There Is No Such Thing as a "Bad" Candidate

I like to think that we live in a world of second chances. The interview process is surely one place where everyone has wished they could have a do-over. That is why I use my recruiter screen as a first chance, and try my best to make sure my candidates get their second chance. No one has ever accused me of being soft, or too nice, but I believe in a level playing field, and making sure that people are given a fair shot. I consider myself lucky, in my position as a recruiter, to give people an opportunity to show their best when it really matters.

I have worked with a lot of recruiters, both bad and good, and the bad ones all have something in common. They treat candidates who don’t immediately identify themselves as high quality as undeserving of their time, and kindness. They label these folks “bad” candidates, and deem them a waste of time. What makes a good recruiter is the ability to look beyond the resume and interview answers, and recognize the inherent value in any person who has decided to give their time; having foresight to see where a bit of coaching and feedback could take an iffy recruiter screen, and turn it into a stellar phone interview, then on-site.

At the end of the day, as recruiters, we need candidates. We depend on referrals. And we count on our network to help us make hires. We have to remember that a pass today could be next year’s solid gold hire. Here are a few reminders for recruiters, for when next you get on the phone with a candidate:

1. You are the face of your company. You might be your candidates’ first impression of the company, so it should be a good one, no matter what. Take the time to tell them about the company, the role, and exactly what you're looking for. If you do it right and they aren’t a fit, they just might take themselves out of the running. If not, when you let them down gently they walk away feeling good about their time with you, despite the negative outcome.
2. You chose to schedule the call for a reason. Good school, good company, good connections, etc. Whatever it might have been, this person has some redeeming quality that made you reach out. How you handle this candidate will determine the access they give you to their network and how they represent your company in their circles.
3. There is something to be learned from every screen. Do not take for granted that every call is an opportunity to learn and improve. A few weeks into a search I expect to only hear off the wall questions. By that point I can anticipate the common and frequently asked questions and have integrated answers into my pitch. If I don't have the answers, I've noted that the candidate is probably wondering about A, B, or C, but those questions are better addressed later in the process.
4. Reject those who are a poor fit, not who have interviewed poorly. I've spoken with enough entry level candidates to know many have no idea what they are doing. They tell me what they think I want to hear and are usually pretty wrong. I have come to see that their inexperience will often trump their intelligence and drive when it comes to hiring managers, so I take it upon myself to coach these applicants in preparation for the next next step. My go to line: "I know you have it, we have to make sure they [hiring managers] see it."
5. Be an ally! Being a friend to your candidates can go a long way towards building your team. When candidates like you, it’s easier for them to trust you, and therefore be honest and forthright with you. This relationship weighs heavily if and when an offer is put on the table. I have had numerous candidates over the years who signed a competing offer, then realized their mistake. They had been duped by recruiters who were out to make a commission, and ployed then with a bigger salary. But when you know your candidates you can remind them that more important than salary is an easy commute, the flexibility to pick up their kid from school, or any of the other factors they shared with you throughout the process.

It pains me to hear recruiter horror stories from my candidates. They deserve better than they often get. Recruiting is a skilled and challenging field, and it takes effort and time to master the profession. It helps to remember that candidates are people looking to better themselves, in one way or another.

Why I Qualify (All the Cool Kids are Doing It)

The job of a recruiter goes beyond simply finding resumes that look like a good fit for job openings. Contract recruiters must respect the time of the in-house recruiters and hiring managers for whom they work. They should recognize their own value is in saving time and energy, and speeding along the recruitment process for their client. In order to do their job they have to understand the role, the company, the culture, and know how to assess whether or not each candidate they submit is a complete match. They must then convey that information to Hiring Managers in a clear and understandable way.

If you are a technical recruiter, well versed in technical skill sets or not, here are five quick tips to help you verify the quality of a candidate before sharing them with your client.

• Use an “Ideal Resume” for comparison (think fluffy white bunny, NOT purple squirrel)

Do not expect a hiring manager to come up with this themselves, but do a bit of searching and gather a few profiles. If you can get the HM to review and label them as No, Maybe, and Yes, with a brief explanation of each, you gain valuable insight. Do school ranking, previous employers, position title, etc, hold weight? Use that feedback to decide whether or not future candidates are going to pass the muster of the Hiring Manager.

“This candidate has a very similar background to Resume A, who you expressed an initial interest in.”

• Know your client’s industry, and their competitors

A great way to quick scan is to know what companies do similar work, or provide a similar product to your client. Before you start sourcing, make a list that you’ll not only use to source from, but use as a reference for reviewing resumes. This opens up your pool beyond employees from the usual suspects, i.e. Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Twitter, etc.

“This candidate was sourced from Company X, where she spent 1.5 years in a similar role.”

• Do not submit without speaking to the candidate

There is no better way to assess cultural fit and communication style than through an open and engaging conversation. Make sure to send your impressions from that conversation along with the resume.That conversation is also the best time to answer any questions the candidate might have, confirming they are interested in the opportunity. I like to use this time to create a legitimate connection with my candidates. If we don’t share at least one laugh, major fail!  

