Steve Norton, Head of Talent Acquisition at Aston Martin Lagonda

In this interview, Adam Gordon speaks with Steve Norton, Head of Talent Acquisition at Aston Martin Lagonda, about recruiter enablement and the transformation of Aston Martin's talent acquisition function. Here are the key points discussed:
1. Background and Recruitment Experience:
Steve Norton has extensive experience in global executive search and talent acquisition. He has worked across various industries, including FMCG and technology, before joining Aston Martin.
His role often involves fixing or setting up talent acquisition (TA) functions, focusing on four key pillars: people, process, technology, and assessment/selection.
2. Transformation at Aston Martin Lagonda:
When Steve joined Aston Martin, the TA function was primarily an administrative, transactional process. It involved little more than sending CVs to hiring managers and scheduling interviews.
Over the past 2.5 years, Steve has led the transformation of this function into a strategic sourcing team, focusing on enhancing the candidate and hiring manager experience.
3. Strategic Changes:
Steve emphasized building a TA function that focuses on treating candidates well from the first point of contact, aiming to reflect the company's values through a positive candidate experience.
They implemented structured processes to improve hiring manager collaboration, such as detailed briefing calls and the use of tools like Adhook for better job adverts.
The changes resulted in a more efficient hiring process, reducing the average number of interviews needed to make a hire.
4. Data-Driven Approach:
Steve stressed the importance of using data to measure the effectiveness of the recruitment process. By tracking metrics like interview-to-hire ratios, the team has been able to continuously improve their processes and demonstrate their impact on the business.
They also focused on the return on investment (ROI) from using tools like LinkedIn, measuring the engagement and influence of hiring managers in the recruitment process.
5. Enabling Recruiters and Hiring Managers:
The team has worked on providing recruiters with better tools and resources, including improved job advert templates and interview question banks, to help them perform their roles more efficiently.
Hiring managers are also trained to use their networks more effectively, share job postings, and actively engage in the recruitment process, which has significantly increased engagement and optimized candidate sourcing.
6. Process and Experience:
Steve highlighted the shift from managing a recruitment process to creating a candidate experience that reinforces a positive perception of Aston Martin as an employer.
The approach now focuses on every touchpoint with the candidate, ensuring it aligns with Aston Martin's brand values and enhances the overall candidate journey.
7. Team Acknowledgment:
Steve emphasized the role of his team in bringing these changes to life, giving credit to their dedication and hard work in transforming the talent acquisition function.
The discussion showcases how strategic recruitment enablement, combined with data-driven insights and a focus on candidate experience, can significantly enhance a company's talent acquisition outcomes.