Specialty at speed: sourcing specialized talent for semiconductor equipment suppliers

02/05/2021
An engineer examining a microchip.

Talent sourcing and retention woes plagued two multi-billion-dollar semiconductor equipment suppliers as they rushed to meet increased demand from semiconductor manufacturers. The suppliers partnered with Kelly Engineering to design and implement talent strategies tailored to their respective needs.  


 

Results at a glance

Two clients struggled to fill openings for field service engineer and technician roles while battling increases in turnover.

Kelly Engineering assembled a dedicated team of specialty recruiters with vast industry knowledge to design and implement a tailored talent strategy for each client.

The Kelly Engineering team sourced and onboarded 43 contract and direct-hire employees in eight months and reduced the interview-to-hire ratio to as low as 2:1.

Challenge

Solution

Result

A short circuit in talent sourcing and retention

For semiconductor equipment suppliers, field service engineers and technicians play an important and highly-visible role, working directly with semiconductor manufacturers – often on-site – to install, maintain and repair critical components used in the manufacturing process. Amid a surge in semiconductor demand and an increasingly competitive talent landscape, the two suppliers struggled to fill openings for these mission-critical roles. Compounding their struggles was the fact that the talent they were able to source and onboard was departing the companies for new opportunities at an alarming rate, taking with them customer relationships and valuable knowledge gained through training and development at their employers’ expense.

Rewiring talent acquisition strategies

Kelly Engineering quickly assembled a team of recruiters with years of experience sourcing talent for the semiconductor industry to design and implement a talent acquisition strategy tailored specifically for these clients. The strategy is underpinned by a rigorous screening process tailored precisely to the clients’ needs and the requirements for the roles. To address retention, the Kelly Engineering team assessed market rates for compensation and recommended to the clients a more competitive rate that would not only attract more candidates, but encourage them to stay.

Electrifying recruiting results

Within eight months, the Kelly Engineering team successfully sourced and onboarded 43 contract and direct-hire employees for field service engineer and technician roles on behalf of the two clients. In addition to increasing the volume of placements, the team achieved a remarkable improvement in efficiency. “Our screening process is so comprehensive and our knowledge of the clients’ requirements so deep that, for every two candidates our team submits for consideration, one is hired,” said Barbara K., new business development lead, Kelly Engineering. Today, Kelly Engineering is the preferred vendor of contract and direct-hire solutions for both clients.

Are you interested in opportunities to improve your company’s talent strategy? If so, let’s talk. From contract and direct-hire staffing, to business process outsourcing and project services, Kelly Engineering provides a full range of flexible, efficient solutions designed to meet your needs.

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