Solutions that are helpful for HR managers in various industries.

Specter Interview. Daekyo

• Client Company Name : Daekyo

• Industry : Education·Publishing

• Number of Employees : Approximately 2,444 (2023. 01)

Three-Line Summary

• Verifying culture fit in Daekyo is a crucial value, necessitating a comprehensive reference check.

• With evaluations from three or more references, a diversified assessment of candidates became possible.

• Contrary to concerns about designated reference checks, honest comments were received, allowing for trustworthy recruiting.

Specter Interview.
Daekyo Lee Deok-Jin HR Team Leader

Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself briefly.

Nice to meet you. I am Lee Deok-Jin, the head of the HR team at Daekyo. Daekyo is a comprehensive education and cultural company founded in 1976, engaged in various businesses and social contribution activities as a publicly listed company. We operate around 1,000 branches and direct channels nationwide, with approximately 10,000 members, including employees and teachers at the field level.

Please tell me about the ideal talent and organizational culture that Daekyo aims for.

"Rather than a qualified talent, we want a colleague to walk together."

We are going through the process of recruitment, which includes posting job announcements, reviewing applications, conducting second interviews, negotiating terms, and final recruiting. Recruitment is divided into regular and ongoing recruiting, and candidates are ultimately selected through document screening and second interviews.

We particularly focus on ensuring that candidates align with our desired qualities and organizational culture. As Daekyo is an education company, we pay more attention to whether candidates can be colleagues who can grow together rather than solely selecting fully qualified ones.

Are there any key indicators that you consider important,
and how do you verify them during the recruiting process?

We primarily review the acquisition of candidate sources from various channels and the culture fit with the organization. The verification of this aspect is done through the turnover rate and the reasons for leaving over time. The turnover rate is such an important indicator that it is included in the performance evaluation criteria for the management team.

Are there any special activities unique to the organization
to achieve this goal?

From the initial onboarding training to motivation meetings based on duration, meals with executives, and various onboarding activities, we also provide a welcome kit upon joining and conduct pre-boarding activities such as messaging during the recruitment process and emotional care between stages. Recently, we established an organizational culture team to collaborate on these efforts.

Before the implementation of Specter,
how did you make recruiting decisions?

After the recruitment process, recruiting was carried out based on the recruiting decisions of the department heads and executives who requested the recruitment. The key factors considered during the decision-making process were that, since the education service industry constitutes a significant portion, it was important to ensure that candidates could work for a long time when placed in the field and to check their history to see if there would be any risks or issues arising at customer touch points.

How was the reference check conducted previously,
and why was Specter implemented?

"I was checking references through acquaintances, but a more comprehensive reference check was needed."

In the past, for managers and key position holders, I partially checked references through acquaintances. As a business that values culture fit, it was determined that a comprehensive reference check was necessary to assess whether candidates possess a sense of mission towards their work and customers and the ability to integrate and collaborate within the organization. Therefore, we decided to implement Specter.

How are you utilizing Specter for reference checks,
and how are you informing candidates about it?

After the document screening, we conduct reference checks on the interview candidates, using it as a reference for the HR team's pre-verification and during the interviews. When informing about the reference check, we explain that we use an external reference check system rather than an internal one and that we will request transparent reference checks from three individuals designated by the candidates, receiving the results anonymously. We also inform them that this is a mandatory requirement for recruiting, and failure to comply will result in disqualification.

Are there any changes or improvements after the introduction of Specter?

"It is now possible to conduct diversified candidate evaluations by viewing honest reviews from three or more people."

In the past, recruiting often relied on factors such as educational background, work history, and first impressions. However, now Specter provides a more comprehensive basis for evaluating candidates. It has become possible to uncover aspects that were difficult to discern through simple interviews, such as how a candidate would perform in a collaborative work environment. The fact that honest reviews from three or more people are registered for each individual allows for a multidimensional and diversified assessment of candidates, which is the most significant improvement. This process fosters trust in the candidates and enables us to recruit the talent that Daekyo needs.

What were the concerns when introducing Specter,
and how has your experience been after actually using it?

Before the introduction, the main concern was the part where the reference writer designated by the candidate wrote a recommendation. I worried that the evaluation might not be honest if the reference writer was a close acquaintance. However, after using it, I found that the comments received were not just formal or overly positive but more objective and sincere. The scoring format and the qualitative assessments, which are not visible to the candidates, were very helpful.

The reference writers also mentioned that it wasn't too difficult or time-consuming, allowing them to naturally provide honest opinions about the candidates. This helped convey a sense of sophistication and trust in the hiring process being carried out by the HR team.

If a colleague asks, “What do you think about using Specter?”
what do you think you would say?

Contrary to my initial concerns, the reference writers actively expressed their opinions and provided data that allowed for a comprehensive evaluation of the candidates. I also felt that Specter's service response was prompt, so I would recommend it. In fact, I have already recommended Specter to other affiliates.

As someone with experience, what advice would you give
to recruiting managers on how to utilize Specter?

As the spectrum of recruiting expands, the recruitment of candidates from various age groups is also increasing. For candidates who may have difficulty using the service, the company could provide a manual outlining the steps from accessing the site to requesting and writing reviews. This could help minimize inquiries about usage.

Please share a brief comment about your interview experience.

"Specter will be a solution that helps HR professionals in various fields."

Daekyo has many employees who have been with the company for over 30 years, whether through open recruitment or transitioning from learning material teachers. We have been continuously reflecting on whether our members can grow with the company and work with a customer-oriented approach and whether they align with our business and core values. In this context, we utilized Specter.

Since then, it is true that the company has received significant assistance in the recruitment process, allowing for a more in-depth verification of candidates who are suitable for the company. It will be a solution that helps HR professionals in various fields. Thank you.