Maryland Technology Consultants: New Hiring System

Introduction

MTC’s business purpose is to supply its customers, including small- and mid-size businesses, nonprofits, and governmental organizations, with highly professional experts and consultants in business process consulting, IT consulting, and IT outsourcing consulting. Currently, the firm is anticipating expanding procedures, which will require the fast hiring process of numerous applicants for the upcoming contract. The currently applied manual hiring procedure puts time and effectiveness constraints on the human resource department. In the face of such challenges and tasks, MTC needs to launch a new automated hiring system that would allow for achieving the goals within the company’s business strategy. The current report introduces the analysis of the business environment for the application of the new hiring system and the analysis of the existing hiring processes. Essential requirements for the new system and detailed recommendations are presented.

Strategic Use of Technology

Business Strategy

The currently used manual hiring system obstructs the firm’s ability to build a cadre of consultants internationally and provide customers with highly skilled consultants with expertise in new technologies and innovative solutions. Therefore, the proposed automated hiring system will increase the recruitment capacity and ensure that large volumes of information about numerous applicants are processed simultaneously. When using the new system, MTC will meet its goals of employing the best candidates to win new contracts, build an international team of consultants, and increase its competitive advantage by improving its most valuable asset – the human capital.

Competitive Advantage

Within the sphere of the consulting industry, MTC meets significant competition, including such firms as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and smaller niche companies with loyal customers. However, as demonstrated by MTC’s strategic goals, the company aims at expanding its share in the IT consulting market by 7% each year during the next five years. Evidently, employees constitute the most valuable strategic asset of the company since it performs as the provider of consulting services. The more highly qualified and experienced consultants work in the company, the higher is the level of its competitive advantage over the rivals (Pereira et al., 2017). Therefore, an effective highly-technological hiring system is an immediate valuable tool for building hiring capacity that will ensure the recruitment of the most qualified and appropriate people for the most tentative positions within the entity.

Strategic Objectives

MTC’s strategic goals are aligned with the company’s overall business strategy and provide a step-by-step vision of what the firm plans to pursue in the nearest future. The objectives presented below provide measurable planned actions that will help achieve the goal if assisted with the new hiring system.

Strategic Goal
(from case study)
Objective
(clear, measurable,and time-bound)
Explanation
(2-3 sentences)
Increase MTC Business Development by winning new contracts in the areas of IT Consulting Apply for ten newly available requests for proposals from governmental, private, and nonprofit organizations within the next six months. The proposed new hiring system will provide the human resource department with an opportunity to find and employ the best IT consultants available from the workforce market. Using the system, the hiring team will allocate and train the best candidates in an efficient and productive manner. Therefore, when applying for new contract opportunities, MTC will have a competitive advantage in the form of a strong team of experts.
Build a cadre of consultants internationally to provide remote research and analysis support to MTC’s onsite teams in the U. S. Employ four research analysts from abroad within the next six months to expand the international team of experts. The new hiring system will enhance the effectiveness of the process of application for the position of foreign candidates. Such a feature will expand the pool of potential recruits and improve the mean level of expertise of the team. An online-based system will ensure that applicants have access to the positions and that human resource managers can easily apply hiring strategies to assess candidates and choose the most appropriate ones.
Continue to increase MTC’s ability to quickly provide high-quality consultants to awarded contracts to serve the clients’ needs best. Employ five customer service improvement specialists within the next 12 months The employment of customer service improvement specialists will allow MTC to allocate specific effort to exploring the clients’ experiences when cooperating with MTC and identifying their perceived advantages and disadvantages of the received services. The analysis of customer needs will provide an opportunity to improve the services in the future. The newly introduced hiring system will provide a technological basis for timely recruitment of the most experienced customer service improvement specialists capable of contributing to the company’s ability to offer high-quality consultants to awarded contracts to serve the clients’ needs best.
Increase MTC’s competitive advantage in the IT consulting marketplace by increasing its reputation for having IT consultants who are highly skilled in leading-edge technologies and innovative solutions for its clients Initiate an intensive IT consulting training on innovations and technologies for newly employed applicants within the next three months The hiring system will increase the chances of the hiring team to identify the most necessary skills that need to be improved in the candidates. It will also facilitate the procedure of tracking the applicants’ success throughout the training session to ensure the best results are achieved.

