‘On the books’ is a funny phrase, isn’t it? When a client
asks, “Have you got this kind of candidate on your books? Or “Do you have a few
on the books?”, the only reaction you can give is, “Oh yes, of course.” As with
most things, it is a little more complicated.
Let us let you in on a little secret: ‘On the books’ doesn’t
exist. It never really has. It is a pretty prehistoric idea of how recruiters
operate, but there is more to it than just a non-existent concept.
Everyone says “yes” because it is more complicated to say “no”.
If a prospective client doesn’t hear the answer in the affirmative, they will
naturally conclude that you aren’t on top of your game and will move on to the
ones who are. They will move on to the ones who say, “Yes”.
The contingency or non-specialist recruiter will reply with
an emphatic “Yes” when asked. Then when the client is happy, they will search
for candidates on the job boards while pretending they already have some. There
is no judgment here. This is what the industry does. Then when they find them,
they will let the client know that they have selected some perfect prospects.
The more unscrupulous ones will also pitch them to other clients hoping for a
bit of a bidding war to break out. There is no exclusivity with the first
client so it is not as frowned upon as it should be.
The specialist, ‘partnership’ recruiter also lacks the
candidates ‘on their books’, but what they have is ongoing networking. This means
that once the call comes in from a client, they can set their machine in
motion, approaching specially selected possible candidate. Specialists can get
it all rolling in a 24-hour period and come back with really specific
candidates for the niche required relatively quickly.
But the key here is specialism, and due to the exclusivity,
they will not be splitting their focus between other clients for the same candidates.
They are responsible for finding the prospects, no matter what, and they know
where to look for candidates who are not on job boards yet.
In a candidate-driven market, your company is not special.
You do not have the best advert on Linkedin. People will not automatically sign
because of your perks package. This is a hard thing for some firms to hear, as
they are used to having the most power in the situation. Attracting candidates
to sign on the dotted line becomes a bit of marketing and PR exercise. Selling
the company in the initial stages falls upon the specialist recruitment partner
and they are ready to do that because they are specialists in the industry.
The candidates you want are not sitting there waiting to be
picked. They are not hanging out on job boards waiting for their Prince
Charming. They are not on someone’s books. Imagine if that were true, if they
were there just waiting. Well, they wouldn’t necessarily be the ones you
wanted, because then they are obviously not in demand. The ones you, and every
other of your rival companies, want are very much in demand.
The hidden gems need to be headhunted out of their current
role by someone who can persuade them that the move is the right thing for
them. The candidates are there but they just do not know they are candidates
yet.
Planting an idea that wasn’t there before, is not what generalist
recruiters do. They have their skills but that is not one of them. Those prime
candidates are buried inside companies who are probably your competition. Next
time you catch yourself asking, “Do you have one on your books?”, just take a
deep breath and ask, “Can you find me that diamond in the rough?”
We will answer, honestly, “Yes, we can.”
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What are the positives and negatives surrounding this kind of job?
A recent report has found that data scientists are
experiencing an increase in demand by around fifty percent within healthcare,
entertainment and banking.
With the disruption of the Covid-19 era, projects were
stalled but now businesses will not wait any longer. The explosion of those roles
versus the available talent in the marketplace has meant that it is a seller’s
market. On top of that, companies are looking more and more to automation and
AI to stave off any problems in the future, whether it is because of a fear of
a continuation of Covid-19 or a similar pandemic. Add to this the popularity of
Cloud data and you have the perfect conditions for data science becoming a
popular career for people to look toward.
Careers in data take real commitment and determination. You
must be a passionate problem-solver with great organisational skills.
Some industries (like the finance industry) were quick to
understand the uses of using data to predict future events, while other
industries are in their fledgling stages, still coming to terms with how much
data they already have access to and what to do with it to positively impact
their future endeavours.
Along with data being among the top occupations expecting
growth, over 2/3 of companies are planning on increasing their data priorities
into the next year and the growth areas include Cloud, Biz Intel, Dev Ops and
cyber security. There is, however, a fly in the ointment of those plans, and
that is the availability of those professionals who are needed to make that a
possibility. There are amazing possibilities for those who are interested, but
is it really all it seems to be?
So what things would turn someone away from pursuing a
career in Data Science? Well, there is definitely a degree of confusion
surrounding data. The role can vary greatly from company to company even if the
job description seems the same. They could require a ‘clicker’ or a ‘coder’ or
something in between. There is no codified definition of a data scientist so
you are at the mercy of whoever writes the JD as to whether it matches what the
role will actually entail. Having said that, if you are the type of person who
doesn’t check the card in the chocolate box before you choose a chocolate, it
may be the role for you.
