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In 2014 there will continue to be a lot of discussion around some of the trends we’ve been chatting about for years: employer branding, social recruiting, improving the candidate experience, tapping into your employees’ networks for referrals, and leveraging technology and/or social media to assist with all of these.

I believe however that in 2014 we’ll see an increase in the discussions around “internal recruiting.” It’s a concept that has been with us forever but can take on new life when viewed with the same level of excitement and fervor with which we breathlessly gaze at the new !– shiny! – sexy! way of recruiting that everyone clamors for today.

The beauty of internal recruiting is that you can accomplish it within the 4 walls of your business; there’s no need to brave the elements as you feverishly endeavor to amass details on the unknown candidates.

Why does this make sense for internal recruiting?

• We talk about ‘going where the candidates are’ as the most efficient way when sourcing, searching and seeking to make connections.  But you know where those candidates are? Right down the hall from you.  They’re also listed in your company directory, loaded in your HCM system, and have a Development Plan in your Learning Management System.  Go find them.

• Speaking of the LMS that your Training Department implemented several years ago, do you realize how many nuggets of information are captured within its data files?  If the information has not been integrated with your HCM system (and due to organizational silos it’s possible it hasn’t) then you need to get access so you can view the development records of your employees.  If your organization believes that employee development is important so that employees can gain new skills, and they then do so, you must be able to mine that valuable information.

• Organizations have discovered the value of creating internal social networks for collaboration and communication and your employees are hanging out on them.  Are you visiting the various groups and message boards on your internal networks? Who are the SMEs who are viewed as informal leaders or go-to-people?  Find that out and have a chat with them about their career aspirations.

• You’ve got access now to all sorts of social media tools and HR technology solutions that allow you to share job openings quickly and efficiently.  You may be rocking the super sourcing skills you’ve acquired as you churn and burn in Google or LinkedIn or any number of niche arenas you’ve entered.  And that’s fun.  But make sure your existing employees are aware of job opportunities in the same timely manner your external audience does; sometimes – even in this techy/social world – positions are filled before internal people are even aware the job is open.  Yes…still.

You’re in a “war for talent;” I get it.  And your hiring managers are telling you “there’s no one internally who has the KSAs I need to fill XYZ position.”  I get that too.  At the same time your company promotes employee development and a learning culture so you’ve made, to some extent, a promise to your employees.  Right?

You need to realize that some things never change and one truth continues to be that if your employees are not afforded the opportunity to grow, learn and develop with your organization they’ll leave to go do it somewhere else.

I leave you with one mantra for 2014. Look inward.