Decision Making

This table shows possible decisions on the strategic, tactical, and operational levels, which define the directions of the company’s development and will be supported by the new hiring system (“How do information systems support decision making,” n. d.).

Role Level as defined in Course Content Reading Example of Possible Decision Supported by Hiring System Example of Information the Hiring System Could Provide to Support Your Example Decision
Senior/Executive Managers
(Decisions made by the CEO and the CFO at MTC supported by the hiring system.)
Strategic The CEO open two new recruiting centers abroad Executive managers of MTC are responsible for making decisions that entail strategic development (Abubakar et al., 2019). The hiring system will provide information about the locations (cities and countries) where Its consultants are most qualified.
Middle Managers
(Decisions made by the Director of HR and the Manager of Recruiting supported by the hiring system.)
Tactical The Director of HR decides to increase the number of employees to meet the staffing demands of new contracts. The system will provide technical tools for human resource managers to employ relevant candidates to meet the requirements of the teams.
Operational Managers
(Decisions made by the line managers in the organization who are hiring for their projects supported by the hiring system.)
Operational A line manager decides to hire niche specialists to meet the needs of a client The hiring system will allow for attracting applicants from the international multi-professional pool of candidates to employ the targeted audience.

Process Analysis

Hiring Process

The following table provides an analysis of the currently executed hiring process in MTC with each step defined, responsible positions identified, improvements the new system will provide for each step, and anticipated business benefits.

MTC Hiring Process
As-Is Process Responsible MTC Position To-Be Process – How the system Will Support and Improve the hiring process Business Benefits of Improved Process (Align with MTC’s overall business strategy and needs.)
  1. Recruiter receives an application from job hunter via Postal Service Mail.
Recruiter The system will receive an application via on-line submission through MTC Employment Website and store it in the applicant database within the hiring system. A more efficient submission process decreases the time needed to receive and begin processing applications. This will present a positive image to potential employees and help MTC compete for top IT talent.
  1. Recruiter screens resumes to identify top candidates by matching with job requirements from job description.
Recruiter System will allow for inserting the position requirements and matching them with the candidate’s major qualification features, such as education, experience, skills, and other elements. It will allow for more efficient initial stages of automated screening to save time. The Recruiter will only need to review the most applicable resumes that remain after the automated screening. An automated screening for role description/candidate qualifications match will be time-efficient and ensure that top candidates are correctly selected.
  1. Recruiter forwards top candidates to Administrative Assistant via interoffice mail
Recruiter System will be accessed by all members of the hiring team with information available on all active processes. Once Recruiter labels top candidates as selected once, appropriate notification will be automatically sent to the Administrative Assistant within the system. Using built-in reporting, the organization will always have up-to-date information on all active processes (Bourgeois, 2014). It simplifies employees’ work and makes it more productive and time-efficient that is beneficial for the business.
  1. Administrative Assistant forwards candidates’ resumes and applications to Hiring Manager for the position via interoffice mail.
Administrative Assistant Instead of using email, the system will provide AA with access to editing the list of candidates before the hiring manager obtains the information. The system will automatically notify Hiring Manager about the selected candidates once AA approves the list. Time-efficiency will be achieved, which will contribute to employee’s productivity and the ability to review more candidates within a relatively short time. Enforcing consistency will allow for building a clear algorithm of actions with maximum automation capabilities utilized (Bourgeois, 2014).
  1. Hiring Manager reviews applications and selects who he/she wants to interview.
Hiring Manager Easy-to-access interface presenting candidates’ resumes and applications will allow for Hiring Manager to see key information about candidates at first sight. The candidates will be listed in order from the best match to the least. It will allow for more convenient and fast review for better decision-making. Best practices will be enforced, and employees empowered with technology that will assist them in informed decision-making. The organization will benefit in terms of productivity; the best candidates will be contacted fast, which will increase the chances of competing over the best experts in the market.
  1. Hiring Manager sends email to Administrative Assistant on who he/she has selected to interview and identifies members of the interview team.
Hiring Manager This step will be eliminated and integrated into the previous step as a finalizing element of applications’ review. Once the Hiring Manager selects candidates, he/she labels them accordingly, and the system will automatically notify Administrative Assistant. Also, Hiring Manager will be able to send respective notifications inside the system to the selected members of the interview team. For an efficient system, it is vital to “capture information once, at the source” to eliminate “delays and errors” (Hammer, 1990, p. 111). The organization will benefit in terms of shortening work hours on inter-team communication, which will facilitate a faster achievement of the goal of increasing business.
  1. AA schedules interviews by contacting interview team members and hiring manager to identify possible time slots
Administrative Assistant A single unified interviewing schedule will be generated and maintained by the system to ensure access to all team members. Contacting will not be necessary because possible time spots will be seen, and interviews will be appointed automatically. This built-in feature will allow for more efficient scheduling of interviews and more time-efficient business process management at the stage of interview planning.
  1. AA emails candidates to schedule interviews.
Administrative Assistant Once the interviews are inserted into the schedule, message templates will be automatically generated for each candidate with the known information inserted. AA will be able to edit the messages easily and forward them to the candidates. Internal and external communication will be processed within the same system, which will ensure consistency in procedural steps. It will demonstrate to potential employees the advantages of the company and attract talented human resources.
  1. Interview is conducted with candidate, hiring manager and other members of the interview team.
Hiring Manager and Interview Team Interview is conducted with candidate, hiring manager and other members of the interview team. (Hiring System is not used for this step.) n/a
  1. Hiring manager informs the AA on his top candidate for hiring
Hiring Manager System will allow Hiring Manager to label top candidates, which will be automatically displayed for AA. The organization will benefit in terms of best practice enforcement and employee empowerment.
  1. AA collects feedback from interviews and status of candidates
Administrative Assistant This step might be eliminated and substituted by AA’s review of the feedbacks and status of candidates, which will be inserted by Hiring Manager and interviewing team upon each interview. Less time will be needed to identify the best candidate. The faster the organization makes a decision as per a candidate, the higher are the chances of hiring the best competitive workforce.
  1. Administrative Assistant prepares offer letter based on information from Recruiter and puts in the mail to the chosen candidate.
Administrative Assistant System enables AA to prepare job offer letter by storing the offer letter template and information on each candidate; allows AA to select information to go into letter and put it into the template, which can then be reviewed and emailed to the candidate. A more efficient offer process presents positive image to applicants and decreases time needed to prepare offer letter, and enables MTC to hire in advance of the competition.

