Data: Data is core to how we run projects. It gives us a central source of truth that drives out bias and inefficiency in the recruiting function. It helps us to be fully transparent across teams and clients. In the current environment, you have to be good - very good - instead of lucky when it comes to identifying the best talent for any organization. Data is our best ally in this effort. We track data in such a way that we can see both leading AND lagging indicators. Too many recruiting organizations rely only on the middle and bottom of the funnel  - but it’s lagging data. That makes it too late to adjust process in an agile manner. We start at the top of the funnel and especially pre-funnel - to use data as binoculars, not just as a rear-view mirror. Having clear and clean data to back up decisions helps everyone focus on identifying root causes rather than just symptoms when issues arise. This lets us be proactive in course corrections when required - and to take advantage of market shifts and opportunities they may drive. 

Process: We have an expression here at Rocket Power: Recruiting is Math, not Magic. Recruiting is a math problem. Math problems follow a process, whether it’s the simple addition and subtraction children learn in elementary school to the most complex calculations in astrophysics. Does that eliminate creativity and individuality? Absolutely not! Speaking of astrophysics, Albert Einstein himself said: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” We highly value our people. People Power Business is our mantra, and utilizing outstanding processes set those people – the talent team, the business, and the candidates - all up for success. We promote creativity and great ideas from everyone on the team no matter who they are, and we're flexible on how we do things. But a strong process is our template on which we base ideas. In Einstein’s spirit of imagination, how you build your process is up to you. But you must have one to follow to drive success!

Accountability: Accountability can seem like a dirty word, with a negative connotation. It shouldn’t be! Accountability in a healthy team culture is positively correlated with ownership and empowerment. Having clear and transparent definitions of who owns what in the recruiting process makes all of our jobs better. A recent analysis by our Data Team identified a whopping 162 distinct steps in the hiring process. 162! Without accountability, you can have all the data and process you want, and you can still have things go awry very rapidly – to the detriment of the business and, most importantly, a candidate-centric experience. We strive to make it clear at all times who owns what among all the varied stakeholders in the hiring process - and how to communicate information between parties to ensure success. Let's face it, there's nothing worse than finding a great candidate only to lose them to another offer because the critical feedback needed from the hiring manager was delayed for a week. That's the worst - and just one example of why process without accountability fails. 

We strongly believe in DPA at RocketPower because it's been proven over and over again for years. We look forward to sharing much more in the coming weeks and months about how this approach drives our business and brings significant value to our clients - so that you can put it to work in your unique situation. 

As we roll towards the end of 2022, we highly recommend taking some time to evaluate the Data you leverage, the Process you follow, and Accountability you drive in your Talent and People. You’ll find some awesome things to replicate further. You’ll find some spots where you really need to shore things up (goodness knows we did when we started down this approach years ago – and it always takes constant maintenance!). Overall, whether you deep dive or only have time for an overview you’ll be better for the exercise – and if you use DPA as a lens on your business going forward.

Don’t know where to start? Reach out to us, we’re always happy to chat about DPA and how RocketPower can help.