Dear Friends,
I have been the recruitment industry for sometime now and have noticed some peculiar problems faced by consultants and candidates applying for jobs some of the reputed companies. At first I thought, it must be due to their busy schedules and work pressure to meet the targets. Over the years I realised that is not the case.
I have met several candidates who complained that the Recruiting team members of the companies never revert back. Many candidates were told during the initial Tcon that they will get a call within a specified day. In some cases the candidates were informed to be ready for the Tcon or face to face interview within a certain number of days which will be confirmed again through mail.
As the due date arrives, no calls or no intimations about of date of interview. When these frustrated candidates - many are senior candidates - call back the company's telephone number, the person at the reception (in most cases a security guard) informs that the recruiter/hr is in a meeting. Some recruiter/hr instructs the reception not to connect any calls to them. Any message left to be passed on to the concerned recruiter/hr is never attended.
If one is lucky and his call is answered by the concerned recruiter/hr, then begins the journey of a series of promises to get back for an initial Tcon with the one of the senior personnel within a certain number of days. When that does not happen, the candidate takes initiate to know if anything is happening, another story opens up - the hiring manager is traveling or sick or anything that can buy more time. If you trust them and call back again after a week or 10 days, you might get a reply that the particular position or job is put on hold for sometime. Reasons: 1.company is going through restructuring, hence they want to re-evaluate about the said position and come back later if they still need it. 2.some times these on hold positions are internally filled. 3.And any reason that can be used to shoo away the applicants.
Sometimes when a candidate call a company recruiter/hr, it was informed that they are in the office but just stepped out for a coffee with their colleagues. When one calls back a little later, one gets another reason. If this process goes on (if the candidate has the patience) he/she will get numerous reasons why the recruiter/hr is not in his cubicle/chamber/seat.
In most cases the non-accessibility of the HRs / recruiters are the most annoying thing. It seems most of them are there to mislead candidates. Many cases the JDs posted on various portals, websites carry insufficient information and many candidates are misled due to that. Many have faced embarrassing situations during the interview process where they find that the company is looking for a person with a certain experience and exposure which the candidate does not have. Who is at fault here? Obviously, the Recruiter/HRs.
Companies lose worthy candidate in the process. Many occasion the company either recruits a less worthy candidate or do not hire and waste valuable time in the process. A JD that gives spells out the right information or requirements will attract the right candidates and eliminates all unwanted ones in the process. In all cases the HR department is solely responsible as they do not gather all the required data from the concerned department who is hiring and simply copy paste an old JD and post it in the careers of the company or into any any job portal or share it with their favorite consultants without foreseeing any unfavourable situations in the near future or are simply incompetent to assess any such eventuality.
Many candidates who apply atleast deserve a simple reply to their applications. this does not happen even after a initial interaction. I have seen and read so much that HRs is a responsible job and without them a company cannot function efficiently. I personally see HR department as a liability, cost center and a parasite which do not contribute any revenue.
Many others here will not agree with me, but these are based on my observations and experiences. Many will try to defend, but reality is very frightening.
I invite everybody to for a healthy discussion.
Regards,
Sheela P
From India, Bangalore
2I have been the recruitment industry for sometime now and have noticed some peculiar problems faced by consultants and candidates applying for jobs some of the reputed companies. At first I thought, it must be due to their busy schedules and work pressure to meet the targets. Over the years I realised that is not the case.
I have met several candidates who complained that the Recruiting team members of the companies never revert back. Many candidates were told during the initial Tcon that they will get a call within a specified day. In some cases the candidates were informed to be ready for the Tcon or face to face interview within a certain number of days which will be confirmed again through mail.
As the due date arrives, no calls or no intimations about of date of interview. When these frustrated candidates - many are senior candidates - call back the company's telephone number, the person at the reception (in most cases a security guard) informs that the recruiter/hr is in a meeting. Some recruiter/hr instructs the reception not to connect any calls to them. Any message left to be passed on to the concerned recruiter/hr is never attended.
