Whether you're considering a specific recruitment advertising project, exploring ways to improve your talent acquisition strategy, or wondering whether a Talent Audit would benefit your organization, it's natural to have questions before getting started.
I've gathered answers to some of the questions prospective clients may have about my services, consulting approach, and the way I work.
If you don't see your question here, I welcome the opportunity to discuss your situation directly.
Storms Consulting provides recruitment advertising and talent acquisition consulting services designed to help organizations attract, hire, and retain talent more effectively.
My areas of expertise include Workforce Research & Planning, Employer Branding, Talent Acquisition Strategy & Optimization, Employee Engagement & Retention, and Recruitment Advertising & Media Placement.
I work with organizations to understand their challenges, evaluate opportunities, and develop practical recommendations appropriate to their business needs.
Storms Consulting is an independent consulting business, and clients work directly with me throughout their engagements.
I bring more than three decades of experience in recruitment advertising and talent acquisition, along with a perspective shaped by changing labor markets, recruiting technologies, and employer needs.
Rather than beginning with a predetermined package of services, I take time to understand your organization's circumstances and recommend an approach that fits the challenge you're trying to address.
My services are relevant to organizations that recruit employees, whether they have an established talent acquisition department or rely on a smaller HR team or business leadership to manage hiring.
Different organizations experience different challenges, so I evaluate each opportunity individually to determine whether my experience and services are appropriate for the work involved.
Yes. Many talent acquisition consulting projects can be conducted remotely, depending on the nature of the engagement and the information that needs to be reviewed.
If a project requires an on-site component, that can be discussed when defining the scope of work.
No. The Talent Audit is an optional service, not a requirement.
If you've already identified a specific challenge involving recruitment advertising, candidate targeting, employer branding, hiring processes, technology, or retention, I can discuss a focused engagement without requiring a comprehensive assessment.
The Talent Audit is available for organizations that want a broader evaluation of their talent acquisition function.
Absolutely. My services can be provided individually or combined when several related challenges need attention.
For example, you may need help reviewing recruitment advertising channels, improving employer messaging, researching a difficult labor market, or evaluating a particular recruiting process.
I'll help you determine an appropriate scope based on what you're trying to accomplish.
Every engagement begins with a conversation about your organization, the challenge you're experiencing, and what you're hoping to accomplish.
I'll ask questions to better understand your current approach, relevant business circumstances, and priorities. From there, I can recommend a potential scope of work and explain how I may be able to help.
The objective is to make sure there's a clear understanding of the work before an engagement begins.
Both may be available, depending on the needs of your organization and the type of work involved.
Some clients may need a focused evaluation or specific project, while others may benefit from continued strategic support as they implement recommendations or respond to changing talent acquisition needs.
The scope and duration of the relationship are discussed before work begins.
Yes. Storms Consulting is my independent consulting business, so you'll work directly with me rather than being assigned to a separate account management team.
I believe direct communication helps maintain clarity, ensures that I understand your priorities, and keeps the work focused on your organization's needs.
Consulting fees depend on the scope, complexity, and requirements of the engagement.
A focused recruitment advertising project may involve a different level of work from a comprehensive Talent Audit or ongoing strategic consulting arrangement.
After discussing your needs, I can explain the proposed approach and associated fees so you have a clear understanding before authorizing the work.
The Talent Audit is a comprehensive assessment designed to help organizations understand how their talent acquisition practices are functioning.
Using my eight-point Compass framework, I examine relevant areas of workforce planning, understanding candidate audiences, employer identity, outreach, candidate evaluation, hiring decisions, recruitment technology, and onboarding and retention.
The objective is to recognize strengths, identify potential gaps, and develop practical recommendations that support better-informed decisions.
The Compass is my eight-point framework for examining the interconnected disciplines of talent acquisition.
Each point represents an area that can influence an organization's ability to attract, hire, and retain talent. By considering these areas together, organizations can better understand how challenges in one part of the recruiting process may affect another.
You can explore the complete framework through the interactive Compass on this website.
The specific scope is established before the assessment begins.
At the conclusion of the engagement, I'll provide a written summary of relevant findings and recommendations based on the information reviewed and the agreed-upon scope.
I'll also discuss the findings with you so you can understand the considerations behind the recommendations and explore appropriate next steps.
The timeline depends on the size and complexity of the organization, the scope of the assessment, and the availability of relevant information.