“I really enjoyed my conversation with this candidate. He was a clear communicator and showed great enthusiasm for the company.”

• Know the answers to your questions, and when to ask them

Conversations should be somewhat strategic. When I have a call, I include the salary range in my pitch so I don’t spend 30 minutes with someone who would never accept an offer. Deal breakers should always lead the discussion, so you can keep the interaction as efficient as possible. And don’t bother with technical questions you don’t understand, like inquiring about Python frameworks if you don’t the difference between Django and Sinatra. (Hint, only one is a Python framework.) Take the time to study that ideal resume we talked about before, until you feel confident discussing every technical bullet point.

“Candidate has 3 years of Ruby on Rails experience, but has also worked off Rails and will accept a salary in the $130K-$140K range.”

• Remember the details beyond skillset

The sad truth is, for many companies the perfect candidate in background and experience, might still be unhireable. When sending over a candidate, any recruiter worth their salt should include details such as salary requirements, visa needs, location and desired commute, work/life balance expectations, etc. You should have a clear understanding of what your candidate is looking for in both a role and company, and whether your client can provide it.

“Candidate lives within walking distance of the Palo Alto office, but will require an H1B transfer.”

For more details on how to submit qualified candidates, contact Recruiting Like a Boss.

Recruiting Agencies, The Unnecessary Evil

When I was searching for the right career I worked with several staffing agencies which afforded me the opportunity to gain experience without committing to any one position. I ended up finding a new career on my own when I joined a tech recruiting agency. I held recruiting agencies in high regard thinking they were similar to staffing agencies, except focused on the company instead of the individual.

Two years and three recruiting agencies later I am comfortable sharing my opinion that recruiting agencies are the best option for fast growth, but a good startup shouldn't settle for just speed in hiring, not in such a high demand, high turnover industry. Agencies tend to be concerned with their own profit and advancement primarily, and the growth of their clients comes second. For example, the agency practice of keeping an unhappy candidate in their placement until after 90 days so they can keep the commission and have another open requisition. Now I understand why someone who cares about recruitment and building strong teams would want to work in-house or independently.

After reading an article arguing why Recruitment is a necessary evil, I decided to flush out why in-house or contract recruiters are a better alternative to agencies for Technical companies.

• Agency recruiters are accountable to their agencies before your company.

High turnover is very common in recruiting agencies. I've never left the same team I joined. And I admittedly haven't stayed with any agency for very long. When an agency recruiter isn't doing well, the next move is to let them go. This puts pressure on the recruiter to please their supervisor, the agency. This can lead to what I like to call, pipeline stuffing. Recruiters take calls from, and reach out to, not so hot candidates in order to appear effective in their numbers (KPIs). Recruiters who are accountable directly to the client will only spend time on hirable candidates, because hires are the most counted.

• In-house and contract recruiters are direct representatives of your company.

There is no denying that the most sought after candidates don't want to hear from recruiters, and this is especially true of agency recruiters. Candidates are distrusting and will question the motive of the recruiter because they know agencies are more concerned with filling the role than building out a strong team. In-house and contract recruiters, who are direct representatives of the company, tend to be treated with a level of deference. Candidates believe that they would not have been contacted unless they were an actual fit for the role, and are therefore more responsive.

• Agency recruiters split their focus and availability, which means you have to compete.

As much as you might want to think of agencies as part of the recruitment team, there is an inherent divide. They are their own entity with their own responsibilities, and I can't tell you how many times my duty to my agency conflicted with my duty to the client. People are often surprised to hear that at any time I would handle over 20 roles (not surprising) for 5 - 6 different clients (HUH?!). How in the world could I possibly have been doing any one of those clients justice when my focus was split between that many companies? When you choose a contractor you have the choice of whether they work remotely or on-site. And I personally encourage on-site contractors. They become part of the team, are focused solely on your needs, and you have them available at an arm’s reach.

Everything considered, in an ideal world, every technical recruiter would take the leap, and go in-house or work independently. Most agree, recruiters are a huge asset when properly utilized. But in an agency, technical recruiters have to deal with split focus, split fees, and an overload of responsibilities (multiple clients, business development, account management, candidate management) that make it extremely difficult to work at full capacity. Next time you are trying to decide how best to grow your team, consider what type of process you would prefer, and remember that a recruiting agency isn't the only option. Recruiting Like a Boss.

WELCOME!

Hello, and thank you for visiting my blog. I am very excited to start the next chapter in my career. I think that Recruiting is challenging, but a beautiful field. The level of human interaction is unmatched. There are few careers where someone who is highly motivated, extremely opinionated, and tough as nails, can succeed despite being somewhat firm in their ways. I see Recruiting Like a Boss as a way for me to step up and prove to myself and the world that there is a right way, and a wrong way, to recruit. My focus on people has always conflicted with agencies and their focus on fees. Like anyone, I seek success, but believe that by focusing on helping people, and making the world an overall better place, I will see great fortune.

I have been blessed with great talents and plan to invest them back into the universe. I hope you will return to learn more about my practice, share your thoughts, opinions, insights, and see how Recruiting Like a Boss turns the Recruiting industry on its head!

In Peace,

Kachi Okoronkwo