Views on Interviews

The day after the Seek awards is what we call in the blog world; a tap-in. Like when the fixtures are released at the beginning of the Premier League season and you search for when the derby is, Sean & I scramble to our Outlook calendar for who is rostered on the day after the SARAs. As a rule, we tend to break the news of the winners and loser of the previous night before Seek do. We get in a bit earlier and operate with a touch more agility. Typically, we write the blog the arvo before the awards giving our predictions leaving space for the winner. Coming in the next morning super dusty trying to make sense of the semi-coherent scribblings in the notes app. Unfortunately, Seek are being as elusive as a candidate with low salary expectations, great references, and no notice period. There’s something in the post apparently but I think we’re to assume it’s going to happen at a later date. As I’m still not drinking so it’s actually worked out well but from a blog POV I’m pissed. However, the blog, unlike the awards, must go on!

Last week I gave my thoughts on what I think will happen when the borders open. If you’re not arsed with clicking this link the long and short of it is, we’re going to lose a lot of people. We will, however, get some newbies trickling into our market and with them, they should bring their wide-eyed enthusiasm. While the need for physical bums on seats may not be met immediately with any hope this new crop will infect (in a good way) the current market with a fresh attitude and a much-needed bit of get up and go! Your FOB (fresh off the Boeing) candidate will happily see upwards of 7 clients, on the same day! Then return for feedback with an Animal House-Esq “thank you, sir! May I have another?!” Whereas I’m finding that the current class of candidates has a definite reluctance to shop around. Which could be for a number of reasons.

Perhaps Covid measures have subconsciously crept into the common psyche? We don’t want to visit multiple places of interest, even if they are interested in hiring. Maybe there’s more stock put in loyalty these days. Saying that the line between loyalty and obedience is blurred when the reality is, candidates just don’t want to risk being caught interviewing. I turn 33 next month and sometimes feel like a self-hating millennial when talking to candidates several years younger than me. It’s the softness I can’t abide by. Not wanting to continue a process because you “don’t want to let anyone down” is the type of attitude that has people wishing for false flag wars or hypothetical coal mines in order to toughen up a generation. Even if you haven’t experienced the narrowing scope of a candidate’s options no doubt you’ve been asked to coordinate interviews that don’t interfere with the candidate’s day; “can they meet at 6 pm or 6 am?” Ideally at a location down the road from the candidate’s house. This is more of a symptom of the times with the ball firmly being in the candidate’s court. Best believe if there were more candidates available and also in the process, time slots would miraculously free up.

One of the recruitment commandments; “Though shall not put all eggs in one basket” is not just for the benefit of an under-the-cosh consultant that has targets to hit. It’s for the candidate’s sake who can make an informed decision after weighing up all the options. There’s a reason there were 30 single girls on Take Me Out and not 5, Paddy wants a happy ending and so does the contestant! Candidates will often turn down a client off the back of a website or a comment someone in direct competition with the client has said. The best type of placement is when both the parties had a ‘gut feeling’ about each other. Those gut feelings only come about when you delve a little deeper, chat with the team, visit the office, go for a beer. It’s the intangibles that you can’t get from an ‘About Us’ section that tends to make the difference during the decision-making process. I could be a little close to the recruitment fire here, but having the tap turned off is affecting way more than just the obvious; headcount and counteroffers.

It’s like when your mum would come into your dark dank room; pull back the curtains and open a window, the market could do with a wee freshen up. A gust of gusto that’ll breeze through the market when the borders open, giving us recruiters more options to present our clients and influencing the mindset of the current market. Shortlists are only getting shorter and the abundance of ponderous candidates has clients wishing for overseas additions to spice up the recruitment process. Speaking as a Johnny Foreigner that’s come over and took a job from a hard-working local I say, too slow bro.