Recruitment can be a challenging process, especially when certain positions remain open longer than expected due to industry-specific hurdles and/or market conditions. That’s why it’s important to explore a variety of recruitment strategies to find the right candidates, including job boards, social media, cold calling, and leveraging network connections.
When traditional methods fall short, thinking outside the box can make all the difference. For example, when my team experienced a hiring challenge for a client, we took the fresh approach of what we like to call a “Whiteboard Workshop.”
What Is a Whiteboard Workshop?
A Whiteboard Workshop at DISHER Talent Solutions is a collaborative session designed to bring structure to creative problem-solving and help teams uncover new insights and actionable solutions.
The workshops typically last one hour and are led by a certified DISHER facilitator. A group of subject matter experts—some from DISHER, some external—participate. They’re held in our Whiteboard space, which is equipped with floor-to-ceiling whiteboards that encourage free-flowing ideas.
The best thing about them is that we offer Whiteboard Workshops for free.
What Happened in This Whiteboard Workshop Example
This session was a collaborative effort, bringing together a DISHER facilitator, five of our talent consultants, one DISHER engineer, our client’s hiring managers, and a current employee from the client’s team. The diverse mix of perspectives, skill sets, and personalities played a crucial role in sparking creative solutions.
The session followed a structured yet open-ended approach:
- Defining the Problem: We started by discussing the hiring challenges, including internal struggles and external market conditions.
- Creative Brainstorming: Each participant grabbed a whiteboard marker and wrote down every idea—big or small—that came to mind. The goal was quantity over quality at this stage.
- Collaboration & Refinement: We shared, discussed, and refined our ideas as a group, identifying patterns and potential solutions.
- Making Decisions: With fresh perspectives and a collection of creative ideas, we outlined specific actions to move forward.
By the end of the session, both our recruiting team and the client’s hiring managers left with a renewed sense of clarity and direction.
Key Outcomes & Next Steps
From the recruiter’s side, we identified internal changes that would increase the likelihood of an accepted offer, including adjustments to candidate expectations and search methods.
From the client’s side, they gained insight into ways they could make the opportunity more appealing to candidates. We also explored ways to refine their job requirements and expand sourcing strategies to attract the ideal hire. These combined efforts ultimately led to a successful hire.
Have You Hit a Recruiting Roadblock? We’re Here to Help
Sometimes, stepping back and taking a fresh, collaborative approach is all it takes to unlock new solutions. This Whiteboard Workshop was a perfect example of how structured brainstorming can help overcome hiring hurdles and pave the way for successful talent acquisition.
If your hiring team is feeling stuck, we invite you to contact us and get a Whiteboard Workshop scheduled—remember, it’s free!
