It won’t come as breaking news to anyone working in recruitment that recruiters have a somewhat bad reputation when it comes to the practices they do to find candidates and secure jobs.
Read any review site or forum and you will see the same old questions regarding recruiters:
- Why didn’t they call me back?
- I sent over my CV weeks ago and I haven’t heard a thing.
Recruiters are, of course, busy people, but it's well known that they also have a lot of tricks up their sleeves to improve their performance and gain more candidates.
I’ve taken a look at 8 of the hallmarks of a bad recruiter and how you can avoid them.
Posting Job Adverts on Social Media Alone
Social media platforms are great to create awareness of a brand and to recruit passive candidates. As most people on these platforms aren’t actively looking for a job though, posting adverts on these networks can be a waste of time.
The best approach to take is a targeted one. Connect with potential candidates and build up a relationship with them before trying to recruit them. Simply curating useful content and industry news is a great way to build up credibility.
Sending Generic Emails
Generic emails are a trick that many recruiters still use, but this approach frequently scares off potential candidates. It’s a strategy that can save time, but it’s unlikely to get the results that you’re aiming for. Tailor emails and make them specific to each candidate and you’re bound to get better results. Understand what the job entails, scour your database for the right candidate, and then craft a bespoke email to them. This may take more time, but it will increase your response rate.
Not Giving Feedback
In the world of digital it’s easy to type up a quick email to a candidate about a position they have interviewed for. It’s even easier to just ignore candidates completely, too. Although it can be difficult to follow up with every candidate, it’s good practice to contact candidates after an interview and provide them with feedback. Think of the candidate in these positions: they’ve taken the time to attend the interview, and the least they can expect is a follow-up call after.
No Communication
You post a job advert late Monday evening and by the time you come into work on Tuesday you have 100 CVs all vying for your attention. You simply cannot read through every single one, but you can email those who you haven’t put forward to let them know. If you don't have time to reply to every applicant, at least set up an automated email that lets candidates know they’ve been unsuccessful.
Falsely Connecting on LinkedIn
Another trick recruiters use is connecting with people on LinkedIn saying that a candidate was recommended by one of their connections – works most of the time, right? Well, maybe, but although this can help build up contacts, it can also be detrimental as candidates will lose trust in you if they're receiving information about jobs that aren’t relevant to them. Only connect with people that you know have the right skills and experience for the job, and be honest in why you connected with them.
Not Utilising the Latest Technologies
Technology is constantly changing and developing but many recruiters aren't capitalising on this potential. Keeping up to date with the latest technology and educating yourself will only help increase your performance. Instead of using the same channels to source candidates, try new avenues such as Instagram to post adverts, or see what the latest recruitment software has to offer.
Fake Job Adverts
It's important for any recruiter to have an up to date database of all their candidates, and one trick to get candidate details is to post fake job adverts. Rethink this approach. Instead, make connections on social, pick up the phone, or send an email and reach out to potential candidates directly, with transparancy and honesty.
Making False Promises
Not all recruiters want to admit that a position will be difficult to fill, and they’ll likely tell the client otherwise so they don't fall behind on targets. Be honest if you're going to struggle with filling a role. Use this opportunity to show off your expertise and recruitment industry knowledge and offer the client relevant feedback and insights that will help them to grow their team.
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