The best recruitment processes require clear communication, an agreed process, timescales and agreed dates in diaries for updates, interviews and feedback calls between the hiring company and the consultant working on their behalf.
This is a joint effort that if the basic principles of structure and process are adhered too will result in a smoother well run process for Client, Candidate and Recruiter thus limiting the external risk of missing out on the best person for the position. The steps below explain how to get the most out of your consultant and run an effective recruitment campaign.
Consultant / Agency Selection –The recruitment market is a mine field and can be very daunting, especially to smaller companies who are less experienced in working with Recruitment consultants. Agencies vary in a number of ways i.e. industries they cover, locations they work, job types, level of positions.
My approach would be to first understand what agencies/consultants have worked similar positions to the one’s we are looking to recruit - Have these positions been within a relevant industry sector? Can any of your colleagues recommend any recruiters that have provided excellent service in the past? Who do your competitors use? Does the consultant have a LinkedIn profile – This is a useful tool as they may have referrals on their profile from past assignments they have worked.
Do your research before selecting who would like to work with, a lot of recruiters talk a good game and will tell you what you want to hear, finding a good one is hard but will pay off in the long run. Be selective, engaging multiple agencies and consultants will have a detrimental effect on your process – More is not better, if your consultant is good enough they should be able to deliver what you want.
Running through the Role Profile –You’ve selected the consultant you would like to work with, term’s of business are agreed, time to explain what you need. My first bit of advice, get your consultant on site to do this. Throughout the first stages of this recruitment process the consultant is the face of your business, they are presenting the opportunity to candidates that maybe unaware of your business, first impressions count and the best candidates, likely to be passive will have a lot more buy-in if your consultant understands your company / process / site in-side out.
Run your consultant through the competencies of the role, the essentials and non-negotiables. Be realistic, the person ticking every box rarely exists; explain where you are willing to compromise and what is most important. Once this is understood, clearly explain the personality profile required, what would complement the business / team / culture – The consultant should then be able to sift these people out once the search starts, matching people against skills is easy, finding the person with the right behavioural skill sets is hard.
Process –The consultant is briefed, understands the business need and is ready to go, time to map out your process. Be clear with the consultant on what your expectations are – Different levels of service are available depending on your preference, the consultant should act as the first stage of your process – Would you like them to interview candidates against the competencies face to face / video conference / over the phone ? What key questions would you like the consultant to ask for you? How would you like your candidates scoring? Get the most out of your consultant – You are paying for a level of service, a level of service that should take all the upfront labour away from you. These early stages are where the consultant screens out all those unsuitable applicants, if you’re receiving 10 CV’s from the consultant to review then the process is not working. You should not review CV’s; if you’ve fully briefed your consultant then you should expect a lower volume of candidates that are all matching the essential core competencies and behavioural requirements specified.
This should be your expectation; all those submitted should be suitable for interview. When the process is agreed match up diaries and agrees dates for each stage – These can include CV submission / Interviews with Consultant / 1st Stage Interview with client / 2nd Stage / 3rd if needed / Offer Date / Potential Start Date (notice period dependent). Get as much as you can in your diary as early as possible, this will not only help the consultant but also candidates will always in the loop, and you can also give realistic time scales on having someone in place to your own manager.
The 3 tips above will help you run a pain free recruitment process, it benefits all concerned and works! Happy recruiting!
