It’s rare for a recruiter never to lose a top prospect. After all, “A” players are in demand, and retaining them from first contact to job acceptance involves not only a deft recruiting approach but also that magic “fit” with the right opportunity at the right company.
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Still, there are things recruiters can do – and do better – to give themselves every chance of closing the deal with a top candidate.
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Consider this: In a recent survey of nearly 200 managers and executives, fully 25% reported that something had occurred during the hiring process that made them decide not to work at a particular company. These negative experiences included such things as rude treatment, long waits, insufficient follow-up, a protracted selection process, and unprofessional behavior on the part of the interviewer.
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Thus, as the hiring climate tightens, it makes sense to look at your own behaviors to make sure that you are not losing a top prospect through neglect, oversight, or another easily remedied activity.
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; s, ?( V* G* tRecruit like you mean it
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$ I$ |- \ S# K, z" ^6 ?•Respond to resumes. As simple as it sounds, just confirming receipt of a resume is a smart strategy that will elevate you above the vast majority of recruiters and employers.
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•Stay in touch with candidates. When you’re promoting a candidate for an immediate opportunity, naturally you stay in touch. But what happens when the process bogs down – when the hire is put on hold or hiring managers are slow to act?
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Candidates frequently complain that they don’t hear back following an interview, can’t get their calls returned, and feel like they’re in limbo. In many cases they assume the opening has been filled with no word to them, and they are left with a bad impression of the recruiting industry and the hiring company. So when you get back to candidates two or three weeks later, don’t be surprised if they treat you coolly or inform you they are no longer interested.
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You can help prevent these misunderstandings and negative outcomes simply by letting candidates know what to expect and staying in touch – even when all you’re reporting is “no news.” Not only will you make your candidates happy, but you’ll reduce or eliminate repeated follow-up calls from candidates wanting to know what’s going on.
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rovide honest feedback. If candidates are not a good fit, let them know and let them know why. They will appreciate and benefit from your honesty.
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Influencing the hiring manager’s actions
" T n; B* g) o1 WUndoubtedly you have limited influence over the actions of hiring managers; you can’t control how your hiring manager conducts his or her end of the search process. But consider these ideas to help make the process more efficient and effective.
3 ^8 }7 D( }& _1 z•Clearly define job scope, challenges, and desired competencies. Sometimes companies rush to hire without thinking through their needs. This leads to aborted searches, a bad fit, or a long-drawn-out process during which the job description morphs from one
