It is rare for me to work with candidates who
lack experience working with recruiters. After 18 years in the executive
search business, most of my work is with
senior executives who know the drill. However, from time to time I am asked to
perform a lower level search to help a client. In those cases, I often work with candidates who lack
experience working with an Executive Recruiter. The vast majority of
these folks are interested in learning how the process works and how to work
most effectively with me. Instinctively, they know that I am there
to broker the transaction and to help them to the extent that I can.
There are times when the candidate is unable or unwilling to work within the
system. Invariably, those candidates fail to land the job. In fact,
they tarnish their reputations with the client and with me.
Without a doubt, the most egregious example of a
candidate's bad behavior is going around the recruiter, contacting the client
directly, an end run so to speak. In my Executive Search career, I have
only had three candidates try to bypass me to ingratiate himself into the
mix. In every case, it ended poorly
for the candidate. My first incident was working on a search for a
Corporate Director of Taxation. One of my candidates was not forthcoming
with important background information, so
I put him on hold. I advised him that I could not move him forward in the
process until he provided the required information. This candidate became
incensed and actually told me that he would be contacting the client
directly. So, with that information,
I gave my client a heads-up. Predictably the candidate embarrassed
himself and was eliminated from consideration. Actually, the situation
further enhanced my relationship with the client as they appreciated my
judgment and communication. The second situation was somewhat similar, except
for the fact that the candidate did not come close to fitting the client's
profile. Again, the results were predictable.
The most recent situation was a little different,
but the results were the same. This candidate was qualified to do the job
and was in the queue. We had several steps yet to complete before I
could present him to the client. I needed to do an in-depth phone
interview to understand fully his background
and capabilities to be followed by a face to face meeting. Unfortunately, the process was not moving along
fast enough to suit this guy. He thought I was deliberately blocking
him. So, this candidate executes his end run contacting multiple employees, via
phone and email including the hiring manager. I knew that he had a
contact inside the company, but it was
not a strong enough connection to really help him. His behavior was
viewed as unprofessional and unwarranted. He disqualified himself as the
client decided that he was a poor cultural fit. If he had worked with me,
the outcome might have been
different. He clearly did not appreciate the strength of my relationship
with the client.
In each case,
the candidate failed to understand or appreciate my bond with the
client. When a client hires a recruiter,
they do so with great care. The recruiting and selection process is
critical to the client and full of risk. There is a significant level of
trust between the client and the recruiter. There must be! The
stakes are too great. The client looks to the recruiter to manage the
process in an effective and efficient manner that reflects well on the client's
brand. In support of this goal, before I begin a search I get clear direction
from the client as to the job requirements, the experience required, and the
skill sets they want to see in a candidate. We also become aligned as to
the client's culture. I design my searches to ensure that
the candidate can do the job, will do the job, and will be a harmonious fit
with the client's culture. It is not in my best interest to
eliminate a candidate that meets all of the client's criteria. Likewise,
it is not in my best interest to move an unqualified candidate forward.
My work reflects on my credibility and on-going relationship with the client.
If a recruiter contacts you with an opportunity
which you decide to pursue, your responsibility is to work within the
parameters established by the recruiter. You may or may not like
the recruiter, but the recruiter is
driving the bus. Your job is to be a good passenger and enable him to get
to the required destination. One must understand that circumventing
the recruiter is a high-risk proposition
that seldom ends well for the candidate.
Key Points to Consider:
1. Nurture relationships with recruiters.
2. Work with, and through your recruiter.
3. Understand the relationship between the
recruiter and hiring manager.
Thank
you for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoyed my point of view and
would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward
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Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
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