Ok, so you’d rather not use a recruitmentconsultancy but due to time constraints andbusiness requirements, you find that you haveno option. So how do you get the best out ofthe service we can provide? There are threemain aspects to a good working relationshipwith your recruitment consultancy, these are:-

Trust “Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, orcharacter of a person or thing”

When we engage with a new client, one of themost important aspects of this new relationship isTRUST. We will meet with you, find out about yourorganisation, how it ticks, what makes it successfuland the ethos & ideology your organisation is basedon. We’ll also find out about the role you’rerecruiting for, what kind of personality or culture fitwould work so we can match the perfect candidateto your organisation.

Honesty “The condition of being honest, sincereand fair”

Along with Trust, HONESTY is vital in therelationship. We will consult with you every step ofthe way; we’ll even tell you if things aren’t going aswell as we’d both hoped. We would rather tell younot to take someone on than be faced with areplacement situation further down the line.

Openness “Characterised by an attitude of readyaccessibility (especially about one's actions orpurposes); without concealment; not secretive”

So, together with Trust and Honesty, OPENNESS isthe third most important aspect of the relationship.If you’re using other agencies, tell us; tell us whatyou have done so far to fill your vacancies; let ustailor our campaign to include something youhaven’t thought about.

Communication is vital to set expectations – this

goes both ways, we’ll tell you how we will go aboutattracting the right candidates, we’ll tell you how theprocess is coming along, who and how manypeople we’ve made contact with. But you need totell us whether you’ve received sign-off or are justdipping your toe in the water. Tell us how farthrough the process you are, whether you’re at 1stor 2nd stage or have offered someone but want tohedge your bets. Tell us what your timescales andbusiness constraints are and we’ll work with you toachieve your goal.

Promoting and protecting your business is ourprime concern but a lack of communication andhonesty can really damage the reputation and PRyou will have strived so hard to achieve. From acandidate point of view if they don’t have apleasant, open and honest recruitment processwith your organisation, it can seriously damage theirview of your business. Candidates talk to eachother, they’ll pass on their experiences oforganisations and as we all know “word of mouth”can work two ways – positive and negative.

Case Study (lack of honesty & openness)

A few months ago we were approached by a clientwho hadn’t worked with us for some time butthey’d continued to hear good things. They askedus to submit CVs for a specific role. We wentthrough the process of advertising the role,contacting prospective candidates via social mediaand online job sites and conducting pre-screeninginterviews.

From all the CVs, the client chose one candidatethey liked and wanted to interview. The candidate,however, was from Romania but was looking tomove to the UK to start a new life and new career.We arranged a couple of Skype interviews and theywent very well. Skype was the best way forwardbefore inviting the candidate to the UK for face to

face interviews.

The client wanted to progress, but they neededBoard level approval to invite her to the UKbecause the next part of the process would involveobtaining a work permit. The client was preparedto pay her flight and accommodation whilst in theUK so they just needed the sign-off for that. Theygot it.

The candidate spent two full days being shownaround the offices, the different sites and met thepeople she would be working with. During her visitshe learnt more about the geographical area shewould be working in and what local attractions andamenities there were. She thoroughly enjoyed hervisit.

However, when we caught up with the client andobtained their feedback, they we less than positive.It emerged that they didn’t have sign-off for therole. The client made reference to the ‘long winded’process of obtaining a work permit and they wouldneed to advertise the role externally in order tosatisfy audit procedures.

This came as a great shock to us as they’d alreadyadvised they had sign off to invite someone to theUK, pay for their travel and accommodation and ifthey wanted to offer them the job, they had theapproval to apply for their work permit. Ourcandidate was devastated.

If the client had been open and honest with usfrom the outset, we would have been able toadvise them and the candidate of the best possibleroute to take, but by not communicating with usthe client appears dishonest and untrustworthy,which will tarnish their reputation and make usseriously reconsider working with them again.

www.thecareerboutique.com

IT TAKES TWOThe Career Boutique tell B4 readers how ‘Trust’, ‘Honesty’ and ‘Openness’ are fundamental building blocksto getting the right advice when it comes to your recruitment needs, and growing your relationship withyour chosen consultant.

www.b4-business.com82 www.b4-business.com 83

B4 ADVICE

“Promoting and protecting your business is our prime concern buta lack of communication and honesty during the recruitmentprocess can really damage the reputation and PR you will

have strived so hard to achieve”