Cirque Du Soleil free essay sample

Cirque du Soleil Q1. How would you assess the attractiveness of the circus industry in early 1980s? What would you conclude from industry analysis? The Circus has been an extremely popular form of entertainment during the 20th century. The circus creates an image of drifters and dreamers in the mind. In the 20th century the emphasis on spectacle continued on 3 ring formats. The following factors played a major role in the attractiveness of the circus industry:- * Animal acts provided an added form of entertainment along with the various circus acts. Electric lights and moving pictures also added to the magic of the circus. A series of ‘educational entertainments’ featuring people and historical montages from around the world. * The expansion of railways made it easier for the group to tour the country. This also reduced the travel time considerably. * Construction of arenas also facilitated to put on shows in a easier manner i. Analysis According to CdS’s website, the process of finding new talent for CdS is a long and involved process that can take years. To begin, an answer to the question of how to generate a sufficient pool of candidates to meet the needs of CdS’s current and future workforce requires some thought before moving forward with any recruitment initiative. Sources of recruitment run the gamut, each with their own pros and cons. The six identified for this paper include the use of the CdS’s career website, recruitment at Olympic games/sporting events, use of an employment agency, attendance at job fairs (i. . : â€Å"Red Curtain Events†), use of an employee referral program, and recruitment from circus schools from around the world. In addition, it is important to use decision-making criteria when choosing the appropriate recruitment source. Consideration should be given to hiring internally versus externally, forecasts, timelines for hiring, the types of position(s) needed , cost of the different recruitment methods, and the ability to interview and extend job offers on the spot. External Recruiting Techniques †¢ Cirque du Soleil Career Website: This is a relatively inexpensive option, can produce quick results, and is convenient for job-seekers. However, use of career websites, whether the company’s own or through an internet advertising agency, can produce a large amount of applications requiring screening by HR. Because this is a â€Å"paper† process, there is no personal contact, requiring the screener to decide solely on the information provided in print. Soft skills, otherwise known as personal attributes, cannot be easily identified, resulting in potential candidates being screened out of the process too early. †¢ Olympic Games/Sporting Events: Daniella Nicole argues that â€Å"sixty-five percent of CdS performers are athletes in their own right† (Nicole, 2010). What better place to look for athletic talent than at sporting events? CdS currently has â€Å"two talent scouts who regularly attend 15 prominent athletic events, and hold between 12 to 20 auditions each year† (Nicole, 2010). This is certainly a great tool for building a pool of candidates for future opportunities, but would not serve well for immediate needs. In addition, CdS is an organization of over 3000 employees (based on 2010 data), 12 to 20 auditions each year may not create a sufficient pool, hence the need for diverse options to be included in the recruitment toolbox. †¢ Employment Agency: As indicated in the textbook, â€Å"agencies can be particularly effective when the firm is looking for an employee with a specialized skill. This is most certainly the case for a large number of CdS’s positions. However, the two largest drawbacks to this option are the high cost of hiring an employment agency to find the talent and finding an agency that specializes in recruiting artists of this nature. †¢ Job Fairs (â€Å"Red Curtain Events†): These events, held around the world, attract a large number of candidates at any given time, allowing recruiters to meet with potential future employees providing the recruiter with an opportunity to see what the artist has to offer CdS. Although job fairs reach many candidates at one time, it involves an extraordinary amount of staff time and resources, as well as a significant cost investment for the venue. †¢ Employee Referral Program: â€Å"Studies have shown that employees who were hired through referrals from current employees tended to stay with the organization longer and displayed greater loyalty and job satisfaction than employees who were recruited by other means† (Gomez, Balkin, Cardy, 2010). Employee referrals are generally inexpensive and usually produce quick results. Downsides to this may include a lack of diversifying the workforce (only hiring those who are â€Å"like† those making the referral) and potentially may create narrow thinking rather than generating new ideas/creativity which is an important attribute to CdS. †¢ Circus School Recruiting: In the typical business world college recruiting is the norm. Not so for CdS’s unique needs in the performance arena. CdS, instead, can turn to performing arts youth circus schools around the globe such as the one in Highland Park, Minnesota, Circus Juventas where children and youth ages 3 – 21 train and perform in circus arts (Circus Juventas, 2010). The Montreal Circus School for the Arts brags that they have a placement rate of 95% since 1981 and that they â€Å"contributed to the emergence of such companies as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Eloize and The 7 Fingers, whose performances are applauded around the world (Kindah, 2009-2010). The benefit of this type of recruiting is that it is inexpensive and provides an opportunity for a recruiter to witness the skill of many potential candidates by simply watching a performance. The drawback is the age of the youth who may not necessarily be able or willing to hire on with CdS until well into the future. Decision-making Criteria †¢ External vs. Internal Candidates: To reduce the cost of recruitment and training, internal candidates are an excellent source when openings arise. Use of promotions and job rotation/reassignments show employees they are valued, increasing morale within the organization. However, when internal candidates are not deemed to be the best qualified, external candidates should be considered. Although many external recruitment techniques reach many candidates at once, it may involve a significant amount of staff time and resources. Forecasting: Forecasting for human capital starts long before recruitment begins. Understanding labor supply and labor demand is a crucial first step to designing a recruitment plan. As indicated in the textbook, â€Å"failure to plan can lead to significant financial costs. †¢ Yield Ratios: Recruitment efforts must be able to solicit/recruit more candidates than it expects to hire since some candidates may be passed over (de clined) during the selection process, and others may not accept the job offer. Taking this into consideration will ensure CdS has enough individuals in the candidate pool for proper selection and placement to take place. †¢ Timeline for Hiring: Recruitment can be thought of like a circle, there is no beginning and there is no end, rather it is a continuous process. Everyone who works for the organization should consider themselves a â€Å"recruiter† and be marketing the organization as an â€Å"employer of choice† in all venues. Any good recruitment plan will have recruitment activities outlined for both short-notice needs and long-term strategic planning initiatives. For example, when an immediate need occurs, such as the case when CdS was dealing with a high percentage of staff injuries, referrals from current and former employees may be a terrific, quick, and inexpensive resource. However, when time is on their side, Olympic Games and job fairs are strategies to deploy when looking ahead to future shows. As stated by Theresa Witham in her article, Stable Staffing, â€Å"If you treat recruitment as a process rather than an event, you’ll always be able to move quickly when you need to increase staff† (Witham, 2009). Types of Positions: Decisions as to where to recruit will be made based upon the type of position needed. Office setting versus performing artist will require different tactics. Typically a recruiter will not use a sporting event to look for an office support position and vice-a-versa a recruiter would not typically look at a business college for a performance artist. Positions that require extensive travel may require a different approach altogether, ensuring candidates referred understand the rigors of the road. Even extending a contingent job offer, pending background, reference, physical information etc, can have its drawbacks. The recruiter will only have a partial picture of the candidate to whom an offer is extended, and once the â€Å"full picture† is in the decision is made to rescind the offer problems can arise. Conclusion The ability to effectively recruit requires a commitment not only on the part of CdS leadership, but of each employee, regardless of role in the organization, whether an individual is a manager or supervisor.