A prospective data scientist also needs to learn a lot, keep
learning and keep up-to-date with data laws regarding personal data. If you are
willing to do that, you will reap a handsome reward and there are great job
prospects. Right now, data scientists are in so much demand and are being
chased by many companies that they are able to be choosy when it comes to which
role they select. The onus is on the firms to sell themselves, rather than the
other way around.
The positives are that it is very likely that you can work
from anywhere and you will be paid well for your time. A lot of businesses are
beginning to understand the ways in which correctly-utilised data can impact
their future, so those moving into these roles will be more likely to make a
difference than their predecessors. Burtch Works found that data science roles
were market resilient, actually increasing during the pandemic, whereas other
roles were not so lucky.
As we mentioned before, Cloud data analytics is definitely growing and firms are moving away from expensive and bulky servers towards a more stream-lined and collaborative workflow. These kinds of innovations require savvy experts and as there is already a shortage, it is certainly a sector that smart and capable individuals should seriously consider.
Curious about how Zenshin Talent can help your organisation? Contact us today for a no-strings conversation about your needs and our experience.
If you’re having a shocker when hiring, maybe it’s a generational thing…
Before we start talking about the generations, we should
clarify, because there is a lot of confusion over what constitutes a Millennial
(or Gen Y-ers) and someone in Generation Z (or a Zoomer as they are known). A
Millennial must have been born between the years of 1980 and 1995. Generation Z
were born between 1996 and the early 2010s.
The two generations are similar in a few ways in terms of
how they view their jobs, sharing an expectation of technological use, a desire
for instant gratification, expecting continuing communication and feedback, a
need for the company they work for to be doing good in the world and that they
themselves are making a real difference within the company.
They differ because Millennials value flexibility, work-life
balance, encouragement and written communication, whereas Gen Z-ers love job
stability, honesty, career prospects and video communication.
Now, we know every person is an individual and you should
not pigeonhole everyone, but you must ask yourself if you are considering the
values of the generation of your candidates when interviewing and making
offers.
We bring this up mainly because, as the tables have turned
and it is currently an employees market, efforts should be made within your
organisation to demonstrate the reasons a prospect should choose you over the
other offers they are receiving.
Before you start offering incentives, ask yourself if that
is what the candidate wants. Some people will reject a big money offer in
exchange for a promise of job stability or guaranteed career progression. Does
that seem strange to you? When you offered more and more money to that desired
candidate, only to be turned down in favour of a lower offer, did you wonder
why? Or did you just shake your head and move on?
When you interviewed, did you really sell your firm? As we
keep explaining, the interview, whether it is video or face-to-face, is a
selling exercise. Obviously, it is harder to sell yourself well via video
interview, but regardless, you must show your business in the best light
possible. You must allow the values of the company to come across because the
candidate will not know much about you, or the job, from your online presence.
So how can you attract them, when money doesn’t work?
Millennials want to see the big picture. On the whole, they are passionate
about social and environmental responsibility. They are also constantly seeking
the next thing so will be interested in promotion possibilities.
With Zoomers, if you can convince them that your company is
fair and ethical, inclusive and diverse, you are going some way to convince
them that yours is the place they should be. They also want to learn quickly
and want to know that their position is not going to be subject to change in
the near future.
With around a third of the world’s population falling into the Gen Z category, taking a long hard look at how your business is represented, and what values it possesses that can attract this new generation of workers, will stand you in good stead for your future hires. Yes, money still matters, but it is not the only key factor. When surveyed on whether they would choose a well-paying yet boring job or an interesting job for not great pay, the Gen Z-ers fell 50/50 into each of the columns. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Curious about how Zenshin Talent can help your organisation? Contact us today for a no-strings conversation about your needs and our experience.
Can it be ‘green for go’ when it comes to office interviews?
How comfortable are you interviewing in the office? Or
should the question be: at what point will you feel comfortable interviewing in
the office?
These are questions that must be asked. A lot of people seem
to be squeamish about broaching the subject and that is totally understandable.
No one wants to look like the bad guy and feel like they are forcing people
into dangerous situations.
Now we are not saying that video interviewing needs to stop.
They have kept people safe and have been so powerful for the continuity of
business. Video interviews will always have a place and a purpose somewhere.
Now before we go on, no candidates or interviewers should
feel pressured to do an interview face-to-face. This must be made clear and
they must be given the choice of face-to-face or video. If a face-to-face
interview happens, it must be located in a private space outside or in a very
well-ventilated, spacious area indoors. The participants should be a few metres
apart. Masks should be worn. Hand sanitiser should be freely available.
Guidelines must be followed.
