So, you're a recruitment agent
Discussion
Why would you feel it necessary to meet each of your candidates? Strikes me as a potential waste of everyone's time, but open to understanding why this is some kind of pre-req
Is it measurables from the boss? The competition does it, so you should too?
I've not found any value in meeting with an agent vs going through something over the phone.
Is it measurables from the boss? The competition does it, so you should too?
I've not found any value in meeting with an agent vs going through something over the phone.
I can understand why they do it; someone can look great on paper but turn out not to be quite so in person. Plus anyone can put anything on a CV and try to pass it off; said CV goes to company, company interviews this bombsite of a person, gets pissed that they wasted their time interviewing a useless candidate; decide to blame recruitment agent and not use their services again. A simple face-to-face meet can help weed this stuff out.
As someone who works on the employer-side of things I'd rather the agent did all they could to fully assess their candidate.
As someone who works on the employer-side of things I'd rather the agent did all they could to fully assess their candidate.
some are under sub contracts with their clients to do face to face pre interviews. dependent on the industry it can help. Im involved with 2 rec businesses. on the IT side we meet very few candidates unless they are for client facing or management positions. On the marketing side we meet many.
Drag this up again, but I aim to meet every candidate face to face. Recruitment is a pretty big sale, a company hiring someone at 50K won't get much change out of 10K for using an agency, and clients typically want to meet say 3 solid candidates and choose the one who they feel is the best fit.
A face to face meeting gives me confidence to recommend a candidate in a way that a phone interview can not.
It's amazing how many people, even holding senior roles with excellent CVs think it's ok to turn up late, inappropriately dressed, fiddle with their phone or otherwise act in a way that I would not a candidate to do in front of my client. And how many people have embellished achievements to the point of dishonesty, invented or omitted jobs and job titles, and brushed over gaps in their CV.
Meeting in person throws up this far more reliably than phone interviews can, and means I can say with confidence "interview this guy, he's brilliant."
My only advice would be arrange it at a time and place that is convenient for you. As I said earlier, it's a big sale, so most agents worth their salt are quite happy to meet after work hours or come to a coffee shop near your office to make the meeting.
A face to face meeting gives me confidence to recommend a candidate in a way that a phone interview can not.
It's amazing how many people, even holding senior roles with excellent CVs think it's ok to turn up late, inappropriately dressed, fiddle with their phone or otherwise act in a way that I would not a candidate to do in front of my client. And how many people have embellished achievements to the point of dishonesty, invented or omitted jobs and job titles, and brushed over gaps in their CV.
Meeting in person throws up this far more reliably than phone interviews can, and means I can say with confidence "interview this guy, he's brilliant."
My only advice would be arrange it at a time and place that is convenient for you. As I said earlier, it's a big sale, so most agents worth their salt are quite happy to meet after work hours or come to a coffee shop near your office to make the meeting.
I've met quite a few recruiters for 'screening'.
I have made a career of working for US software companies starting up in EMEA, so the recruiters are the first interview in the process with the Americans only flying over for final rounds once they have also carried out a telephone interview. Definitely makes sense!
I have made a career of working for US software companies starting up in EMEA, so the recruiters are the first interview in the process with the Americans only flying over for final rounds once they have also carried out a telephone interview. Definitely makes sense!
Puggit said:
I've met quite a few recruiters for 'screening'.
I have made a career of working for US software companies starting up in EMEA, so the recruiters are the first interview in the process with the Americans only flying over for final rounds once they have also carried out a telephone interview. Definitely makes sense!
That I'm OK with, I interviewed for a Belgian vendor last year and they did the first round phone interviews, online testing and discussion etc, then passed over to a UK agent to get their thoughts before they flew someone out and incurred costI have made a career of working for US software companies starting up in EMEA, so the recruiters are the first interview in the process with the Americans only flying over for final rounds once they have also carried out a telephone interview. Definitely makes sense!
What narked me were the ones who call you up with an amazing opportunity, spend 20 minutes on the phone profiling and then say they want you to come in for an interview before they'll give names out or put you forward. I've been 'done' like that before. Got nothing from it after having 3 potential approaches to discuss on the phone and a day wasted
I am finding totally the opposite. No recruitment agencies these days seem to want to take the time to meet prospective candidates, from the big names to the small. It is very disillusioning. It's as if they just don't care and want an easy life.
In the past two months only one agency has asked to meet me, and that was only because I had a previous working relationship with them from a few years ago.
I just wish more companies would advertise directly. I know why they don't, but they could be missing a huge raft of prospective employees.
In the past two months only one agency has asked to meet me, and that was only because I had a previous working relationship with them from a few years ago.
I just wish more companies would advertise directly. I know why they don't, but they could be missing a huge raft of prospective employees.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff