Lateral Recruitment

What is Lateral Recruitment?

Lateral recruitment refers to filling the higher-level vacant position with employees who have experience in a similar department but in different roles. It is a proven strategy for both retaining the best talent of the company as well as attracting and hiring the best talent from outside.

An example to understand it better,

• There was a vacant position of a marketing manager in a company.
• The HR managers announced it and asked for references.
• One current employee working as a sales executive showed interest in working in the marketing department.
• The employee was interviewed and examined. He passed the tests and matched all the criteria.
• The HR manager hired the employee as the marketing manager. This can be termed lateral hiring.

What is the process of Lateral Hiring?

Lateral hiring is a process of hiring an expert for the job. The following points should be kept in mind for a smooth lateral hiring process;

• Define the workspace
• Define the required skills for the role
• Address the potential expectations for the role
• Research every potential prospect
• Make contact
• Meet in person
• Negotiate with them
• Offer them a position in the origanization

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is lateral hiring important?

Hiring the talent that increases your company’s efficiency. This provides the addition of talent to your firm and increases the efficiency as you hire experience into your firm.

How to attract lateral recruitment to your firm?

Lateral Recruitment is a process of filling higher-level positions. It is always essential to keep in mind your needs and what your organization stands for. Here are some points that might help attract lateral hires to your firm;

• Be specific about your organizational needs
• Define your talent needs
• Be thorough about the candidates you are choosing
• Be discreet about your strategies
• Negotiate with the hires

Is lateral move considered as a promotion?

Lateral hire is a career change, it is not considered as a promotion. Although, It gives a chance to gain new experience and polish your skills.

What are the challenges in Lateral Hiring?

While hiring a candidate there are many problems regarding the various aspects such as

• Cultural alignment issues
• Over expectations from the employer
• Stability issues due to an unfamiliar place
• Lack of motivation