Dive Brief:

• Sharlyn Lauby, at HR Bartender, highlighted the need for organizations to improve their processes around internal job postings to give current employees an opportunity to experience career growth. One such company that's a great example of this is AT&T, which utilizes a modern system for encouraging employees to consider internal jobs. 
• AT&T's CEO and chairman, Randall Stephenson, spoke at this year's Great Place to Work Conference and shared how the company posts internal jobs that include badges representing required skills. They also categorize jobs as either 'risk' or 'no risk', to indicate the jobs that candidates can easily jump into and hit the ground running or those that will require a higher degree of training and time to become productive. 
• Lauby points out how important internally sourced candidates can be for the sustainability and growth of every company. Using an intuitive, well-advertised system could help more employees feel supported and willing to make strategic career moves. 

Dive Insight:

It's true that many organizations spend a lot of time and focus on attracting and hiring external candidates — an obvious avenue for recruitment. The problem is that serious staffing shortages around the globe have forced companies to reconsider aspects of the hiring process ranging from pay to employee development.

As with any hiring process, there are pros and cons to hiring internal candidates. A major plus is that internal candidates are already known in the organization and they are loyal to the culture and objectives. Most are familiar with company policies and processes, and they are eager to prove they are ready for something more, often with minimal training or mentoring. It also gives an employer an opportunity to develop their employees and demonstrate they value the careers of those that work for them.

Naturally, internal sourcing may not be the perfect solution for employers looking to diversify their workforce — though it could be a great way to focus on leadership development for those that may often be left out of the loop, like women and people of color.