Expected Improvements

In the table below, the new hiring system-informed expected improvements are presented to demonstrate how they will facilitate the performance of MTC hiring team within such areas as collaboration, communication, workflow, and relationships.

Area Current Issues
(from the Case Study)
Improvements
(due to use of technology)
Collaboration: The Hiring Manager states that recruiting is only one area he is responsible for and he isn’t as responsive to HR as he could be. Therefore, he counts on the Recruiters to help manage the process and keep him informed.
Current manual system causes considerable communication breakdowns and takes additional effort and time to stay on top of the hiring process.
An efficient system with all information in one place, easily accessible via a dashboard, and updated in real time could make his recruiting job easier; and he could devote time to effectively working collaboratively and proactively with HR on his staffing needs.
Communications: Explain how a hiring system could improve internal and external communications The Recruiter identifies the inefficiency problem related to information exchange between recruiters, Administrative Assistant, and Hiring Manager. All their actions and decisions need to be aligned. Therefore, manual processing takes much time and needs to be improved. An automated hiring system will allow for delivering automated notifications about the decisions and information about candidates, which will be available to respective employees. Such a system of notifications, labeling of candidates’ resumes, and message templates generation will facilitate internal and external communication.
Workflow: Explain how a hiring system could improve the MTC hiring process by providing a consistent structure for each participant to perform his/her part in the hiring process. The Administrative Assistant reports that the workload associated with the hiring paperwork, applicants’ resumes, and hiring managers’ feedback causes many uncertainties and delays. With an increased hiring volume, these problems are expected to worsen and might block the hiring process. Automated algorithms provided by the new system will allow for eliminated unnecessary manual steps and save AA time for important decision-making. Each constituent in the hiring process will have access to the same unified information, which will minimize time and efforts spent on adjusting employees’ actions to inter-related steps.
Relationships: Explain how implementing an enterprise hiring system could foster stronger relationships with applicants/potential employees. The Manager of Recruiting states that being in competitive environment for IT talent, MTC fails to generate offers as fast as its competitors do. Therefore, it is necessary for the new technology to help recruit efficiently, process applicants quickly, and make a job offer to the top candidate before competitors reach him/her. According to Ajunwa and Greene (2019), standardized hiring processes facilitate overall business outcomes. Improved scheduling system, faster decision-making due to automated notification and feedback processes will allow for contacting applicants faster and building stronger ties with them at the onset of cooperation.

