With a Reference Check Before the Interview, the Recruiting Lead Time Definitely Decreased.

Specter Interview. KIA

• Client Company Name : KIA

• Industry : Manufacturing of passenger cars and other vehicles

• Number of Employees : Approximately 35,302 (2022. 09)

Three-Line Summary

• Concerned about the inability to monitor the progress and status of candidates and referees.

• With Specter, it has become easy to check the status of reference registrations, and the process is simple, which has shortened the recruitment lead time.

• Since the second half of 2022, we have been using it for all experienced recruiters, and the reference checks' high reliability has alleviated our recruiting concerns.

Specter Interview.

KIA Myung-Jin Heo Senior Manager

Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself briefly.

Nice to meet you, I am currently in charge of recruitment planning and operations at KIA. My connection with Specter began when I was impressed by their sincere sales approach. I was particularly struck by their vision to enable reference checks in just 10 seconds, reflecting a deep understanding of recruitment professionals' concerns regarding reference checks.

What does KIA prioritize the most regarding EX* and organizational culture recently?
*EX: Employee Experience

"We are placing greater importance on the 'connection' of employees as we expand our business areas"

In 2021, KIA removed ‘Automobile’ from its name ‘Kia Automobile’ and announced its corporate vision as a Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider. Currently, Kia is breaking away from the traditional framework of automobile manufacturing and sales to explore new business areas.

To achieve this, there has been a significant increase in the recruiting of both new and experienced professionals, making collaboration between existing and new employees a crucial element in realizing the corporate vision. KIA is contemplating how employees can better 'connect' with each other to promote collaboration.

Could you introduce some of Kia's special activities for 'connection'?

1. Onboarding Program

First of all, KIA offers a multi-stage onboarding process for new employees who have the greatest need for 'connection' over a period of about one year. To facilitate the connection of new recruiting, KIA has fixed the start dates to twice a month.

New employees, whether fresh graduates or experienced recruiting, participate in the Onboarding STEP 1 program at the KIA Vision Square for the first three days from their start date. During this program, they receive essential information for a successful career at KIA and have the opportunity to connect with peers from diverse backgrounds. Afterward, they are assigned to their respective departments and undergo on-the-job training (OJT). They can further expand their connections by participating in Onboarding Steps 2 to 5 every 2 to 4 months.

2. Meet and Eat Program

To assist in employee collaboration, KIA operates the <Meet and Eat> program, which matches employees with others in their desired departments for lunch. Meet and Eat is run based on voluntary applications from employees who wish to connect with colleagues from different departments.

Each month, the program combines candidates' matching preferences and areas of interest to form groups of 4 to 5 people, with lunch costs covered by the company. Participants generally have a proactive mindset and are eager to meet colleagues from various departments, allowing for smooth interactions even with those they are meeting for the first time.

What considerations were there before implementing the Specter, and what were the reasons for the final decision to implement it?

"Recruiting lead time decreased"

The challenges faced while using other reference check services were that it was impossible to monitor how the service provider communicated with candidates and how the referees were contacted and went through the process of providing their feedback.

In the case of Specter, the candidate's registration status and reference check status updates are communicated via KakaoTalk, making it easy to check the progress and start the subsequent procedures immediately, which helps shorten the selection period. The registration process is simple, and it is convenient to use on both PC and mobile devices. Additionally, the items in the reference check report are well-organized and clearly laid out for use in the recruiting process, which is a great advantage.

"Easy to understand the candidate’s personal characteristics"

Additionally, the general reference check reports were text-centered. Specter allowed for multi-dimensional evaluations through both subjective and objective reference check items, making it easy to understand the candidate's personal characteristics. Furthermore, it was positive that the report was composed of different sections for peer evaluations and evaluations from decision-makers, allowing for comparison.

At what stage and how are you utilizing Specter?

KIA is utilizing Specter in the stage prior to sending out the offer letter. They conduct reference checks on candidates selected through the final interview, verifying the candidates' project experiences, skill levels, and organizational fit by comparing them with the evaluation results from the selection process. For candidates who are not making their first job change, peer evaluations from decision-makers are included as a mandatory item to closely examine any issues from their previous workplaces.

Are there any changes or improvements after implementing Specter?

"I could alleviate concerns about the performance of the employees I recruited"

Since the second half of 2022, all experienced employees recruited by KIA have gone through Specter's reference checks. In a situation where the reliability of the selection process cannot be 100%, it is natural to have mixed feelings of expectation and concern about whether the experienced employees I recruited are delivering proper results in their roles.

Specter's reference check reports have alleviated many of those concerns. The feedback provided to candidates is often conducted confidentially, making it more trustworthy, and it allows for verification of various aspects of the candidate's work tendencies, which I find very useful.

As an experienced individual, what advice would you give to recruiting managers on how to effectively utilize Specter?

"Compare the reference report and the interview results"

The implementation of Specter has significantly reduced the time spent on reference checks in the recruiting process. Reference checks for candidates can now be conducted simultaneously using their name and phone number, and generally, the reference registration is completed within three days.

If you implement Specter, it is recommended to invest the time saved into reviewing the reference check reports more thoroughly. Take a close look at the various items in the reference reports and compare them with the interview results, and check for any discrepancies in the references' opinions about the candidates.