There's a nagging headache in the world of recruitment that simply won't be remedied with a couple of paracetamol!
1. The Client – you need to communicate and you need to be communicated with
Lots of organisations out there are being brilliantly proactive with their commitment to aligning their vision to their values and then applying these to the recruitment process and actively seeking candidates to fit their culture – bravo, as this takes time, energy and commitment but most certainly is worth it in the long run for employee engagement and retention.
However, there are lots of organisations out there that are forgetting the absolute basic still in the recruitment process – communication and communication throughout! I have experienced how little recruiting companies communicate with their applicants or if there is any communication there, it is rather blunt, basic or bewildering!
In the last month our daughter, has applied to eight different vacancies, she has had a reply from only three of these so if the others advertise again she simply won’t apply and these are local and national brands!
To those organisations, I suggest to you, that you can find the time to be polite, that you can find the time to be consistent, that you can find the time to reply to all applicants as ultimately your recruitment behaviour affects the image of your corporate and employer brand out there in the community.
2. The Candidate – you need to communicate and you need to be communicated with
Lots of candidates out there are being brilliantly professional with their commitment to recruiting organisations by spending dedicated time updating their LinkedIn profiles, reviewing the details of the role, researching the company, moulding their CV to the vacancy and applying for the position through the various applicant channels accordingly with patience and professionalism.
However, I believe there are lots of candidates out there that are forgetting the absolute basic still in the recruitment process – communication and communication throughout! I have experienced through clients advertising for candidates recently, how little candidates communicate with the recruiting organisation or if there is any communication there, it lacks commitment, it lacks care and it lacks clarity!
To those candidates, I suggest to you, that you only apply for that position if you want the role, if you are excited about the role, if you are invested in the organisation’s beliefs and plans. If your head and your gut are saying yes yes yes then go go go and fully commit and fully communicate throughout the process (even if your messages are not what the company wants to hear, it is better to hear it, than to be left guessing).
3. The prescription – it is a common condition that can be treated
The NHS describes a migraine as ‘a very bad headache with a throbbing pain on one side’ and the pain here, is lack of communication.
In any recruitment process think about the foundations and get your basics of crystalclear communications absolutely spot on before moving on. This is even more important as we embark upon a recruitment world of AI, technology, digitalisation and society demands.
And from a panellist at a recent workshop, we were informed of how they had turned their recruitment activities upside down and inside out recently to address their recruitment challenges, taking a refreshing approach to ‘recruit on attitude and train on skill’. So sometimes, through trial and error, through listening to others, through considering our own individual business recruitment needs, we can find the prescription required to manage the migraine.
As I work with clients across the region, if you do feel a migraine coming on then give The Efficient Elephant a call to stop the pain before it kicks in!
You can email Hayley on hayley@theefficientelephant.co.uk or call her on 07739985959.