For the Ringmasters series, we look behind the curtain at how our teams use the RingCentral platform day-to-day. They offer up advice on how to get the most out of the platform and give their honest opinion on the features they would like to see next. The first episode taps into our talent acquisition team.
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There are many layers to talent acquisition. It isn’t all about locating the best talent, it’s about nurturing skills to help individuals be the best employee they can be. The role of the talent acquisition team is fundamental in building an inclusive company culture.
When a corporate crisis happens, talent acquisition is often one of the first areas to suffer. It’s a tough part of the business world. Before the pandemic, global talent shortages were at record highs according to ManPower Group, with 54% of companies claiming they could not find enough skilled applicants to meet demand. Research from Nelson Hall and IBM showed that 95% of surveyed talent acquisition leaders have a reduced internal recruiting capability. With a smaller recruiting force, organisations have had to redesign their talent acquisition processes.
With all this in mind, it almost goes without saying that it’s been a turbulent time for this sector. But the talent acquisition team at RingCentral powered through 2020/21. Since January 2018, RingCentral EMEA has gone from a team of 53 to near 400.
The people behind the scenes (Mags, Nima, Sonni, Paul, Martin, Amy, Chrystelle and the support team in Manila) have all played a vital part in this growth. But how did they do it? Mags Deogun, talent acquisition manager, EMEA tells us how his team continued sourcing the best talent during a time of great transition.
Culture first
Applying for jobs can be a long-winded experience. Unless you’re headhunted, it usually starts with an online application followed by waiting. Even if you’re a prime candidate, the whole process often feels a bit unknown.
“But at RingCentral we are clear with our communications, especially when it comes to candidates. This has been even more important during a time where we simply couldn’t see people in person. While our hiring process helps us get the talent we need, it’s also a chance to show a little about our culture and how we work together. Our team in EMEA uses the platform to make the experience clear and open.”
“Using technology makes our lives much easier. Rather than being a voice at the end of the phone, we can interact more deeply.”
- Mags Deogun, talent acquisition manager, EMEA
“When candidates apply, we’ll often start by asking them if they’re happy using the RingCentral platform for updates. Getting set up with the RingCentral app isn’t complicated at all. Candidates just open our web app in Chrome or Safari to connect with us and start discussing the next steps.”
Out of the 125,000 applicants we have every year, 97% adopt the RingCentral platform to keep in touch.
Follow-up interviews are booked directly via the RingCentral platform, and an invite is automatically sent to the candidate’s email. If the hiring manager wants to take a candidate through to the next stage, they’re notified through the app too.
“For example, when we ask our candidates to do their ‘Stand and Deliver’ presentations, it’s all scheduled through Outlook. The integration with RingCentral Video means everything automatically syncs with a click. We don’t like to keep people in the dark while we review applications and make decisions. So, if they want to check in on the status of their application at any time, they can message us directly.”
An interview experience like no other
Meeting candidates in person has been near impossible during the course of the pandemic. This meant many organisations had to switch to virtual job interviews. While social restrictions are easing now in the UK, this virtual element will likely continue. Findings from LinkedIn tell us that 70% of recruiters believe virtual job interviews will remain the norm.
Quick invitations with the Outlook integration
“After an initial chat over RingCentral phone with our team in Manila, we’ll send candidates who seem like a good fit an invitation to a RingCentral Video meeting. When it’s time to join the interview, all they need to do is click the link in the email invite and switch on their camera and audio. Running interviews on RingCentral Video the past year has been a huge part of the team’s success. It gave us a chance to find out what people are really like, and if they would settle into the team well.”
Recording eliminates second-hand feedback
“A feature that’s also helped during the interview process is the record function on RingCentral Video. For example, if we find out someone else on the hiring team wants to join a panel interview, but can’t make it, then we have the option to record (with the candidate’s permission of course). This means those that couldn’t make the interview can watch afterwards, rather than relying on second-hand feedback.”
Group messaging helps us share and stay organised
“To keep on top of all the candidates, we set groups up in team messaging. The groups help with things like interview scheduling for sure. But we also use the group messages to keep in touch with our Manila team – aka our resource rockets. Within the secure app, we share CVs, LinkedIn profiles, projects tasks, events, and discuss feedback with one another.”
Hiring across borders
The talent acquisition team in EMEA also runs targeted recruitment campaigns for specific markets. When it comes to deploying communications, opening a new office can be both legally and logistically complex. Most countries have their own telecom regulations, with unique requirements around everything from data collection and privacy to hardware and emergency calling access.
“An example of this is the campaign we ran in Germany for the channel. Within a year, we built a whole German channel team remotely – now there are 28 people in the country. So the tools we have access to really help us cut through in greenfield areas. Let’s take a look at the international calling. When we got in touch with German candidates, our numbers appeared as local, German numbers, rather than unrecognisable, foreign numbers. Features like this made it easier for us to break through cultural barriers.”
RingCentral makes the act of going global and working from anywhere significantly easier, providing regionally compliant phone numbers, emergency service support and hardware that meets local power requirements, in 40+ countries.
Building a strong team morale
One of the biggest challenges employers face is creating a connected culture wherever employees are working from. If workers feel more connected to each other, they are more productive. One of RingCentral’s global studies shows that of those workers who stated they were more productive, 71% reported feeling more connected to their colleagues than before the pandemic.
Mags and the wider team are testament to these findings.
“Keeping a team motivated has been tricky across the board for however long now, for businesses of all sizes. But we’ve encouraged each other and created a good bond through technology. Even by doing things like making sure we have fun meetings goes a long way.”
- Mags Deogun, talent acquisition manager
Is there room for improvement?
“While there are so many things about the platform that help us do our jobs, there are ideas we’ve bounced around about how it could be even better. One idea is being able to do some pre-recorded questions. In practice, we would use the app to record four or five killer questions, then share them easily with the candidate. After this, the candidate would then be able to record a response to each of the questions and submit effortlessly.”
A snapshot of life at RingCentral
“By making the interview process straightforward through the app, candidates can get an idea of how we communicate and operate. From the moment they first hear back from us, we want prospective employees to feel the difference. The ongoing effort we put into the hiring experience really does pay off.”
From the get go, the RingCentral platform gives talent acquisition teams all the tools they need to share information easily. Effortless, regular contact keeps candidates engaged and aware of everything that’s happening with their application, and also keeps employees connected to each other wherever they’re working from.
Originally published Jun 25, 2021
