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Recruitment process and strategy………do you have one?

So, this is one of the biggest soapboxes that I jump on. I hear so many clients, candidates and recruiters say how frustrating the recruitment process is. And clearly there are many different perspectives on the reasons why this is the case. These range from complaints of introduction to inappropriate candidates who don’t fit the brief, to little or no feedback within sensible timeframes to lack of communication and salary offers not matching those advertised.

A question I don’t ask as much as arguably I should when speaking to clients is, “do you have a recruitment strategy?” What I mean by this is very simple, but very often completely overlooked. Simply put, it means, “have you thought about the reality of the process?”

Many companies seem to make plans and strategies for all manner of aspects of business: sales, marketing, financial targets, growth etc. My question is, “who is going to deliver this?” If the answer is anything other than existing staff, unless a S.M.A.R.T. recruitment strategy is in place, that organisation is setting themselves up to struggle, if not fail completely.

Recruitment strategy should include aspects such as budget, market knowledge/testing, interview techniques, feedback and offer process, procurement and evaluation of external suppliers. Often, from an external providers perspective, it can feel like there’s an expectation of us going to the candidate freezer and defrosting a few suitable candidates! This, even in an industry where the skill shortage, and the lack of much clear idea of how to solve it, has been apparent for the duration of my 20+ year career! This, for the record, isn’t a viable strategy!! It sometimes feels like an abdication of the process, when it absolutely should be a partnership arrangement between client and supplier.

Many recruiters call themselves Recruitment Consultants. In reality, many are Job Fillers, working with box-ticking methods and google type, keyword searches. A true Recruitment Consultant, in my opinion, is someone you can consult with about recruitment. That sounds obvious and it should be……often it’s not. I believe a true Recruitment Consultant understands the market, both in terms of candidates and in more general terms such as trends, and can help clients develop and implement a S.M.A.R.T process. I can and enjoy working with clients who value and need that help.

By
Chris Burgess – May 2024

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