Recruitment 101

In the fast paced world of recruitment it can sometimes be easy to forget your manners and ensure that all candidates are treated with the same respect and courtesy. In this blog, James Payne, Sales Director, Adapt suggests going back to the basics with tips for recruitment 101.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

It can be a long process to head hunt a candidate to fill a specific role, ensure the profile is a perfect match and employment history ticks all of the boxes. So what happens when contact is made and you are faced with a negative response – they just aren’t interested in the role? Using basic skills and responding with a thank you email at this stage is vital to ensure that when the candidate is ready to make the move they contact you – not someone else. It shows you respect and value their time, and an appreciation that they made the effort to respond.

Ultimately, listening to your candidates is key. They may not be ready to change jobs just yet, your vacancy may just be that little bit too far away for them to happily travel or the role may not be the right fit for their skill set or career goals. Respecting your candidate goes a long way, and listening to them and contacting them at the right time will pay off in the long run.

Pick up the phone

There is such a heavy reliance on email nowadays. It is quick and efficient and can save precious time spent on fruitless phone calls, but it can be seen as impersonal. Unless you know a candidate really well it is hard to personalise an email with the kind of sentiment that can be used during a phone call. Finding out that Mary has two children and she takes them to football on a Tuesday is much easier via a phone call. It helps to build a relationship and provides an immediate reference for any future interactions!

Yes, email is effective but phone calls are better for building and strengthening relationships. It is, of course, essential to speak to candidates at a time that works for them – ensuring you don’t call them at a time when they are at work is critical. If not, you could end up creating an incredibly awkward situation for them with their current employer.

The same applies for the candidate pipeline. While maintaining candidates that you already have and while developing newer candidates, personalising your approach is something that will set you apart from other recruiters. Yes, a vacancy needs to be filled quickly but finding the right person to fill it and taking the time to find the right fit is critical to both the candidate and the client.

Don’t leave ‘em guessing

After weeks of calls and emails an interview is finally in place, but is your candidate prepared? Providing your candidate with the necessary information and ensuring that they are confident and feel supported is vital to a successful interview. An unprepared candidate can reflect badly on the recruiter. Your client will potentially be asking you some tough questions if the interview is a disaster and could look to use another recruiter for future roles. Leave nothing to chance, preparation is key.

After an interview it is essential to follow up with the candidate and the client – having the candidate feedback will be really helpful when asking your client what they thought and vice versa, provide them with the interviewer’s feedback, and gear them up for the response whether positive or negative.

Don’t leave people guessing, let them know whether they have got the position they have applied for, and also provide them with feedback where they have been unsuccessful. Offering feedback will put them in good stead for other interviews and help to develop skills.

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