“This job would be easy if it weren’t for the candidates” is something I’m sure we’ve all said. Sometimes it’s said tongue in cheek – sometimes (rightly) totally meant! As part of our 600 Interesting and Useful Things for Recruiters series I’m going to suggest 10 Ways to Act Like You Give a Stuff about The Candidate
1. Firstly, “acting” like you give a stuff isn’t quite enough. Yes, sometimes candidates are quite annoying and get in the way of the day job. However, the really really successful recruiters are the ones who believe that the needs of the jobseeker are right at the heart of the recruitment process. You’ll be amazed at what slots into place once you start to truly care.
2. Listen and comprehend. Knowing what your candidate wants, needs and is capable of will make all the difference down the line.
3. Understand the client spec. Obviously that’s a key skill anyway – but it certainly helps you fit the right peg in the right hole.
4. Be honest. You don’t need to tell your candidates *everything* but hoping they don’t find out that the company is being restructured, the healthcare package is rubbish or the boss has sacked the previous seven incumbents may backfire.
5. Call when you say you will. Phoning to say “there’s no news” may take you a few minutes but will keep the candidate more on side than leaving them dangling.
6. Prep them. I am amazed at how many recruiters don’t properly prepare their candidates for interview. Yes, they should be doing some research themselves but why not equip them as best as you can.
7. Update your CRM. If you’re in a business where more than one recruiter could have a role for a candidate it’s ultra important to update the CRM. However, even if it’s you just dealing with them don’t rely on your brain to hold all the important information.
8. Don’t pillage their contacts. I’m all for getting referrals but nothing is going to make a candidate feel worse than knowing you ONLY ever call them when you need to know who they know!
9. Remember one day they could be your client. Showing off about your manipulation skills, or how you swizz the expenses is just foolhardy (and believe me I’ve seen it happen).
10. Buy them sweets on their first day. I pinched this one from Lisa Jones – send them a big jar of sweets with your company name on it so that a) they make friends on their first day and b) everyone in the office knows who the best recruiter is.
Feel free to add any I’ve missed!
Hi Louise,
And thank you for a great post! For a recruiter, I believe it is very important to pay attention to the candidate experience – just as you said, one day the candidate might be your client. Also, I am a firm believer that whether we want it or not, employer branding begins already when the recruitment process starts, not when the candidate signs the contract.
When it comes to candidate experience and employer branding, I recently wrote an article about Aalto University (located in Helsinki, Finland), who aim to enhance their employer brand by using video interviews as a part of their recruitment process. They also got very good feedback from the candidates about their experiences of using this method when applying for a job. The whole article can be found here: http://bit.ly/1i2kQaz
What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe, that candidate experience and employer brand can be improved with technology or tools? Or do you perhaps have some experience of video interviewing and its effects on candidates and employer brand yourself?
Again, thank you for a great blog post and have a great year 2014!
BR,
Samuli Ahola / Recruitby.net
http://www.recruitby.net/en/introduction/
@samuliahola
Interestingly Samuli I’m planning a blog on how video interviewing can be used by agencies to differentiate their offering
Wow, that really is interesting – talking about timing! Your blog topic sounds really interesting and I think there are various ways a company can set themselves apart when it comes to employer branding (using video interviewing). We are actually publishing one example tomorrow on our web page – if you are interested, I can send you a link to the article as soon as it’s available.
Since your blog topic is in the heart of our business and expertise, I am more than willing to assist you if there’s anything I can help you with (examples, data, infographs, customer feedback, candidate feedback etc). My email is samuli.ahola@recruitby.net, and Twitter, well you already know where to reach me from there 🙂
Let me know if I can be any help – either way, looking forward to your future blog post!
Hi Louise,
Great points about making impression on candidates!
Every recruiter should realize – just as you said – that one day their candidate might just be their client. It is important to pay attention to the candidate experience – and, the employer brand you are communicating.
I believe that creating your employer brand does not start when your new employer signs the contract – it has already begun during the recruitment process. First impressions are the most lasting ones, and the recruitment process as a whole is a great opportunity for the employer to make a lasting impression on the candidate – whether the candidate gets chosen for the open position or not. All the little things – such as the ones you listed – add up, and create that impression.
I recently interviewed Aalto University’s (located in Helsinki, Finland) HR Systems Manager Martti Rahkila, and he was a firm believer that Aalto University’s modern employer brand was greatly improved when they decided to start using video interviewing in their recruitment process. The whole article can be found from here: http://bit.ly/1i2kQaz
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think that using video screening as a part of the recruitment process can have an positive impact when it comes to candidate experience & employer branding? Do you perhaps have some own experiences related to this?
I believe that providing a great candidate experience is very important – whether you are recruiting for a client or for your own company.
Again, thank you for a great blog post and have a succesful year 2014!
BR,
Samuli Ahola / Recruitby.net
http://www.recruitby.net/en/introduction/
@samuliahola