We ran a two part article series in the newsletter which finished this week about recruitment consultancies from a candidate perspective. I’ve had some great feedback including this comment:
"Just a quick email to say I read and really enjoyed your article which was Part II of ‘A Candidates View Of The World Of Recruitment’. In fact I have sent it round the team to read as a reminder of how valuable a candidate is and that a live vacancy to fill isn’t always the ultimate priority."
I’ve also had an email from Mike (who works for an Executive Search firm in Berkshire) who has actually met with the candidate in question and here is what he said…
That makes very interesting reading and hits a number of sore points which our industry always suffers from. It’s important to re-establish this industry in a better light with senior candidates.
The main issue with recruitment businesses in my opinion, and a point you make, is how short term and narrow minded they can be. Personally I try to work for Consultancies that have a strong strategy and business plan in place. I didn’t in the earlier days; I tended to go after big corporates and was completely money orientated. Unfortunately there are many nowadays that are purely focused around short term gains and put consultants under extreme pressure to hit targets, which fundamentally causes the sort of problems you have experienced.
I think it’s important to be honest from the outset with the candidate. At this level if you don’t realize that this person is going to be in a decision-making capacity then you belong in a different job. I try to meet and work with people that I think I can help. Those I can’t help, I will always try to point them in the direction of someone who might. Being rude, not replying and generally being unhelpful are inexcusable. This is undeniably a people business. It is however impossible to talk to all candidates who make contact, but again you’re absolutely right they all deserve the respect of being contacted in an appropriate manner. A well organized support team is worth its weight in gold and in terms of assisting these candidates. Regardless of what type of recruitment business you are in, this should be the absolute minimum requirement.
There is, as you know, a difference between contingent and search companies. Some of the bigger and more branded companies have become arrogant, lazy and complacent in their approach. They have an awful reputation in some cases but clients still use them because of the established brand and perhaps previous successes. They could be seen as secure. We can’t complain about that but perhaps encourage clients to look a little deeper such as you have done. This sort of feedback will eventually return the industry to a respectful status. Some rarely listen to feedback but they can’t ignore it when it is publicly announced.
Over the last 10 years there has been a huge development of all types of recruitment businesses. It is now only what can be described as a “volume market” with the client having lots of choice in addition to the big brands. It’s not a rocket science/academic orientated industry and fairly easy to make good money. Therefore it has opened its doors to many different types of characters. The more hungry service orientated companies, particularly some of the boutiques, in my experience can offer the complete package to both clients and candidates. They do need to be well organized and structured for that to happen. We all make mistakes and it is naïve to suggest that we will deliver to everyone but it’s also about how you deal with that problem when it happens.
Although it’s a temptation to work for big brands if I stay in recruitment for the next 10 years, it will be with a business that is focused around building long term relationships rather than solely profit focused. I would get sacked for this comment in some of the companies I’ve worked for but….. It’s not all about money with me any more (of course I’d be lying if it wasn’t partly). The company I work for doesn’t try to be something they are not but what we do in my opinion we try to do extremely well and the companies we do business with initially, tend to last for many years afterwards.
