The problem with secrecy in recruitment

It is common practice within the recruitment industry that a Recruiter is hesitant to reveal the names of the companies they work with.

Recruiters worry that if they tell a candidate which company they're representing then word will get out to other Recruiters who will approach their client and compete against them to fill the vacancy.

The upshot of this approach is that the candidate has no idea which company their CV is being sent to. Their details are ending up in the inbox of an unknown manager in an unknown business. So how can they know that this is an opportunity they are really interested in? The simple answer is...they don't.

In the meantime another Recruiter comes along and talks to them about a wonderful, interesting company that they're working with. The Recruiter names the organisation and goes into specific detail about the company's background, present requirements and plans for growth. They discuss the working environment of the company and agree mutually that this would be a great fit for the candidate. The candidate consents to have his CV submitted for the role, completely unaware that his CV has already been sent there by another Recruiter.

Most clients operate a "first come, first served" approach to CV submissions. So, to make life easier, the client agrees to interview the candidate through the Recruiter that sent the CV first.

This is frustrating for the Recruiter that has taken the time to speak in detail with the candidate, really understand their skills and experience and have matched this company and role to them. Whereas the other Recruiter just got a lucky break!

Invariably the candidate then gets caught in a battle between Recruiter A and Recruiter B as they try and force them to take a side between who they'd rather be represented by.

In my opinion this whole process has got to stop! It is detrimental to the candidates, the clients and to the reputation of the recruitment industry as a whole.

The recruitment landscape is changing. As the economy continues to grow, the biggest problem that recruiters, and employers face is the shortage of skilled candidates. Over 65% of companies are planning to grow their headcount in the next quarter. As the talent shortage worsens there is a strong likelihood that this will start to happen more and more, as Recruiters will send the CV of any good candidate out to all of their clients in the hope that one will bite!

Recruiters, you should be proud to represent your clients. A good quality recruitment service involves helping our clients to raise their profile as an employer of choice in the local area. We can't do this if we don't disclose who they are. Secondly, we will waste less of our own time if we assess early on in the process that the company and its values suit the candidate that we're putting forward. Again, we can't do this properly if we don't disclose who they are. Finally, if we have a strong enough relationship with our clients then we shouldn't worry about other Recruiters approaching them to win their business. We should be confident in the quality of the service we're delivering that they would continue to use us as their recruitment partner of choice because we represent their business well in the market.

Candidates, you should not entertain any conversations with Recruiters who won't be upfront and honest about the company they're representing. Never consent to having your personal details sent out unless you have a clear idea of exactly who they're going to. For all you know they could end up on the desk of an old employer, or worse still, your current employer! Make sure you keep a list of all of the Recruiters you speak to and exactly where your CV is going to, you owe it to your own professional reputation to have control of your image in the market.

Clients, be aware that this is happening and think carefully about the sort of Recruiters that you want to work with moving forward. As the market continues to improve, it is going to get harder to find good candidates, and poor quality Recruiters are going to turn to these tactics more and more. You need to be adept at spotting the consultants who are going to have your companies best interests at heart, those who are proud to represent your business and help you grow your brand. Perhaps ask the Recruiters you work with to sell your vacancy back to you over the phone. This will give you a good idea of how your business is being portrayed in the market. If you don't like the way they're representing you then tell them that you don't feel confident working with them. It is your choice and you don't have to go with a "first come, first served" approach. Especially on something as important as the recruitment of your staff and the reputation of your business.

The phone call that a candidate gets from a Recruitment Consultant is often the first point of contact many prospective employees will have with your company and your brand. This first impression is crucial and, until they are invited in for an interview, their entire view on your business is in the hands of how this Recruitment Consultant represents you. Make sure you select the Recruiters that you work with as carefully as you would choose your own members of staff. They have a much more powerful impact on your market reputation than you can imagine.

So let's all work together to ensure there is transparency and honesty in the recruitment process. Let's make sure that good quality Recruitment Consultants who are willing to work hard to represent their clients are rewarded fairly. This will result in a better process for both the client and the candidate.

If you're interested in raising the standards of your recruitment process then please visit the REC website who are currently running a campaign entitled The Good Recruitment Campaign. This campaign is targeted at setting an expected level of best practice in the industry and is supported by some of the UK's top employers.

https://www.rec.uk.com/about-us/policy-and-campaigns/the-good-recruitment-campaign

Cherry Swayne - IT Recruitment Manager - DP Connect Ltd - 01223 828232