Meeting Transportation Industry Hiring Demands with an Agile and Scalable Recruiting Solution
Situation: inefficient and costly recruiting efforts
Our client, a railcar pooling company, did not have an internal recruitment function and the recruiting responsibility fell on the two-person HR team who relied heavily on agencies to fill salaried corporate roles. As a result, they were paying top-tier fees for their hires, yet not accessing the best talent. They wanted to find a partner to manage the recruiting function in a more efficient and cost-effective way and free up their HR team to focus on strategic priorities.
Solution: a customized and scalable recruiting partnership
The RPO engagement formally kicked off with the implementation of an end-to-end salaried hiring process to alleviate the use of agencies and give control of the recruiting program back to the client. This included creating a candidate-focused process centered around efficiency and quality. We established strong partnerships with the hiring managers and brought a consultative, data-informed approach to make decisions.
Implementation was still underway when we filled the first two positions (which had been open for a long time) just two and a half weeks after the engagement started. Because of the immediate value we provided, the client expanded the RPO engagement three months later to include hiring for their non-exempt roles, and we developed and implemented a separate skilled trades process to reflect the nuances and needs of those roles vs. the salaried roles.
Since 2017, we have successfully supported the client’s hiring needs as the pendulum swung from hundreds of hires before and after COVID to double-digit hires during the pandemic. Most recently, the client relocated their headquarters, creating 150 new jobs which we filled for them.
Beyond providing stellar day-to-day recruiting support for both exempt and non-exempt roles, we provide strategic consultation and continuous improvement efforts that begin at the hiring manager level and extend to executive leadership.
Results: reCRUITMENT EFFICIENCY and improved talent quality
By providing a customized, efficient recruitment solution, Advanced RPO reduced costs and enabled the company’s HR team to focus on strategic priorities, ultimately attracting higher-quality talent for both corporate and field positions. Roles are filled efficiently, hiring managers are happy, and candidates have a positive experience.
35 days
Time to Fill: target is 60 days and we have consistently decreased it over the duration of our partnership. At the end of 2023 the average Time to Fill was 35 days.
3:1
Interview to Offer Ratio: target is 3:1 and we have consistently met that target.
4.8/5
Hiring manager satisfaction survey minimum average is 4.0 out of 5.0 and we’ve consistently scored above the target. At the end of 2023 the score was 4.8 out of 5.0.
4.4/5
Candidate satisfaction survey minimum average is 4.0 out of 5.0 and we’ve consistently scored above the target. At the end of 2023 the score was 4.4 out of 5.0.
“Advanced RPO continues to impress us with their responsiveness and overall service. Whether it’s a big need or small request, they are exceptionally timely in responding. They are a partner and an extension of our staff. I can always count on their expertise.”
— Assistant VP of HR