Recruiting for diversity goes well beyond the emerging or entry level workforce. Most companies have used colleges, universities and other training institutions for internships or new graduates for entry level positions. While this is still needed and productive, it does not tap the other available workforce: diversity in mid-management. Keeping the pipeline flowing can not be achieved if it’s skewed to the inexperienced end of the pipe. Knowledge and experience is being depleted through the aging and retirement of the baby boomers. These areas are even more critical if you are to stay competitive.

I encourage everyone to read The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book by Dr. Ira S. Wolfe (Creative Communications Publications, 2004). He outlines and categorizes the facts as to why the worker shortage will not go away. Again, as I’ve always maintained: it’s not only the quantity of the available workforce, but also the quality. The material in The Perfect Labor Storm may scare you. The information in this article should help prepare you.

Let’s go back to the issue of educational institutions. Companies think of college recruitment and attending job fairs to attract students and new graduates. The next step is to not only develop relationships with people (Career Services, department heads or professors) in these departments but also the Alumni Associations of these institutions.

• Where did your current employees graduate from?
  
• How well were they prepared for the world of work?
  
• Are they members of their alma mater’s alumni association and if so, how active are they?
  
• Do they receive regular publications from that school and how do they use that information?
  
• Is there a particular school that has a better track record than the rest?

Most people think of money when it comes to clout with these institutions via the Alumni Association or the Office of Giving. It may help (it sure won’t hurt), but effective use of creativity and well developed relationships with people within these associations will go further. You will be able to find those individuals who are past graduates, faculty, and department heads whose information is being continually updated. You will also be able to find people that you have lost track of and could now use to help you succeed better now that they have had 10-20 years of experience to hone their skills.

If certain techniques are used, you will be able to avoid a candidate mining or corporate raider reputation. Again, using the information and contacts within the Alumni resources will help you to weather the perfect labor storm since it’s all about successful relationship building. This must be a company wide effort, not a one person or one department responsibility. Everyone must lend their talents to develop a system and implement the process. It may help to have one person function as the team leader to achieve consistency.