Sourcing & Screening Services for Bilingual Candidates: National Retail Organization

Client Challenge

Hire Velocity’s client is a leader in wireless technology, maintaining a broad national network of retail stores to promote its products and services.  To capitalize on demographic trends and better serve its Spanish-speaking customers, the client initiated a major project for bilingual recruiting.  The project was to recruit bilingual sales associates in over 25 different markets in the Northeastern United States.

Based on the success the client had realized in partnership with Hire Velocity (see related “Active Sourcing & Screening” case study), the firm extended its custom recruiting solution to include employee screening services to target a specific skill shortage.  The client sought to hire at least one bilingual sales professional in each major Northeast market, but planned to bring on board as many as possible during this engagement.

Hire Velocity Solution

To meet the client’s goals of reducing sourcing costs, testing costs and time-to-fill, Hire Velocity implemented a multi-channel candidate sourcing strategy.  As a starting point, consistent branding was established to promote the company’s career opportunities and market differentiation.  A custom online tracking mechanism directly tracked the number of demand-driven applicants.

Hire Velocity then developed a standardized employee background screening process to deliver qualified, interested and available bilingual candidates to the client.  The recruitment process included a developmental employee prescreen and assessment via a carefully-constructed telephone screening interview.

Going above and beyond client requirements, Hire Velocity developed a multilingual communication employee screening methodology.  Used consistently for every applicant, Hire Velocity evaluated candidate’s ability and comfort with the bilingual job requirement.

Results

Hire Velocity combined high-tech and high-touch methods to improve the client’s sourcing and employee screening processes.  Along the way, candidate communications benefited from additional consistency and professionalism, enhancing the client’s reputation as an employer of choice for bilingual professionals.

Over the course of the project, Hire Velocity developed partnerships with 10 local recruiters serving more than 25 markets.  Over 25,000 bilingual candidates were sourced, with over 1,500 direct applications as a result of Hire Velocity’s efforts.

To date, more than 60% of the client’s bilingual sales hires have been generated through Hire Velocity's employee screening services.  The total cost per applicant fell dramatically, and the client reported an overall increase in the quality of applicants. Additionally, centralizing the testing process through Hire Velocity resulted in a 45% reduction of related expenses.

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