Requirements

Stakeholder Interests

The following table demonstrates the problems and challenges faced by the company stakeholders in relation to their hiring practices.

Role Specific problem related to the current hiring process How a technology solution to support the hiring process could address the problem
1. CEO The inability to solicit customers’ businesses due to insufficient hiring capacity is considered the main challenge. The new hiring system will allow for eliminating manual work and abundant business processes to automate some hiring procedures and increase staff’s efficiency.
2. CFO The currently used manual system of hiring is inefficient and not cost-effective. The proposed new automated system will increase the level of hiring staff’s efficiency by providing them with a functional platform where their tasks are clearly displayed. The automated algorithms of the processes of communication and workflow will allow for saving time and money.
3. CIO The current manual system does not provide the required security level for applicants’ data storage and processing, which might impede the credibility of the company and its competitive advantage. The new system will employ “security initiatives capable of programmatically detecting, analyzing, and remediating cyber-attacks by recognizing potential threats, triaging, and classifying alerts as they occur and then acting on them on a timely basis” (Mohammad & Lakshmisri, 2018, p. 901). With the automated data security system, the security breach problem will be solved (Bourgeois, 2014).
4. Director of Human Resources Under the circumstances of the growing demand and workload, the current system fails to assist the human resources department in meeting the hiring and staffing demands with manual processes. The features of the new system will store and process staffing-related information, including staffing needs and required applicants’ qualifications. It will accelerate the hiring process and ensure that the needs are properly analyzed.
5. Manager of Recruiting Since the recruiting staff is not planned to be increased, the currently employed full-time recruiters cannot complete the increasing workload effectively and efficiently by manual means. The company plans to start new contracts and hire 75 staff members in 2 months. The new system will increase recruiters’ capacity and efficiency by automating standard patterns, reporting, and internal communication. Also, technology will automate application sorting and interview scheduling procedures.
6. Recruiters The manual system of screening the applicants for selecting the best ones to forward to the hiring manager is time-consuming, which is why the whole process is inefficient since all the consecutive steps depend on the work of recruiters. The new technology will automatically create lists of applicants whose qualifications must comply with the requirements for the position. The data on both sides (hiring and applicant’s) will be analyzed to create lists of suggested candidates.
7. Administrative Assistant With an increased volume of work, the paperwork with applicants’ statuses, interview schedules, feedback processing, and offer letters will be too time-consuming. The new system will eliminate paperwork and interoffice mail use by providing a functional platform where an administrative assistant will review the data and insert necessary changes to the system for automated scheduling and offer letter template usage.
8. Hiring Manager (Functional supervisor the new employee would be working for.) With the use of manual means, it is difficult to screen for the most talented candidates in the market properly. The new system will provide a bird-eye view of available candidates, their competencies, and qualifications to make the process of applicants’ screening more effective to increase the competitive advantage of MTC.

Defining Requirements

In the following table, the identified user requirements and system performance requirements are listed in relation to stakeholder position in order to ensure that the new software meets these requirements; security and reporting features of the hiring system are addressed (Jambakr, 2019).

