Jeff DeModna On Interviewing, Data-Driven Decisions, and Continuous Learning

Another fantastic conversation is in the books! This time, Dan sat down with Jeff DeModna, Vice President of Recruiting Services at ExtensisHR.

With five years in leadership at ExtensisHR, Jeff has helped shape the company's sales recruiting playbook and seen the company grow extensively as a result of revolutionizing the hiring process.

Dan and Jeff chat about topics like the benefits of PEOs for small to medium businesses, the power of active listening as a recruiter, how to craft an effective interview process, and more.

We've highlighted a few of Jeff's insights below. Skip ahead to find out why he credits hireEZ with helping ExtensisHR make 250 hires for their clients of various industries and 100 hires for their own company. And be sure to subscribe to the speakEZ Podcast to listen to the full episode!

Crafting an Effective Interview Process

With a specialty in recruiting and interviewing, Jeff emphasizes the importance of streamlining the interview process right from the sourcing stage. He highlights the benefits of blind sourcing – made possible by tools like hireEZ – to eliminate unconscious bias and efficiently identify candidates based on specific skills and experiences. This approach not only saves time but also ensures a more targeted recruitment effort.

Moving into the interview phase, Jeff stresses the significance of a well-defined process that involves every member understanding their role. Clear and consistent communication is a must, as he states “Your employee experience starts with your candidate experience.”

Every step of the interview process needs a purpose, according to Jeff. Repetitive, resume-focused interviews not only frustrate candidates but also fail to provide deeper insights into their suitability for the role. Unnecessary steps that prolong the hiring process without adding value should be avoided.

Instead, Jeff recommends a structured approach, incorporating technical assessments and behavioral questions tailored to the role's requirements. He talks about using tools like Caliper for behavioral assessments or creating scorecards to evaluate both technical proficiency and behavioral traits.

Overall, Jeff's perspective revolves around efficiency, communication, and purpose-driven evaluation to ensure a successful interview process.

The Gift of Data

Owning the hiring process and setting realistic expectations from the beginning is huge. Jeff stresses the need to identify absolute requirements versus nice-to-haves and encourages prompt decision-making to avoid losing top candidates along the way. He also highlights the necessity of making adjustments when necessary, whether it's reevaluating the role's requirements, considering remote positions, or modifying compensation expectations.

Leveraging data helps to influence these decisions throughout the process. Jeff mentions partnering with ThinkWhy for salary surveys to ensure alignment with market evaluations and candidates' expectations.

He also shares how he uses hireEZ's resume match capabilities and the resulting analytics and talent pool assessments provided to find candidates whose profiles are similar to existing, high-performing team members. This helps to narrow the talent pool and makes identifying top talent much more efficient.

Ultimately, real-time analysis and frequent communication with hiring managers are always imperative to make timely adjustments and ensure a successful recruitment process.

Keeping Up With Skills and Learning

Jeff shares various resources and methods for enhancing recruiting skills and knowledge. He shouts out hireEZ (thanks, Jeff!) for providing ongoing training and best practices, which keeps his team up-to-date with industry trends. Additionally, he highlights the abundance of educational content available on platforms like YouTube and podcasts, offering quick and accessible tips for recruiters of all levels.

However, more than anything, Jeff emphasizes the importance of learning from real-world experiences and interactions. He encourages recruiters to forge strong partnerships with hiring managers and to actively participate in their calls and interviews.

By observing seasoned interviewers, recruiters can learn valuable techniques and approaches, such as active listening and adaptability during conversations. Jeff underscores the impact of continuous learning through collaboration and mentorship within the recruiting community, emphasizing that improvement comes not only from formal training but also from hands-on practice and observation of peers.

If you're looking to sharpen your recruitment skills, check out our courses in Outbound Recruiting Academy.

hireEZ: A “Game Changer”

Jeff expresses appreciation for the impact hireEZ has had on his organization's recruitment endeavors, calling it a “game changer.” He credits hireEZ with enabling a more streamlined and efficient recruitment process, which has helped ExtensisHR make over 100 hires for their own company and 250 hires for clients in various industries. With a unique approach to using collaborator licenses, Jeff's team has adopted a gamified system, utilizing features like thumbs up and thumbs down to foster collaboration and partnership with clients.

Jeff sees hireEZ as a catalyst for enhancing his organization's recruitment capabilities, particularly in handling diverse positions and industries with greater efficiency. Looking ahead, he expresses excitement about continuing to leverage hireEZ's capabilities to drive further success in their recruitment efforts, underscoring its status as an “absolute game changer” for his organization.