We failed in Recruitment?

The cold season is here and so is this chilling information.

We failed; it is very difficult for any recruiter to admit that they failed. After analysing our recruitment work from 2020/2021. Out of 10 roles we recruited/placed , 3 of them were unsuccessful.

Recruiting accountants has had the biggest failure rate. Most of the failure came from behavioral traits of the candidates. They will be very good during the technical interview process and assessments, however once they join the organisation then the interesting habits start to appear, lifestyle habits, politics, non- attendance and other issues.

The most success is in companies where we are engaged fully on a day to day basis as a dedicated/ in house Human Resource managers, probably because we are able to provide clear deliverables including job descriptions, monitor the candidate and even support in the termination/exit process ,if the candidate is not able to meet the expectations.

Most employers are also uncomfortable to terminate employees; so the company ends up keeping the new hire even after the probation period.

Our key learnings:

• Rushing the Hire- This makes it difficult to get a good candidate as any candidate is a good candidate when you are in a hurry. 
• Not creating an accurate job description- If it not clear, then problems will arise just like any other relationship, if terms are not clear, there is bound to be a problem.
• Failing to consider recruiting from within- The learning curve for a new hire is longer as compared to a person who has been with the company
• Relying too much on the interview- There are professional interviewees, who even procure services of experts to guide them on how to pass an interview like an exam. Provide a trial period ( 1-2 weeks) or more technical assessments.
• Using unconscious bias- Just because the candidate comes from a location you know or know his family does not mean they are a good hire 
• Hiring people less qualified than you- The more qualified they are the easier your job will become( Qualification does not mean papers, it means their ability to deliver) 
• Rejecting an overqualified candidate-Refer to Previous point 
• Waiting for the perfect candidate-  There is no perfect candidate and as recruiters we cannot perform magic - Actually no should promise a perfect candidate 
• Listen to you recruitment panel- Your gut feeling is important , but listen to other peoples opinions
• Relying too much on references.- In my 15 years experience in HR, most references ( even direct company contacts) will never tell you a candidate did not deliver, they only give information if there was an extreme case like theft
• Expecting too much, too soon from a new recruit- No one can perform magic, the deliverables have to be clear, realistic and able to be measured.
• Too Many processes -  If the interview process ahs to many tests, interviews etc.. The good hires will opt out as they will explore other jobs 

Our Promise from our learnings

For our premium recruitment package, we will offer the following: As add- ons to the package

• Offer Letter and Contract
• Formulating a job description and Expectations/deliverables
• 3 months follow up review on candidate's performance

Always in service 

Juliet Gateri