A focused review of selected practices will generally involve a different level of effort from a broader evaluation of several business units, locations, or recruiting processes.
I'll discuss an anticipated timeline with you as part of defining the engagement.
That's valuable information, too.
The purpose of the Talent Audit isn't to find problems for the sake of recommending changes. I want to understand what's functioning effectively, recognize strengths worth preserving, and identify opportunities for improvement where they genuinely exist.
An assessment that confirms the effectiveness of certain practices can help an organization make more confident decisions about where to direct its attention and resources.
No. You can use the findings and recommendations to guide improvements using your internal resources, engage me for additional assistance, or prioritize changes according to your own timeline.
The Talent Audit is intended to provide useful information and direction, not create an obligation to purchase further consulting services.
Yes. Recruitment advertising and media placement are core services.
I can help research appropriate advertising channels, evaluate media options, develop placement recommendations, coordinate recruitment advertising purchases, and review campaign performance.
The approach depends on your hiring objectives, intended candidate audience, and available budget.
No. Recruitment media placement is available as a standalone service.
If you already know what positions you need to advertise and simply want assistance evaluating or purchasing recruitment media, we can discuss that specific need without a Talent Audit or larger consulting engagement.
My media pricing depends on whether the media is commissionable or noncommissionable.
For noncommissionable media, I apply a 15% markup to the media cost.
For commissionable media, the media provider pays the commission, and I do not add an additional markup.
I do not charge a separate Storms Consulting media management fee on top of these arrangements. Any additional third-party costs are disclosed for approval before they're incurred.
My recommendations depend on the positions being advertised, the candidate audience, the relevant labor market, the organization's objectives, and the available budget.
I don't believe every employer should advertise in the same places simply because a particular platform is widely used.
The goal is to identify appropriate channels and make informed decisions about where recruitment advertising resources should be invested.
Yes. I can evaluate existing recruitment advertising approaches and available campaign information to help identify opportunities for improvement.
Depending on the engagement, this may include reviewing media selection, candidate targeting, advertising messages, budget allocation, and available performance information.
The review is intended to help determine whether the current approach makes sense for the organization's recruiting objectives.
No ethical recruitment advertising consultant can guarantee a particular hiring outcome simply by recommending or purchasing advertising.
Results can be influenced by many factors, including labor market conditions, compensation, job requirements, employer reputation, candidate expectations, and the effectiveness of the hiring process.
I focus on thoughtful research, appropriate advertising strategies, and informed recommendations rather than promising outcomes that cannot be controlled.
That depends on the service being provided.
A recruitment advertising engagement may require information about the positions, locations, hiring objectives, candidate requirements, and available budget.
A broader consulting engagement may involve reviewing recruiting processes, relevant performance information, existing materials, or other information connected to the agreed scope.
I'll explain what is needed and why before requesting it.
I recognize that organizations may share sensitive business and recruiting information during a consulting engagement.
I'll discuss appropriate confidentiality arrangements as part of the engagement, including whether a nondisclosure agreement or other written protections are required.
Information should be shared through appropriate methods and limited to what is reasonably necessary for the work.
Yes. I can help evaluate how recruitment technology supports an organization's talent acquisition strategy, workflows, communications, and reporting.
This may include reviewing applicant tracking system use, recruitment marketing tools, automation, and opportunities for process improvement.
My focus is on strategic and operational effectiveness rather than providing software engineering, technical implementation, or information security certification services.
My services focus on recruitment advertising, talent acquisition strategy, and related business processes.
I can identify practices or questions that may warrant further review, but I do not replace qualified legal counsel or other licensed specialists.
Organizations should consult appropriate professionals regarding legal obligations, regulatory compliance, or specialized employment law questions.
That's completely fine.
You don't need to diagnose your organization's talent acquisition challenges before getting in touch.
We can begin with a conversation about what you're experiencing, what you've already tried, and what you're hoping to improve. From there, I can help you determine whether a focused project, a broader engagement, or a Talent Audit may be appropriate.
Every organization has different talent needs, and I understand that the questions most important to you may not be answered on this page.
Whether you're considering recruitment advertising assistance, looking for an outside perspective on your talent acquisition practices, or simply wondering where to begin, I'd welcome the opportunity to learn more about your situation.
You don't need a perfectly defined project or a complete list of solutions before reaching out. A thoughtful conversation about the challenges you're experiencing is often the best place to start.
I'll take the time to understand what matters to your organization and discuss how I may be able to help.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.