If one is lucky and his call is answered by the concerned recruiter/hr, then begins the journey of a series of promises to get back for an initial Tcon with the one of the senior personnel within a certain number of days. When that does not happen, the candidate takes initiate to know if anything is happening, another story opens up - the hiring manager is traveling or sick or anything that can buy more time. If you trust them and call back again after a week or 10 days, you might get a reply that the particular position or job is put on hold for sometime. Reasons: 1.company is going through restructuring, hence they want to re-evaluate about the said position and come back later if they still need it. 2.some times these on hold positions are internally filled. 3.And any reason that can be used to shoo away the applicants.
Sometimes when a candidate call a company recruiter/hr, it was informed that they are in the office but just stepped out for a coffee with their colleagues. When one calls back a little later, one gets another reason. If this process goes on (if the candidate has the patience) he/she will get numerous reasons why the recruiter/hr is not in his cubicle/chamber/seat.
In most cases the non-accessibility of the HRs / recruiters are the most annoying thing. It seems most of them are there to mislead candidates. Many cases the JDs posted on various portals, websites carry insufficient information and many candidates are misled due to that. Many have faced embarrassing situations during the interview process where they find that the company is looking for a person with a certain experience and exposure which the candidate does not have. Who is at fault here? Obviously, the Recruiter/HRs.
Companies lose worthy candidate in the process. Many occasion the company either recruits a less worthy candidate or do not hire and waste valuable time in the process. A JD that gives spells out the right information or requirements will attract the right candidates and eliminates all unwanted ones in the process. In all cases the HR department is solely responsible as they do not gather all the required data from the concerned department who is hiring and simply copy paste an old JD and post it in the careers of the company or into any any job portal or share it with their favorite consultants without foreseeing any unfavourable situations in the near future or are simply incompetent to assess any such eventuality.
Many candidates who apply atleast deserve a simple reply to their applications. this does not happen even after a initial interaction. I have seen and read so much that HRs is a responsible job and without them a company cannot function efficiently. I personally see HR department as a liability, cost center and a parasite which do not contribute any revenue.
Many others here will not agree with me, but these are based on my observations and experiences. Many will try to defend, but reality is very frightening.
I invite everybody to for a healthy discussion.
Regards,
Sheela P
From India, Bangalore
Hi Sheela,
Every coin has two faces.You are right to some extent.Even we have to behave sometimes like this but there are some reason behind this.Every reason we cant discuss with candidate.
First of all every recruiter needs to close some opening in specific time period,thats why he/she posts jobs and schedule interviews.But a recruiter should conduct a telephonic interview with candidate to save candidates time and money.Initial screening can save time of both.
2nd point sometimes management or concerned HOD who took interview doesnt give the correct and adequate feedback of candidate.Thus the recruiter have to wait and thus the candidate have to wait.To avoid this we can have a mail in evening to all persons and ask for the feedback.Rejected candidates should be informed immediately and on hold and shortlisted profiles should be intimated.
Now concern is of delayed response is that recruiter plays a safe game.they shortlisted and offer a candidate and until he/she not joins they dont let the 2nd and 3rd optiion on hold they keep them chasing ...I know its not Good.
But its the part of profile.We also face challenges when candidates back out after accepting offer letter or dont turn up after giving their consent for interview timings.
It goes on..Its a cycle !!!!!
From India, Mohali
Every coin has two faces.You are right to some extent.Even we have to behave sometimes like this but there are some reason behind this.Every reason we cant discuss with candidate.
First of all every recruiter needs to close some opening in specific time period,thats why he/she posts jobs and schedule interviews.But a recruiter should conduct a telephonic interview with candidate to save candidates time and money.Initial screening can save time of both.
2nd point sometimes management or concerned HOD who took interview doesnt give the correct and adequate feedback of candidate.Thus the recruiter have to wait and thus the candidate have to wait.To avoid this we can have a mail in evening to all persons and ask for the feedback.Rejected candidates should be informed immediately and on hold and shortlisted profiles should be intimated.
Now concern is of delayed response is that recruiter plays a safe game.they shortlisted and offer a candidate and until he/she not joins they dont let the 2nd and 3rd optiion on hold they keep them chasing ...I know its not Good.
But its the part of profile.We also face challenges when candidates back out after accepting offer letter or dont turn up after giving their consent for interview timings.
It goes on..Its a cycle !!!!!
From India, Mohali
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