Now you may be asking why people should be interviewing
face-to-face and the simple reason is because we are reaching a point where
video interviews are not working as they should.
Being honest, there has always been something lacking in
video interviews, and it wasn’t the bad connections or the dodgy webcams or
audio trouble. It has been that they do not help you represent your company
well enough to the candidate.
Candidates don’t really know about your company. They can
look at your website and they can check your social media but they do not know
how your business feels. They don’t know the vibe of the office. There is a big
difference between how you represent your company digitally, and how your
business is in real life.
What differentiates you from the other companies who are
interviewing in the exact same way? Nothing. The disconnectedness of the
situation feels universal. Whatever else you think about interviews, they are a
performance, and if you can’t give a good performance, you will not impress. People
have stopped switching on their cameras when chatting as the constant
availability at work has led to a kind of webcam fatigue. And that is before we
even talk about how tech issues can add an extra, unneeded layer of tension to
the proceedings. Having a camera positioned above a computer screen can also
lead to distractions, as some interviewers still check emails instead of giving
their full attention, like they would be forced to if in a face-to-face.
Candidates are rejecting higher offers for reasons other
than money. The same Covid-19 that kickstarted the necessity for video
interviews has also sparked a reassessment of priorities. The marketplace has
gone ballistic and everyone wants the top quality prospects but if it looks
like you aren’t bothered or can’t differentiate yourself from any other
company, they will choose another option. This only gets worse, the more
specialised the candidate is.
The companies that will be most successful hiring new candidates will be the ones who get around video interviews somehow. Whatever form this takes, it will overtake video interviews through the sheer need for a deeper experience. We are human beings and we need these types of interactions to feel like we belong. Just because people are working from home, doesn’t mean they don’t long for connection. Would you take a job if you felt no connection to that company at all?
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Nurturing should become natural to you, if you want amazing results
If you were told that 7 out of 10 workers are passive when
it comes to searching for jobs, how would that make you reconsider how you
currently approach finding candidates to fill roles at your company?
What you were made aware of the fact that half of candidates
state the biggest job search frustration is lack of communication? Would it
make a difference to your processes?
Let’s put it a different way: the candidates who are
advertising their CVs and applying for jobs are inundated with interest. They
are flooded with messages from recruiters. Highly sought-after professionals
are only on the job market for 10 days, This happens because they are easier to
find than the 70% who are not actively sending their resumes out.
What happens then is that the clients of those recruiters
are informed that these candidates are the best of what is available. Sometimes
they are, but more often than not, there are other, better qualified or more
experienced prospects out there. It is just that they are hard to find. And
finding them usually requires specialist knowledge.
The question that then must be asked is: is that really the
best/right person for your job? If you have struggled to find someone to fill a
role and there have been many rounds of time-wasting interviews resulting in no
hire, then that indicates that there are better candidates out there, but that
they must be unearthed.
Sometimes it is not the recruiter who is at fault, it may be
unrealistic timeframes that you have set. The communication may be letting you
down. Even though the obvious candidates are inundated, it does not mean that
there is no interest in the more hidden prospects your recruiter has found. Perhaps
you are losing out on these hires due to a lack of nurturing. As was mentioned
above, communication plays a big part in reassuring them that your firm is the
best place for them to choose to work. This can be as simple as an automated
email to let candidates know what stage of the process they are currently in. A
third of job seekers say that they would love that simple step.
Patience and nurturing are very undervalued parts of the
recruitment process. A lot of time is wasted when prematurely starting the
process without the communication plan or correct job spec in place. Rushing
interviews can kickstart the machine which then grinds to a halt when it is
clear they are unsuitable and then it has to start all over again.
Experienced and more specialised recruiters will always keep
the prospective hires updated on their status and how things are progressing.
They will always give feedback to both parties. A nurturing campaign is just
part of what they do. This human-centric way of working actually benefits,
rather than detracts from, those involved. Questions are answered, fears are
allayed, decisions aren’t rushed. What would you do if two companies were
interested in hiring you, but one of them never let you know what was going on?
You would choose the one that did, even if you preferred the uncommunicative
one at the start.
Factors must be weighed up. What can a fruitless talent
search cost? What can bad hiring cost you in the long term? Desperation can set
in once the process has taken more than two months. With projects waiting on
the new hire, or work shared across the department starting to take its toll on
productivity, rushing is a false economy.
It also comes down to the right recruitment partner, of course, and when everything clicks into place, it means you are hiring the best individuals for the roles because they were discovered and nurtured by experts, they felt valued during the initial stages and they trusted that your company knew what it was doing more than the competitors did.
Curious about how Zenshin Talent can help your organisation? Contact us today for a no-strings conversation about your needs and our experience.
