We recently talked to Client Manager Louise Shorrock about how important it is to offer feedback on candidate profiles in a timely manner when working with a recruiter. Here are her thoughts on the time-sensitive nature of recruitment and how hiring managers can make this work to their advantage.

How can time become an issue in the recruitment process?

As recruiters we often find ourselves in a catch-22 situation: the hiring manager is overwhelmed with work and desperately needs to hire another team member in order to be able to focus on their own role, but because they are so busy, they are unable to invest the time needed to play their part in the recruitment process. 

What kind of difficulties can this lead to?

Candidates can become frustrated with a slow hiring process to the extent that they disengage completely. Conversely, the faster you are able to provide feedback on candidate profiles, the more likely it is that you will hire a top candidate, as those candidates know their worth and will simultaneously be looking for roles in different companies. The most sought-after candidates are more likely to be snapped up quickly, so time is of the essence.

Are there any other consequences that hiring managers should be aware of? 

Yes. Any delays in the early stages of a search can and do multiply: waiting several days after the agreed timeframe to send feedback on an initial presentation of candidate profiles could easily lead to a delay of weeks or more, as some or all of the candidates presented may no longer be available, which means your recruiter will have to begin their search again and find new candidates.

It’s also important to note that delays in the review process have an impact on candidates’ perceptions of both the hiring company and the recruiter involved. As your recruiter will be communicating regularly with candidates and keeping them informed of their progress, when a delay occurs, their correspondence with candidates effectively becomes a series of ‘no-update updates’. This creates a bad impression for both parties and ultimately this could cause a candidate to question whether they would want to work for you as an employer.

Can all of this be avoided? How?

The key is in the communication between the recruiter and the hiring manager. I personally will discuss and agree on expectations at the beginning of a search campaign, including an agreed-upon time limit for profile reviews. Once that time has elapsed, I then know to follow up with the hiring manager to remind them to give feedback. This works as a kind of unofficial Service Level Agreement between both parties to make sure the process keeps moving forward. I would also always make sure that I have the contact details of more than one person who is involved in the hiring process in case delays occur as a result of unexpected absences.

Is there any other advice you would offer to hiring managers?

From our perspective, any feedback on potential candidates is good feedback. Even if the feedback is negative, this can help your recruiter home in on what’s important to you, and it can shape discussions on whether the salary offered is going to match the skillset needed, for example. I will always aim to find and present one or two candidates relatively early in the search process, as the feedback helps me to gauge the parameters and allows me to find better suited candidates.

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At this time of year, commitment and relationships might be at the forefront of our minds, but have you thought about how commitment (or a lack of it) affects your relationship with your recruiter? Search Consultant Nathan Falconer is here to explain:

Are there really any similarities between romantic relationships and recruitment?

[Laughs] Possibly. There seems to be a parallel with the early stages of dating, when you might have a short-term mindset and date several people simultaneously, as it’s common for clients to engage more than one recruiter on a search campaign. But as happens with this kind of dating, there comes a point where you might decide that this isn’t working in the long term, and that’s when we would recommend talking to your recruiter about other options.

What options do those looking to hire have?

Here at Delve we work with clients on both a retained and a contingent basis, dependant on the circumstances. Contingency recruitment works on a no-win-no-fee basis, in which the recruiter is only paid if they succeed in finding a suitable candidate who the employer is willing to hire. This is the most common arrangement in recruitment, so clients aren’t always aware that there is an alternative. Retained search, on the other hand, involves paying a non-refundable fee for the undertaking of agreed search services. This fee represents a percentage of the overall cost, usually around a third.

What is the impact of these two different models?

In contingency work, the recruiter has no guarantee that they will be paid for the work they carry out on any given project. Recruiting firms which work on this basis therefore often take on more projects than they can expect to successfully complete, which in turn means that their recruiters have less time to work on any given assignment. A recruiter working on a contingent basis will therefore choose to work on roles which will be easier to fill or where they think they can beat the competition, which means they won’t necessarily be prioritising your assignment.

But aren’t two (or more) recruiters better than one?

It will always depend on the situation, but the short answer is not necessarily. Firstly, if recruiters know that they are competing to fill a role, then working quickly will become more important than doing good work, as they are in direct competition with other recruiters to find the first suitable candidate. Secondly, multiple recruiters will discuss the same role with the same candidates, and as a result may even put forward the same candidates for the role. This can lead to candidates having a less than optimal impression of the hiring company

What about the alternative: exclusivity?

It may not be right for every role, but deciding to pay a retainer and work exclusively with a recruiter comes with a number of benefits. Working on a retained basis means that the recruiter can take the time to prioritise your hiring assignment and to focus on the role in question. They will also improve the way in which they present the role to prospective candidates because they are able to work in a more focused manner, and as a result they are more likely to find better candidates.

Retained search results in a more engaged process from both sides: it allows the recruiter to really get to know the employer and their business culture, which means they are more likely to find a candidate who is a good fit, and it means that you, the employer, are more engaged in the process. Working on an agreed basis means that you are kept informed of developments in the search process.

 But isn’t there additional risk in paying a retainer?

Although the upfront cost of retained search is an obvious concern, it’s worth noting that the overall cost remains the same as working on a contingent basis – the only difference is that a percentage of the recruiter’s fee is paid prior to the introduction of the new employee to the employer’s company. Some might also worry about whether the recruiter will take the retained fee without following through on finding a suitable candidate, ‘will they take my money and run?’ The reality is that this would ultimately do more harm to the recruiter in the long run, and that not completing the agreed search would do serious damage to the recruiter’s reputation and their relationship with you, the employer.

If you’re now questioning whether your hiring strategy is really working for you, feel free to get in touch.