A Q&A with Jane Mehringer, Director of Recruiting for MetLife
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Jane Mehringer, Director of Recruiting for MetLife
IQPC Exchange interviewed Jane about her discussion, Supercharge Your Recruiting Workflow with Data Analytics, at the upcoming Talent Management Exchange.
IQPC Exchange: With the integration of employee data, do you believe that the resulting single view will include qualitative information as well as quantitative?
Jane Mehringer: With the idea of data driving your workforce, you can’t look at just one data set to discover the root cause. It’s important to review both the qualitative and quantitative information that you are given to take in account the whole picture.
IQPC Exchange: What do you feel is/are the most effective system(s) currently being utilized for employee reviews and how do they compare with review processes that focus mainly on data/analytics?
Jane Mehringer: Most companies use internal measuring matrices to develop employee goals and rate/rank those employees at the end of the fiscal year. Employees will often share their successes in a general summary because the time is limited during most reviews. Asking the questions, "where did you start?" and "how did you finish?" while driving only to the numbers is the key for all managers and employees. Goals tend to be too subjective and so do the systems that are being used to rank them, so asking employees to put metrics to anything they do is a huge help on all fronts.
IQPC Exchange: For the purposes of streamlining talent identification, what do you believe, if any, are the limitations of data and analytics?
Jane Mehringer: Data can’t determine adaptability or potential. It can show you where you have been to hedge the most risk. The data can drive you in the right direction but after the initial vetting process, you have to open to other variables of soft data.
IQPC Exchange: Do you feel that it is in the best interest of most companies to develop or further develop current employee skillsets (rather than opening specialized positions for new talent that already possesses the desired skill sets)?
Jane Mehringer: Absolutely! Who will manage new talent when they come into the organization unless you grow your people from within.
IQPC Exchange: What are your top priorities for 2015?
Jane Mehringer: As a large organization’s recruiting entity, my focus is to streamline and recalibrate the data collection for future trending. This will drive areas of opportunity, recruiting gaps and where we need to focus in the future.