I truly believe that because of COVID all industries across the board have changed drastically. We used to be able to make a phone call to make an appointment and maybe wait on hold for a minute (maybe two at the most). Why now is it almost 25 to 45 minutes to get a response? I was trying to make an appointment with my orthopedist, and I literally had to wait on hold for almost 45 minutes with only four calls ahead of me. What has happened to efficiency, the customer comes first, or anything else that we were used to pre-COVID. So, where am I going with this? Has the pace with the candidates and hiring managers really been affected?
Who Is Waiting?
As I continue to talk about this candidate-driven market, I can’t help to think that we too are falling into the trap of just waiting around too long. I believe this affects not only the candidates but also the hiring managers. The desire to get something done quickly and efficiently isn’t as important as it used to be. I know the managers that I work with are not guilty of this. Other managers are clearly guilty of this practice, especially when they have a traditional way of hiring. We are not affected by this because opportunistic hiring allows us as recruiters to keep the pace with the candidates moving forward that we work with are in demand. Now in this candidate-driven market, the managers do not want to lose these rock stars.
The Pace With The Candidates & Their Feelings
How do the candidates feel right now? The ones that are genuinely motivated want things to happen quickly and efficiently. The ones that are just kicking the tire do not mind waiting on hold while decisions are made. The problem with this scenario is that other options can become available to candidates while they wait. Again, our opportunistic hiring does not cause this issue since it’s based on the matching of pace with the candidates and hiring managers. If a candidate chooses to go slowly, then the client will respectively go slowly in their process. If a candidate indicates to us they need to move quickly, that too will be shared with the hiring manager. If the hiring manager can proceed at the pace the candidate needs, then we will continue to work on that relationship. If, however, the candidate needs to move quickly and the hiring manager tends to move slowly, this would not be a good situation for the candidate and opportunistic recruiters to recommend.
Your Timing & Honesty Matter To Your Pace With The Candidates & Hiring Managers
Timing is the most important aspect of the hiring process. By that, I mean not necessarily your start date but a time to continue in the process or not. The pace with the candidates and hiring managers is crucial. If a candidate wants to delay the process or slow it down, that must be shared with the manager. They need to understand exactly what a candidate is thinking, not necessarily that the candidate has lost interest. By being this trusted advisor and working in an opportunistic environment, we are able to convey those thoughts to our hiring managers so that they can plan accordingly. The role of any recruiter in any industry is not necessarily just to present resumes, but rather to manage the entire process including everybody’s expectations. If you, as the candidate or conversely as the hiring manager, do not share your expectations with your recruiter, it is going to be very difficult in this candidate-driven market to secure the right candidate for you.
Conclusion
If you would like to discuss your options, please reach out for a confidential conversation at 760-477-1284 or email at [email protected]. He can also be reached on LinkedIn. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here, which is a compilation of our weekly blogs, so you never miss one. You can find our listing in the “supplier and services” section of the Red Book under the title of “executive recruiting.”
About Harlan Friedman, JD & Founding Member, H. Friedman Search LLC. Harlan is a thirty-year veteran Public Finance Banker turned recruiter who specializes in the placement of all levels Public Finance Bankers, Healthcare Bankers, Municipal Advisors, Compliance Officers, Issuers, and Bond Counsels.