Requirement ID# only Requirement Statement Stakeholder
(Position and Name from Case Study that identified this requirement)
User Requirements – (What the user needs the system to do)
The system must store all information from the candidate’s application/resume in a central applicant database. Recruiter – Peter O’Neil
1. The system must contain applicant minimum qualifications evaluation feature. Manager of Recruiting – Sofia Perez
2. The system must be straightforward, interface with existing systems, containing minimum processes. Director of HR – Joseph Cummings
3. The system must provide instant applicant’s status tracking. Recruiters – Peter O’Neil
4. The system must contain an electronic scheduling of interviews. Hiring Manager
5. The system must automate feedback obtaining, internal reporting on applicants’ statuses between recruiters, hiring managers. Administrative Assistant – Tom Arbuckle
System Performance Requirements – (How the system will perform)
The system must be implemented as a Software as a Service solution. CIO – Raj Patel
6. The new solution must effectively integrate with currently used timekeeping/payroll systems. CFO – Evelyn Liu
7. The system must electronically process multiple tasks simultaneously. Administrative Assistant – Tom Arbuckle
8. The new system must be developed as an electronic dashboard Hiring Manager
9. The new technology must contain clear security measures to control access and protect data. CIO – Raj Patel
10. The system must comply with the current security for mobile links internationally. CIO – Raj Patel

System Recommendation

System Justification

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. provides an applicant tracking software, a solution that functions as a cloud-based software as a service. It integrates a system that allows for fast and cost-efficient top talent attraction, accessible and comprehensive user application, secure and online-stored data, and customization of hiring goals with corporate goals (UMGC Hiring Solutions, 2019). The automated hiring process’s solution complies with the strategic goals of MTC, the company’s objectives concerning the improvement of the hiring process, and meets user requirements as informed by interviews and business process analysis. Within the business strategy aimed at increasing the number of contracts with new clients and expanding internationally, the currently used manual hiring system is overloaded by paperwork and fails to suffice to the requirements of rising hires. The new system will allow for finding, interviewing, and employing the best talents available in the market. The automated algorithms and processes will increase the staff’s efficiency and allow for obtaining a competitive advantage in the sector. Also, the technology will allow for incorporating data globally, which will help to pursue the creation of an international team of consultants.

The new applicant tracking software improves the business processes by providing maximum automation, enhanced communication, and collaboration assistance for the hiring team. The software’s configurability allows for adjusting dashboards toward the company goals to eliminate redundant information and help managers and recruiters make hiring decisions more efficiently. Reports customization helps track performance, identify new fitting candidates promptly, and recruit the best talent faster than competitors (UMGC Hiring Solutions, 2019). Finally, the workflow will be improved due to the software’s features of providing timely updates on job openings and formal offers.

The specific requirements of the hiring team will also be met with the implementation of the new software solution. Firstly, the system functions as a software as a service solution and is presented as an electronic dashboard. Secondly, it meets the security-related requirements by storing data in cloud-based storage and online databases. Thirdly, it stores all applicant-related data, tracks candidates, and provides the evaluation of candidate’s qualifications as per the required positions. Fourthly, the system contains minimum manual processes with maximum automation related to applicant tracking, feedback, reporting, and interview scheduling. Finally, the software is optimized to comply with MTC’s current security guidelines and timekeeping/payroll systems.

Implementation Areas

Implementing a new software solution is a two-fold process that involves both a vendor and a recipient company engage in cooperation to ensure the effectiveness of new system integration. Since MTC is interested in fast and seamless transfer to the new system as soon as possible to provide the enhancing of competitive advantage and winning new contracts, it should take several steps. The organization should “that the business strategy is supported by feasible and appropriate technology architecture,” which facilitates the business process, complements the company resource capacity, and meets requirements (Oyekola & Xu, 2020, p. 2). While the vendor is obligated to comply with the company’s demands, MTC should ensure that it enters the agreement prepared.

Vendor Agreement

UMGC Hiring Solutions requires MTC to select the service within its budget, sign the agreement, and make the payment. The minimum cost of access to and configuration of the software includes a one-time system setup fee of $1,000, a one-time configuration fee of $2,500, web-based training of $295, which constitutes $3,795 in total (UMGC Hiring Solutions, 2019). The monthly fee to allow 60 system users falls under 25-100 users and costs $100 per month. However, the vendor provides MTC with the option of a free 30-day trial before prolonging the implementation.

Hardware and telecommunications

To access the system, MTC employees can use any devices, including personal computers, laptops, and mobile devices. Since it is a software as a service solution, cloud-based telecommunications are used. According to Bourgeois (2014), such systems’ advantages include lack of necessity to install software, availability from outside the company networks, and quick and efficient processing of information. Therefore, the employees will have access to the system instantly and guarantee proper functioning regardless of the hardware used.

