This Process, is Ridiculous

You know what they say, the first sign of madness is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result. Now, bear with me as I share a recent experience that's left me scratching my head.

Just last month, in a job market starved for candidates, I had conversations with 45 amazing individuals who were eager to find a job in Portugal. Out of these, I managed to secure interviews for 12 of them, and incredibly, 10 ended up landing the job. Impressive, right? But wait...

"Why only 12 interviews out of 45 candidates?" Well, that's where my brain goes into overdrive and I'll take you back because I love a story...

I applied for a job in Greece as a hotel entertainer right after submitting my university dissertation back in 2006 (I think). I applied, had a 20-minute chat, and was offered the job within 10 minutes, I had zero experience in this job, didn't really know what it was but was eager to learn a new job and get the expeirence of living in a new country immersed in a different culture. It took me longer to craft my CV.

Here's my point – many of my clients are seeking similar profiles for customer service or content moderation roles, where experience isn't always necessary. In fact, it's a great starting point for many. They usually ask for bilingual candidates, and that's about it. So, why don't all 45 of my candidates get interviews?

An example. Suppose a client needs a German-speaking content moderator. They review videos and ads and rarely interact with anyone except their colleagues. All they need is to speak German and have a B2 level of English. I interview a candidate who fits the bill, and they're excited about the opportunity and I think they're a great person, well motivated and excited.

Sadly for everyone involved, they're going to be a lucky 1 in 4 to get an interview.

I submit the candidate to the client's system, and a "screener" eventually calls to qualify them, usually within the internal SLA of 48. If the candidate doesn't pick up (maybe they're indisposed), they (on occasion) get disqualified. If they do answer and the chat was good, they get sent some tests – a German test, an English test, and a computer skills test. Which itself is a bit puzzling? They're a German speaker from the DACH region, I'm English, and it's 2022 (3 now) – most know how to use a computer, especially if they're right out of Uni.

Assuming they pass these tests (and by now, we're several days in), they're set up for an interview with an internal recruiter, adding another 2 days. And then, there's a third interview with a project manager, where they're asked similar questions to what I asked 10 days ago. The process stretches on, and for the sake of sanity, I'll spare you the rest of the details.

The interview the candidate and I want is that crucial third interview. The process takes longer than it took me to fly to Greece for a job I applied for on a whim! Why are we making such a simple decision so complicated? My candidates don't need all these tests and three interviews over 12 days. They need a quick job offer and some security for their future, which I do and the clients pay me to do.

If you're in the same boat and wondering why you can't find staff, trust me, there are plenty of candidates out there. It's just the process that's utterly ludicrous. Let's chat about how we can make it better – because it really can be that simple.