Recruiting With Integrity
As a professional in the field of recruiting now for nearly 20 years, I have experienced the good, not so good, and everything in between with recruiters, candidates and companies. From working in a competitive full desk, to in house HR to now in my own business, there are a few basic principles I would like to share.
In the early days of recruiting, I was oftentimes informed people and companies avoided recruiters as they were salespeople and untrustworthy. I didn’t understand why as I was dedicated to helping people find the job of their dreams and companies find the perfect match for the position.
To those who may have experienced less than desirable outcomes with a recruiter, I apologize on behalf of everyone in this profession. I hope you recognize the value in what a true professional does, and be open minded to working with a recruiter in the future who works and operates with integrity.
Here are some basic guidelines for both recruiter, client and candidate I would like to share.
Recruiters:
Understand you are representing your company with every move you make throughout the candidate experience. From application to conclusion, what you do will not only reflect on you as a professional but will be the representation of candidate’s perspective of the company. You are the first impression.
1. Be respectful of candidates. The biggest thing to remember is you are involved with one of a person’s most important decision of their professional lives, their job and career. We have all been on the other side of the conversation and know how a positive experience feels despite the outcome.
2. Be honest about the position and company. Your goal as a successful recruiter is to have little to no turnover and offer to acceptance rates that move you to the top of your profession. Misrepresentation or lack of detail of the company or role will result in a reduction of successful placements and reduced turnover.
3. Communicate, communicate, communicate-no news to report is much better than silence any day. I can’t stress this enough.
4. Leave everyone you talk to with a positive affirmation of their abilities and candidacy going forward. If they do not land the job they had interviewed for, it is a let-down and can result in an emotional state. They might have invested a significant amount of time in the interview process and could use a boost of confidence and affirmation as they pick up and move on.
Clients:
Know that a recruiting professional is trying to help you build your most precious commodity human capital. People are the company, and the key to success.
1. Do your research and find a recruiter who has a specialization in the position area you are hiring for. Make sure they have tenure in the role, which provides speed to results with their established contacts and understanding of the position and business. You may have to pay a little more for their services, but compared to making a poor hiring decision, or an extended hiring process, it is worth it.
2. Be available and responsive to questions and inquiries along the way.
3. Be honest and upfront about every aspect of the company and position, good, bad, or indifferent
4. Treat the recruiter as a trusted partner and allow them to do their job. Ask for their insight and opinions. Knowing they can’t make any decisions for you, they have been down the interview process multiple times, and tend to pick up cues, red flags and gut instinct.
Candidates:
Whether you are working with a recruiter inside of a specific company, or one who works through a firm or agency, here are a few tips. A recruiter is there to help and guide you as best possible, with no guarantees.
1. If you engage in any way with a recruiter, email, phone, zoom, or in person, it is fair game for you to follow up and ask questions regarding status of your candidacy. Many times, a recruiter will become overwhelmed with work, or be waiting for updates from the hiring managers themselves.
2. Remember unless you have engaged with a recruiter you are paying to help you find a job, (I am not familiar with this model nor do I operate this way), the recruiter is representing the company. They are either being paid by the company or are on company payroll.
3. Be honest throughout the process with the recruiter and company. If you are not interested in the job at any time during the process, let them know. An interview is a two-way interaction and you have every right to stop the process at any time. This is more desirable than moving further along in the process with little intension of accepting the role.
4. Communicate on a timely and professional manner for every step of the process. Whether it be written, verbal or in person, your recruiter is observing for those cues
(see #4 under Clients) which will influence the hiring decision. Be on time, be professional, and follow directions.
In the end, people are people. People look for jobs, people help people land a job, and people add jobs in their company to provide opportunity. The basic principle of “treat others as you would want to be treated” is a fair statement for all to adhere to in recruiting.
It is a small world, and at the end of the day, your reputation and that of the company is what differentiates the good, not so good, and everything in between.
Diane Steele, CEO of Steele Recruiting offers National Executive Search services for Executive Assistants supporting C-Suite Executives, and private career coaching.
Diane can be contacted at diane@steelerecuiting.com or steelerecruiting.com.
