Five Companies Doing Something Right

by Dr. John Sullivan

I am often known as a critic. But today, I focus my attention in a way you may not be used to by recognizing five companies currently doing something right.

The following companies have developed innovative practices to help build an effective recruiting culture within their organizations. Although the strategies are different, they are all designed to ensure these employers provide great places to work, ultimately resulting in others learning about them. Some of these firms may be too shy to tell their stories, but they all have a story worth telling.

Agilent: Bringing Programs to Life

How can a company move from a ranking of 46 to 31 on Fortune's "Best Places to Work" list in one year? Agilent has created a culture where employees feel their organization gives them so much that they are willing to sacrifice when management has to take something away. For two years now, Agilent has dedicated resources toward identifying both formal and informal people-related programs and then having employees tell personal stories about how those programs helped them.

Intel: Running HR as a Business

When most people think of HR, they think of administrative types, not hard-core business visionaries. Intel turns this stereotype on its head. Not only is Intel on the leading edge of chip design and technology marketing, it also kicks butt in HR. Whether you focus on Intel's HR Research and Development Group or its advanced redeployment model, it's clear that these folks get it. Instead of just looking for people who would typically fill an HR role, Intel also seeks the best and brightest up-and-comers from within the other functions of the organization, like finance and marketing. Managers then pick out those who have the right business savvy and skills for key roles throughout HR.

Synopsis: Getting Whom You Want

Recruiters often spend hours tearing through research to generate a call list of candidates who may or may not be appropriate for their organization, but this tech success seems to know well in advance. Synopsis knows who the must-haves, would-like-to-haves and definitely-don't-want-to-haves are. By developing a database and recording bits and pieces of news that relate to Synopsis's industry by name, Synopsis has built a recruiting database that minimizes the need for prescreening, thereby enabling true one-day hiring.

Google: Recognizing Top Performers

We all like to feel as though we have made a contribution to the business. But when the pace of life gets really fast, slowing down to recognize those who have played a key role is often tough for management to do. This Silicon Valley search leader understands that you get to the top by finding and retaining top talent. Google has built an impressive brain trust (core group of innovative top performers) of PhDs, accounting for approximately 24 percent of its headcount. The company also brings employees together weekly so the founders can announce key contributors and their contributions by name and thank them for their impact on the company's success.

nVidia: Getting to the Point

Growing from 500 to 1,200 in one year's time while performing at a rate that lands you on the top of the S&P 500 is no easy task, yet video chip maker nVidia did it. From 1 percent market share in 1997 to 31 percent in 2001, nVidia just keeps growing. To keep up with that growth, nVidia has had to add talent at a dramatic pace, and folks there are not embarrassed to admit it. Take a peek in the company's corporate lobby, and you will see that nVidia gets right to the point in expressing its need for talent. Large posters dominate the new marble entryway, informing anyone and everyone in sight that the company needs people -- and will pay you for helping with the task. Employee referral programs are common. But taking them front and center and allowing vendors, customers and visitors to participate is aggressive and definitely the right move.