Overview
Implementation of any new system can feel a bit overwhelming at times, especially when you are first getting started. To help, we’ve outlined a list of considerations and strategic questions you may want to ask yourself as you begin your Nimble journey. This guide is specifically meant to prime you for some of the upcoming decisions you will need to make as you go through the implementation process. Keep in mind that you do not need to have the answer to every question immediately, but this document paired with the Getting Started checklist should cover everything you need to consider to achieve a seamless transition into hiring with Nimble!
Considerations and guiding questions
Determine the roles and responsibilities of the implementation team
Who needs to be involved in strategic decision-making regarding Nimble configuration and hiring processes? (ie; managing candidate pipelines, job requests and approvals, expectations around candidate communications in the system, etc.)
Who will be responsible for configuring the system? (ie; creating email templates or interview scorecards, configuring job templates postings, etc.)
Outline a change management strategy or communications plan
Draft a change management or communications plan that includes all of the messaging you might need to send to the various stakeholders regarding the impact of the upcoming organizational changes
Be sure to highlight new system benefits to get buy-in across the broader organization
This plan can also be used to drive the conversations that need to be scheduled and the resources (like an FAQ) that need to be developed and shared internally
Take time to review and edit your existing recruitment and hiring processes
Outline or update the stages of the screening process for all your jobs (or departments)
Does the process vary for teaching vs non-teaching roles? If so, how?
What stages of the process will require an interview scorecard be submitted in order to move the candidate forward?
Who currently manages candidate communications throughout the process?
Outline or update your organization’s current job request process and the ways in which you’d like to make improvements
If you do not have a formal job request process, take some time to jot down the informal ways you’ve received job requests previously (this information can be referenced during the strategy meetings)
Review or establish your team process for approving and managing vacancies
If you have a formal vacancy management process, outline the steps, process owners and related communications that go out
If a process does not already exist, consider outlining some general expectations to go over with the Nimble team during a strategy meeting (i.e. how will the HR/recruitment team title, post and manage pooled vacancies?)
Organize and update existing email templates, interview scorecards, reference templates and job descriptions
These items will need to be recreated in the system so it may help to organize and update the content ahead of time
Determine system usage expectations and best practices for hiring managers
Once you have your processes solidified and reflected in the system, you will want to consider how your school and department leaders will be expected to interact in Nimble
Don’t worry, we have an example Hiring Managers expectations guide that you can reference at a later stage of the implementation, but here are some example questions to get you started:
Will school leaders be expected to move candidates through the hiring pipeline in Nimble? How quickly do you expect candidates to be screened by school leaders?
What do you do when a leader does not take action with a competitive candidate?
Will there be parameters around requesting jobs through the Nimble system?
What are your expectations regarding communications to candidates?
Who extends the offer? What screening actions must be complete prior to an offer being sent?
Review or determine your organization's process for conducting reference checks
If you do not already have a reference check process or you want to make adjustments to the existing process, considering some of the following questions:
How many references are preferred vs required? At what stage in the application process is reference information collected?
What questions need to be included in the reference check?
Does it vary by position type or department?
Who will be responsible for completing the reference check?
Is a reference check required before an offer letter can be sent?
Determine your key performance indicators (KPIs) for recruitment and hiring this season and the data you’d like to measure and track throughout the year
If you already have goals outlined for the year, be sure to share those with us during the 2nd strategy meeting so we can walk through how you’ll be digging into the dashboard data to get your answers
If you do not have metrics in mind, let us know if you are interested in brainstorming which data points you should begin tracking based on your organization's specific needs and objectives
Determine the steps in your new hire onboarding process; denote statuses and tasks that you plan to enter into Nimble
If you already have an onboarding process, be sure to outline the overarching stages of the process, the individual tasks and task owners, and any of the forms that will need to be created and sent electronically
If you do not have a formal onboarding process, begin thinking through the items listed above and how you’d like to shape your onboarding process from both the candidate’s and the HR team’s perspective - we are happy to walk through this with you during a strategy session as well!