What the Recruitment Process looks like – for Client and Candidate
A little bit about me…. My Recruitment Story began in 2005. Leaving University I was unsure what career path to take – so moving to Dublin and starting a job in a Recruitment Agency seemed like a pretty good option!
I have worked with Gilligan Black Recruitment for over eight years in total, but still remember my first few weeks when I was learning the initial ‘ropes’ – I say the initial ropes, as every day is a learning day in Recruitment, every phone call brings about new knowledge and every conversation with a colleague gives a new insight. But I do remember those first few weeks and had to ask a lot of questions! Which got me thinking… Do people really understand the Recruitment Process?
Time and time again when I meet with a candidate they will ask me – ‘do I owe you anything’, or a client that might ask ‘ok, what’s the next step’…. So I wanted to write this piece to bring a little bit of clarity for those who might not fully understand the process.
In a nutshell – it is my job as a Recruitment Consultant to work with Companies and find them the best Candidate. It is my job to work with both and manage the process and from each side there are certain key points.
Client: It is important as a client to really give as much information as possible when discussing a new role. I like to ask questions when a new role is activated, so I really understand what they are looking for. These might include:
What does the role entail? How many people are on the team? Why is the position available? What is the salary and are there any benefits? Have you been searching for this role for some time? What’s lacking in the candidates you have already interviewed? etc. etc. etc.
Candidate: It’s so important to go through a rigorous registration. I want to find out all about your past roles; what you’ve liked and what you would rather move away from. It’s key to engage at this early stage so we are both on the same page. This is where the relationship begins!
In terms of the Recruitment Process – in an ideal world it would look something like this:
There are so many layers involved, and as a Consultant I manage each hiccup and bump in the road. From re-scheduling interviews to dealing with counter-offers, the process is not (or very rarely!) straightforward.
So what can we all do to ensure that the bumps are smoothed out and the process is an enjoyable one for everyone involved (including me!)
The key for me, is communication. Communication at each stage in the process means asking the right questions and fully understanding and manging the process.
I am a constant point of contact throughout – knowing what is involved in the interview process and making sure that the candidate is prepared accordingly. It also means knowing if the candidate is interviewing elsewhere and likely to be ‘snapped up’.
It has taken me a number of years to get to where I am today, and I have seen lots of changes throughout my time – but one thing has remained constant and that is, that everyone likes to be kept updated and informed, and we can only do this by communicating with each other. If you are a Client looking to hire, or a Candidate looking for a new job – don’t hesitate to give me a call and we can start the process together.
1 Comment
Hello,
I am doing some research into the recruitment process and best HR procedure.
Please let me know the accepted best HR practice regarding interview notes taken on the day of the interview. Are they normally retained and if so for how long? has an unsuccessful candidate the right to request sight of these notes under GDPR (to ensure parity with the more traditional score sheets normally issued after a feedback request)?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Lorraine