The Official Blog of Benifys HR Solutions

One position, multiple applicants – but still one of them has to be and will be selected, what gives? To complicate things further some of them might even have the same educational qualification and experience, what’s the deciding factor? Selecting the younger of the two is what happens at the Universities, not necessarily at the workplace. The interviewer will not feel compelled to hire you only because you look good on paper, in fact Cavett Robert estimated that 85% of the reason you get a job, keep that job, & move ahead in that job has to do with your people skills & people knowledge.

We went ahead and asked some seasoned recruiters the one thing that candidates do which completely ruin their chances of making it, listed below are the most common answers in no particular order:

1. Being defensive – Some people seem to be engaged in an ever lasting battle in defending their point of view, or their career choices and amongst other things. There are a few things to be considered here – (1) An interviewer might be testing you for how flexible you are, (2) You might actually have made some mistakes, but you don’t want to admit them, (3) You are the sort of person who starts their argument based on a defense, e.g. “Although I wanted to be in the healthcare industry, but I wasn’t good enough for it”. Either of these ways, you’ve set the alarms ringing in the mind of the recruiter.
2. Complaining a lot – Traffic was bad, it’s always too hot or too cold, the office is not anything like what you expected, the pervious employer exploited you, they had the wrong business plan, you’re sure the future employers will too… these are the kind of things that an interviewer does not want to hear from a candidate. Think of an interview as a one hour job where you have to be at your best behavior and highlight the positive aspects of your personality, go easy on the complaining. Nobody wants to hear it.
3. Narrating scripted answers – This might be acceptable to some extent for students right out of college, but as a seasoned professional you are expected to talk about your careers so far and the way ahead in an ‘as it is’ manner and not as you think the recruiter wants to hear it. Stephen Paul says “When you give up your own truth to win at someone else’s game, everyone loses”.
4. Being arrogant – This actually happened with a recruiter – A candidate for an IT position came in for an interview on time and well dressed and the whole drill… score? Sure. He had good credentials and a consistent employment record… win? Absolutely. Now, as part of standard selection procedure, he was asked to take a half hour written technical assessment when he realized he didn’t have a pen on him. He asked the recruiter for a pen and was quick to show his impatience when the recruiter too couldn’t find one. And that was the moment of truth in the interview, no points for guessing the outcome.

Recruitment is one function of HR that plays a major part in deciding the success of the organization as well as defining the organizational culture. How, then, to ensure that you, as a recruiter, recruit only the best for your company? Finding the ideal candidate for a position can be a tricky proposition as it does not require only qualification, but also behavioral skills and attitudes which make a candidate suitable for the job. Some ideas that can help recruiters find the right person for the right job:

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Craft the Job Description carefully:

A job description is the starting point of recruiting for any position. More important than the job description, is the process that is used to develop it internally. One very good way of doing this is to assemble a team of people who represent the best qualities of the people who currently hold the same or a similar position, including the hiring manager. The job description has to delineate the KRAs of the position. It should also include the major behavioral characteristics required for the position. The second step would be to cull out those parts of the job description that will be used to screen resumes and start phone screening. The phone screening gives an idea about what to expect from candidates for the position in question and thus, help in framing interview questions.

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Tapping Employee Networks:

Nominate employees to participate in various conferences, workshops, and trade shows etc. This would not just build networks, but also create visibility for the company in the industry circles thus attracting potential candidates. Develop a system for keeping in touch with the contacts thus formed either through telephone or e-mail. A company newsletter would also be a great way of staying in contact with people. These can be posted on the company website and/or sent out using mailing lists.

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Use Your Website:

Your company’s website is a potentially powerful medium of attracting employees. A well put-together website conveys the vision, mission, values and culture of the organization to the viewer in the most convincing manner. The ‘Jobs & Career’ section must sparkle with personality so that a potential candidate feels “this is the place for me”. Also essential is an easy interface for submissions of resumes and clear indications on who to contact and how to contact for any queries or questions.

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Maintain Frequent Contact:

So you have got a pool of resumes for various positions in your files. What do you do with them? Don’t just let them languish. You might not need them right now, but a requirement might arise at a later date. Keep in constant touch with them so that all your momentum is not lost. Let them subscribe to the company’s newsletter or have a mini newsletter designed especially for them. Keep them updated about the recent job openings. They can also bring in references for other positions. Nurture the association into a long term relationship.

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Use Recruiters And Headhunters:

Sometimes, it can be worth the money to use recruiters and headhunters. These professionals usually have a database that they have accumulated over a period of time and can most of the time find the right kind of candidate within a short duration. They are especially useful when hiring for senior positions or positions with specific technical expertise.

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Harness The Internet:

Use the internet for attracting a larger number of applications. Various websites provide job-listings as well as resume search services either free of cost or at a charge. These websites are also ideal for accumulating a database of resumes which are relevant to the different roles in your organization. Moreover, these make the process easier as these websites generally have an interface which makes it possible for the recruiter to key in the keywords for a position or select them from a list.

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Become An Employer Of Choice:

What opinion does a potential employee form about your company? The first thing to consider would, of course, be stability and profitability of the company. Other than that, candidates are also affected by how employee-friendly you are, how evocative your vision and mission statement is, how much sense of purpose do you convey, does your organization nurture talent and provide opportunities for growth and so on. And remember, the devil is in the details. It does matter to the candidate if you return his phone call, if the interview questions are succinct and probing, if you give him feedback even if he is not selected, if he feels appreciated and valued. All the little things do make a difference. To become an employer of choice, act like one.

Recruiting right and recruiting the best, is a skill that can be honed over time. With the assistance of the tips and tricks mentioned above, recruiters can take another positive stride in the direction of good recruiting.