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"Opening Doors to Success"

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Nuzhat Jafri
Director, Employment Relations, Scotiabank Group

Nuzhat Jafri described Scotiabank's integrated strategies for attracting top talent, in an environment of increasing competition for talented employees, due to the looming retirement of the baby boomer generation.

After providing some background information on Scotiabank, she listed its business needs, noting that there has been a shift from an operational focus to a customer focus across business lines. Business success depends on the quality and talent of personnel, and Scotiabank is pursuing market-driven employment relationships, she said.

The company has four new recruitment strategies:

  • Advance the "employer of choice" profile: The benefits include lower turnover rates, more applicants for positions, higher stock appreciation, and greater efficiency.
  • Market the employment brand: This was done by developing a unique employment "brand" and building brand recognition through target marketing efforts.
  • Re-engineer the recruitment function: Scotiabank installed an applicant tracking and resumé database system and implemented other recruitment effectiveness measures.
  • Measure recruitment effectiveness.

Scotiabank defined its target market for employees and conducted market research. It engaged a product marketing company to help it create an employment brand. The result was a Web site: www.whatsinitforme.ca, which includes a micro site for youth, as well as numerous other marketing tools.

Specific outreach recruitment is done for people with disabilities. Initiatives include the hiring of a dedicated outreach recruiter, establishment of recruitment targets, online invitations to people with disabilities to apply to the company, organized learning events for recruitment managers, community partnerships, campus recruitment, and internships. Scotiabank is well equipped to provide accommodation, Jafri said.

People can apply online through the Web site and will get a timely response. Applicants should tailor their letter and resumé to reflect the job posting, as recruiters look for applicants using keyword searches, she advised. It can also be an advantage to self-identify as a person with a disability, Jafri concluded.

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National Educational Association of Disabled Students. All rights reserved.