Configuration

The vendor offers MTC an opportunity to adjust the configuration to the strategic business goals. Also, it provides the company with an option to customize the configuration of dashboards and workflows according to MTC’s needs. The configuration will be done upon the payment for a one-time individualized configuration by the vendor.

Testing

Once the system is set up and configured, MTC is eligible to start a free 30-day trial period for testing. To test the software, the MTC hiring team should test for functionality by checking account management, reporting, scheduling, and tracking (Oyekola & Xu, 2020). The system usability (the ease, effectiveness, and efficiency), flexibility, and fit with the company must be tested. Finally, software reliability and vendor observability should be checked (Oyekola & Xu, 2020). For example, to try user requirement number four concerning that the system must contain electronic scheduling of interviews, MTC employees will run the software, allocate several interviews to the calendar and evaluate the quality of automated scheduling adjustment.

Employee preparation and support

To prepare employees for the utilization of the new system, the CIO should initiate the training session. The allocation of the proper time for familiarization with the system within the training will ensure adequate utilization of the software in the future. Within the change management, the Director of HR should implement the interventions aimed at instructing the team on the shift to a new system. The preparation should include the articulation of the expectations and the readiness to change work patterns. The vendor representative should be allocated to MTC within the training service provided and paid for. The training sessions will be distributed to all team members. Finally, user support is provided by the vendor within the offered plan. The informational, technical, and explanatory support should be provided on demand.

Data migration

The information on existing applicants and positions that are stored manually should be inserted into the software manually. Electronic means, the information and data stored within the company’s electronic storage and interoffice mail might be transferred. The process of data migration might be facilitated by the vendor via user support options.

Maintenance

According to the vendor’s information, security, and other updates do not disrupt the process and are made automatically. The vendor is responsible for system maintenance and updates; MTC should address any disruptions to request a proper adjustment. Also, in case of implementation of the need to redesign job requisitions or other features, MTC is eligible to request the vendor’s support for showing how to make necessary adjustments.

Summary and Conclusion

The proposed software solution meets MTC’s requirements of enhanced competitive advantage in the IT consulting sector, company growth, increase of contracts, and international expansion. The software as a service solution allows for integrating the currently used guidelines and systems into the automated one with multiple benefits. In particular, MTC is guaranteed to obtain a cost-efficient, easy-to-use, and secure technology. The vendor provides setup, installation, updates, and maintenance that does not disrupt the workflow. The team’s communication and collaboration will be facilitated by means of automated reporting, applicant tracking, interview scheduling, and flexible software features. Cloud-based technology will ensure data safety and security, as well as software functionality, reliability, accessibility, and effectiveness.

References

Abubakar, A. M., Elrehail, H., Alatailat, M. A., & Elci, A. (2019). Knowledge management, decision-making style and organizational performance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 4(2), 104-114.

Ajunwa, I., & Greene, D. (2019). Platforms at work: Automated hiring platforms and other new intermediaries in the organization of work. In S. P. Vallas and A. Kovalainen (Eds.), Work and labor in the digital age (pp. 61-91). Emerald Publishing Limited.

Bourgeois, D. T. (2014). Information systems for business and beyond. Pressbooks.

Hammer, M. (1990). Reengineering work: don’t automate, obliterate. Harvard Business Review, 68(4), 104–112.

How do information systems support decision making? (n. d.). [Data set]. Web.

Jambakr, M. I., Yuzaherdi, A. F., Jauhari, J., Putra, A., & Efendi, R. (2019). Structural equation modeling technique for social application of information technology user requirements’ identification. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1338(1), 1-10.

Mohammad, S. M., & Lakshmisri, S. (2018). Security automation in Information technology. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 6(2), 910-905.

Oyekola, O., & Xu, L. (2020). Selecting SaaS CRM solution for SMEs. International Conference on Information Systems and Technologies. Web.

Pereira, L. F., Jeronimo, C. M., & Ramos, M. R. (2017). Management consulting business models a perspective of sustainability. 2017 International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, 29-35. Web.

UMGC Hiring Solutions, Inc. (2019). EZ-ATS brochure [Course Resources]. In IFSM 300: Information Systems in Organizations. Web.

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