Is it us, or does the world and everybody in it expect things to be done ‘yesterday’?
From what we understand, it has taken millions of years for our planet and the life that inhabits this place we call Earth to have evolved to the stage it’s at right now.
Judging by the behaviour of some – there is still a long way to go!
So with this multi-million-year evolution in mind – where does our current impatience stem from? Is it the media? Or is it part of our ‘timeline DNA’? Maybe we were always destined to be this way!?
We’re going to relate this current dilemma to the recruitment industry, and we’ll attempt to break down what we see in every day actions of all parties involved:
The Recruiter:
Almost all recruiters are guilty of this – (even if it happens only in the early stages of their careers), but why is it that recruiters expect decisions to made ‘immediately’ by candidates and / or clients, if the ground work hasn’t been done?
Before ‘giving the offer’ to your candidate, did you know that he/she had 5 other final stage interviews lined up as well as yours? What about the fact that the candidate who represents your ‘biggest deal of the month’ is going through a messy divorce and is unlikely to be in a position to start in 4 weeks’ time (as requested by the client), due to all of the ‘personal issues’ he/she has to deal with, before being able to focus energy into a new challenge with a new employer?
You may know that your client needs someone to start ASAP – but did you ask them the reasons why? Is it due to something positive like ‘plans to expand the business’? Or is it because the role itself is a ’75 hour working week’ with international travel – fit for 3 employees and not 1?
Maybe the last two people left the position due to ‘burn out’…
It is only with a ‘deep sea dive’ into the circumstances and the real motivations and challenges faced by your clients and candidates that you can then get on with providing a world class recruitment solution.
If, as the recruiter, you work only off the ‘titbits’ of information (presented by the employer and potential new employee) your quest for a ‘quick turnaround’ is likely to end in tears…
With experience comes the ability to see the tell-tale signs of such potential calamity – but it cannot always be predicted, and without a particular process having been followed, everything can come crashing down like a house of cards.
Cutting corners to achieve quick success is typical of an epidemic sweeping not only the recruitment sector, but that of our wider society as well. I call it the ‘microwave society‘ syndrome.
Recruitment is a great industry, but we think it is important to step back, take stock and view things with a ‘wide lens’ from time to time. This way, clients, candidates, recruiters and suppliers will have happier stories to share around the camp fire.
The Candidate:
Are you the person that applies to 5, 10, or even 15 jobs at a spin?
Well the games’ up!
There is very little chance of you being able to field dozens of calls from dozens of recruiters; and expect to perform at your optimum level… Especially if you are still committed to your current employer.
In my opinion, it could make more sense to ‘strategically focus’ your job search to a smaller number of roles by reading job adverts fully and matching your skills closely with what is being asked.
The expectation that ‘all recruiters are great recruiters’ and will be able to glean the information that they need from a generic CV, and then have the time and ability to extract even more relevant information from you over the phone, in a 5-minute conversation during your lunch break – and then potentially ‘repackage’ your resume specifically for the client that they represent, is quite fanciful to say the least.
As the candidate; it is important to recognise the very significant part that you play and it needs to be played to perfection.
If we were to break this contribution down to a percentage point, I think it would sit at around 33%.
So, 1/3 of the probability of landing the ‘ideal’ role is apportioned to your dedication and application as a candidate.
If you haven’t:
– taken time to produce a great CV
– targeted a small, relevant cluster of job roles/adverts to apply for
– put yourself in a position to answer calls from the recruiter (and the client)
the likelihood is, you’ll be staying in your ‘75 hour working week‘ job for a little while longer…
The Employer:
Before we get into this – if any of our clients are reading – there is a very strong possibility that this doesn’t relate to you! Jonothan Bosworth Recruitment Specialists have been fortunate enough to work with some of the most efficient and understanding employers, and we thank you!
However, there are some employers that have a ‘default setting’ and that is: they want the best employee(s), found within the least amount of time, for a ‘not-so’ market leading salary/package.
This is where the phrase ‘ready-made‘ really takes centre stage.
As employers; we recognise that it is not going to be easy to find ‘top talent’ because the best [recruiters] in the industry are typically being looked after by their current employers.
Without realistic and / or appealing offerings from a client, the recruiter ends up fishing in a stagnant pond – with very few ‘desirable’ fish to choose from.
Operating in these ‘marsh-like’ conditions can lead to unwanted results.
When most companies ‘start up’, there is a concentrated effort to train staff, to infuse new employees with the culture, and there’s always a desire to retain the best people…
As a business begins to grow, sometimes the training manual starts to collect dust on a shelf, the culture starts to shift because the CEO no longer has the time or energy to continue promoting his/her ‘message’ to the new people entering the fray. Ultimately keeping a watchful eye on the ‘wellbeing’ of all employees becomes a distant memory…
…Hiring more and more people into this melting pot can sometimes be a recipe for disaster; the ’employee conveyer belt’ starts to turn a bit faster and before you know it, job descriptions get written in a rush to counteract the ‘leakage’ – and are written without the spark they once had and the wrong people are hired because the recruiter is under pressure to deliver quickly. The ‘vicious cycle’ continues.
In Conclusion…
As recruiters, we need to share these feelings with our clients and candidates. If you lose the odd client or candidate because of your honest, but constructive assessment of their supermarket style ‘dash for the ready-made’, it simply means more time can be spent working on the ‘quality’ aspect of the service provided by your business.
If as a candidate you see a recruiter ‘doing the right things’ in order to enhance your ‘journey’ – let your new employer know… it may mean that the employer raises the bar across their whole supplier group; placing extra importance on the recruiter that provides the most thorough and professional service – which in turn can improve your working life, should you become a hiring manager.
…Maybe it’s time for all parties to put the ‘Super Noodles’ away, and get back to serving up ‘Michelin Star’ quality…