Recruiters On TEST

There are so many professionals who are involved in the recruitment function of HR. I have few questions to them and expect them to help me understand it better.

• When you send so many unwanted / unexpected (by the candidate) emails of job offers, and when the candidate responds to you attaching his CV. Don’t you have a responsibility to update him. Here are some responses;

• • Candidate gets a standard reply – We will see if your profile suits the position. Else we will keep your details in our data bank.
  • A one line acknowledgement – We got your CV and we will get back to you in 7 days (Which never happens)

• • There will be no reply to the candidate at all, not even an acknowledgement

When a call comes from a recruiter to a candidate, it is full of energy, respect and affection. The best quality of voice modulation and tone is selected to speak to that candidate. (Because this is your interest…..you are on a hunt).

After seeing no response, when the candidate calls you to take a follow up, you the same voice and person are a total stranger this moment. Trying your best to recognize the candidate and the instance when did you speak to this person, totally engrossed in recalling the episode forgetting that the caller is waiting for you to recognize and acknowledge the contact you made him. Giving him nothing but an embarrassing moment

Why is this change of Behavior? Your search or hunt for a suitable candidate is of so much prime importance that you tend to forget that you work under one of the functions of HRM which is meant for the people development.

Any inputs ?

Sajid Rasheed

Hi Sajid,
My input to this post is by way of experience only!!!! I have experienced every single thing that you have mentioned here....Here I was a HR professional with sufficient experience, good potential and willingness to learn and grow - but the responses for my application were shocking!!! Made me think as to what was wrong with my CV....!!!!
It was absolutely no response (or) half-hearted mechanical response (or) standard response of 'will get back to you/your CV is in our database'!!!!! This was the first time that I experienced such a disconnect with the recruiters!!!!
When discussing this with friends found out that this is the way it is here!!!! but WHY??!!!! I am still puzzled....!!!
The irony is once in a company I find that most of us are treated/respected well for our experience/exposure/compentency!!!!
Geetha

I could not have agreed with you more Geetha. I also talk out of my experience of finding a job here.

On one side everyone wants to hire the best. On the other, once a candidate sends a resume, thats it! End of process!! Followups do not work & repeated calls would be answered with "We will get back to you."

I also thought that there was something missing in my resume which is inviting a cold response.

On thinking of why this behavior of recruiters, I found a strange thing about this region. All employers want the best candidates who have worked on pretty much everything while they are not fully willing to pay for the experience of the person. And this indecisiveness crops more from the business side who are more concerened about the bottom line & the year end balance sheet number. Resultant, the HR Teams stand out to be more laid back & unconcerned about applications that they recieve.

Another reason that I thought fitted well was that since the development of this region, focus has been more on oil & gas sector & back then labour was availble for cheap rates & also in plenty. Only now, with the opening up of the economy & the incoming of the big MNCs the so called talent pool has depleated alarmingly & in a bid to meet the rectuitment numbers, recruiters are tending to practice the human element less. As also the competition is the recruitment industry must have increased drastically with so many players in the market.

All these must have played a role in recruiters losing the human touch to their work.

Regards
Shaila

Its beyond me why there would be a change in behaviour when the first call was polite and nice however to address why emails, cold calls, follow-ups aren't properly addressed I would point out the following
1) Volumes of phone calls, emails and faxes received for candidates. I personally get no less than a dozen calls a day from candidates enquiring about the position, nothing less than a 50 to 60 emails per position per day (mostly resumes that aren't even close to understanding the position) and several faxed resume copies which I more often than not ignore. (Rude... I know).
2) Tight deadlines to fill positions - new person must join before the expiry of the current employee's notice period.
3) Competition not just from other companies but from within your team where your performance is rated based on how your team member has done.

Having been in the same situation myself when looking for a job I had made a vow never to be rude or impolite, belittle aspiring candidates, etc. Trying very hard not to break that promise. Would I be blowing my horn if I were to say that I've actually been commended for my patience..... :-)

Dear Abl (Sorry. refering you with your ID)
Thanks for your inputs. This is what we want. Real recruiters to have some retrospection in the processes involved.

Cheers

Sajid

Hi
Anymore recruiters opinions ?????...............I can uderstand they must be busy headhunting to complete the monthly headcount !!
CHeers
Sajid

HI sajid,
I accept the above msg, most of the recruiters do the same as a Standard reply. We will get back once shortlisted or we will get back in 7 days time or no response.

But as a recruiter what ever the mails which I received through the response. I will try to communicate the candidate who falls under my criteria. If I am posting for MBA, But iam getting mails from 12 th student. How its suitable to call such type of people.

But If iam calling the candidate for the job. The candidate taken the interview from the said client. But he is not through the interview. IF Iam not getting the similar Job opening for the candidate to place. Still I will update the candidate about the job opening by taking personal interest through my networks for such type of candidates.
Still iam successful in that profile.

Regards,
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Dear Sravanan
Thanks for your reply to this post. I really appreciate that you take so much efforts to keep the applicants posted on the developments. Let it be a positive or negative outcome, but you do make sure that you update them. BRAVO !! Thats great I should say and I am sure many many readers on this forum will appreciate this habit of yours and this will take you a long in your professsion.
As for a 12th guys applying for an MBA position, common we cannot take such examples as a yardstick to deal with all situations. This can happen once a while and not always. Its unrealistic dont you think so ????
But anways I am glad you understood the importance of keeping posted on the developments atleast to the deserving candidates.
Cheers
Sajid

Sajid,

The inputs from the members were great.

From my personal experience in the region I attribute this trend to the following reasons:

1. Most of the companies who recruit directly or through small recruitment agencies do not possess ample resources at thier dispoasal to act in a professional way. It is often seen that a HR Dept comprises only a HR Manager and a HR Generalist who is burdened with all aspects of HR and not just recruitment. In such situation the 'professional HR behavior' gets a back seat and preference is given to 'getting the work done' rather than 'how it is done'. However, companies which have dedicated recruitment departments or personnel handling recruitment functions do provide the right and required feedbacks to all the applicants. A prime example amongst recruitment companies in UAE is Clarendon Parker who give timely and relevant feeback to all the applicants.
2. HR Dept in majoirty of the Companies in the Middle East especially in UAE are headed by people who are more of 'Administration' professionals rather than being 'HR Professionals'. They are at the helm of affairs by virtue of thier seniority, having been in the company for 20 or 30 years and they in real terms lack knowledge of such a professional HR behavior. When presented with such ideas they consider it as mere 'time wasters' and force the juniors pros not to practice such things.

In my earlier days here in the middle east, when i was working in a much junior position in HR, i had been personally instructed by one of my superiors not to waste your time on giving feedbacks to candidates rather pick the right ones and do not entertain any enquiries from other candidates.

I personally feel as dedicated HR Professionals no one would want to lose the 'Human touch' but are compelled by the circumstances to act in a totally indifferent mode.

Last but not the least to add to Shaila's views, Recruitment and Retention in the Middle East has never been as challenging as it is now.

Thanks and Regards,

Narayanan Kutty

HI Sajid,
Iam sorry you have taken the Example as Wrong. I said 12 the Standard Student is also applying for the same job. which is been posted for MBA Graduate. so Obviosly we can updated him right. Thts the msg iam conveying you here. Thanks for you reply.
Regards,
Saravanan..