ILR School Associate Professor JR Keller and Harvard Business Publishing Chief Human Resources Officer Angela Cheng-Cimini ’92 discussed hiring in “Internal Talent Mobility: Posting, Slotting, and Hoarding,” an Oct. 5 eCornell Keynote. View the discussion on demand by registering here. 

The reasoning often behind companies selecting internal hires is that firms save training costs by hiring someone who already knows the company’s culture, mission and structure, Cheng-Cimini said. 

Recruiters often internally hire employees through what’s known as “posting” or “slotting.” The “posting” method is when recruiters hire internally through a job posting. The “slotting” method is when recruiters identify a preferable candidate and reach out directly to them. 

Employees hired through posting tend to be more efficient and have higher performance ratings than those hired through slotting, according to the discussants. That is because those who go through the posting process can be compared against other candidates, ensuring the best employees are hired for the job. This also contributes to their higher earnings, as they can ask with confidence for a higher salary. 

Cheng-Cimini and Keller also discussed the value of “boomerang hires,” people who leave the company and then return. Keller described how boomerang employees add value to the company by contributing newly learned skills and ideas. 

Candidates who talked to hiring managers, and not just recruiters, were more likely to stay at the company long-term, as they felt valued and learned more about the position and their co-workers, according to both Keller and Cheng-Cimini. 

Keller ended the conversation by encouraging companies to take their internal hiring processes seriously, specifically encouraging them to guarantee discussions between hiring managers and candidates. 

Amelia Rajakumar ’24 is a student writer for ILR School Communications.