Member Article

Angela Anderson from Zenith People on ‘If you throw enough mud at the wall some of it will stick’

Recruitment can be an up and down industry. There are many fantastic recruitment companies out there employing exceptional consultants, but more and more often we come across companies with such poor processes and culture that they’re giving the industry a reputation for poor quality, flawed practices and an ‘anything to make a quick buck’ mentality.

Certainly, some of the inferior recruitment businesses we’ve come across justify that reputation, but for the rest of us, it becomes damaging and unfair.

We’ve come across several actions lately which we think not only go against best practice but also against the codes and ethics of the Recruitment Employers Confederation (REC), the recognised body for the recruitment industry. Although members of the REC are expected to conduct themselves to a certain standard, our industry is not licensed or policed and examples of bad practice go unchecked and unpunished.

Examples of bad practice we’ve come across recently include:

- Candidates being submitted to Clients without being I.D. checked, interviewed (either face to face or over the phone) and without being told they’re being put forward for a role

- Recruiters sending 15+ unqualified applications to a Client in the hope one will be relevant

Screening and qualifying applications, along with keeping Clients and Candidates informed form a critical part of recruitment best practice. Every client should expect this from their recruitment partner, especially if the recruiters are members of the REC and Clients are paying not insignificant fees for their services.

These bad processes can lead to:

- a reduction in the quality of Candidates put forward

- invalidated CVs which may contain false information and contravention of current recruitment legislation

- no assurance the Candidate is interested in the role or the company

- unnecessary increases in waiting time for Client and Candidate

- losing out on quality Candidates

- damage to the reputation of the Client amongst potential Candidates

- no value for money

There will always be a difference in opinion on what constitutes as best practice and what processes should or shouldn’t be used, but our experience has taught us to be thorough and ensure our Clients receive value for money for the fees they pay us. We focus on quality and, before our clients even see a candidate’s CV:

- Applications are sifted and Candidates are phone screened to gauge their level of interest in the role and ensure they have the relevant skills and experience

- Candidates are then interviewed in-depth and face to face

- Candidates are I.D checked and their qualifications are verified

- References are checked

Following these processes ensures all Candidates are qualified and suitable for a role, not only in terms of skills and experience but also in terms of personality fit. We build up a good relationship and understanding with our Clients which allows us to assess whether a Candidate is right for their organisation and culture.

This thorough process also means we can make life easy for our clients by sending only a few high quality Candidates their way rather than 10-15, of which only a small percentage may match their requirements. It also allows us to make sure people are who they say they are and ensures we meet the requirements of the REC.

We find these processes provide quality and save time for our clients - ultimately offering them excellent value for money.

Do you use a recruitment agency? Are any points raised here familiar? What process does the agency you use follow? Do they provide value for money? If you’d like to make a comment or have a conversation about recruitment please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Angela Anderson .