At Placed Recruitment, our Monday mornings begin with a half-hour training session focusing on current, challenging topics in recruitment. These sessions are vital, whether it’s about uncovering genuine desires during screening, or extracting valuable insights from a brief conversation with a busy GM. Recently, we discussed the essence of ‘good recruitment’. It’s tempting to think that it’s about clever answers, perfect resumes, just the right amount of tenure, excellent references and a healthy dose of X factor. But to understand the complete picture, you must pay attention to the behaviours throughout the recruitment process.
We invest a good chunk of time and effort in training our team to perform each step of the recruitment process meticulously. Every interaction, from the initial screening to the final reference check, offers unique insights – if we’re attentive. One key aspect that can be easily missed is observing candidates’ behaviours and actions outside the formal interview environment. Are they reliable, amicable, and true to their word? Did they arrive on time for the interview, were they well-prepared, and did they listen attentively? These soft elements of the process may not directly pertain to specific answers or outcomes, but they reveal much more about the person’s character.
Throughout each recruitment stage — screening, interviewing, follow-ups, research, client meetings, second and third interviews, testing and reference checks — we gain insights not just through words but also through actions. It’s crucial to be perceptive and interpret these non-verbal communications.
Combining these observations with the tangible outcomes of interviews and reference checks gives us a comprehensive understanding of a candidate’s suitability for a role. It’s not about seeking perfection in questions, answers, or references but rather about finding harmony in the many details and facets of a candidate’s interactions.
Is it a revelation? No. Is it something that should be tracked with the other metrics? Absolutely. Otherwise, how will you know if you found a unicorn?
