Why don’t Recruiters Share the Name of the Client or the Service they are Recruiting for?
This puzzles me and is something we are coming across more and more over recent months, we spend a lot of time interviewing and vetting our candidates and really getting to know them, interviewing them and assessing their suitability for a role and the provider we are recruiting for.
As part of this process we will tell them all about the service and the client we are recruiting for and giving them a really good overview of the service, where it is located, what problems or scenarios they may encounter, what development needs there are, what staff issues there may be as well as discussing future progression opportunities and the candidates own aspirations.
Why do we go to these lengths? To ensure the candidate is right for the role from a providers point of view – ensuring that they can fulfill the role in question but also to ensure that the Candidate is he right candidate to fulfill the duties and requirements that the service needs.
It is therefore very frustrating when we interview a candidate and submit their application only to discover that the client has received the details from elsewhere – which in itself isn't an issue, but it is an issue when the candidate is not aware of this!!!
Today I spoke with a candidate who had been interviewed by a Recruiter but had not been told the name of the home or provider or had any details about that home – how does this excite and enthuse the candidate? How can they research and prepare? How do they even know it’s the right role for them? The candidate in question thanked me for giving them an insight into the service and the provider and helping prepare for any future interview they may be invited for as they were really keen on the opportunity as I had described.
The other scenario is even more worrying, when a candidate doesn’t even know they have been submitted or even interviewed. This amazes me, why are Employers paying a fee for someone to fire CV’ at them and hope one of them sticks? Without any quality assurance or the candidate's permission!!
We much prefer an honest quality driven approach where we work in partnership with our clients to understand them and their needs and requirements and find the candidates that meet those requirements and where there aren't exact matches, work with the client to find a suitable alternative that fits 8 out of 10 of those ideals.
I know it is an old adage and people will believe I am just bitter from missing out on a placement – im not!! I still spoke to both of the candidates I mentioned, gave them a few further tips for interview and wished them well and am happy to give them any further information they want about the role – why, when we don’t stand to make anything from it? – because in the world of Health & Social Care it is important and the service we provide goes much further than money – peoples safety and welfare are involved, and, we want to help in our own way ensure the very best care provision being delivered.
Rant over, but suffice to say if you want to work with a Recruitment Partner that values the role it plays in supporting you to provide the very best care we would be delighted to support you.
Paul Marsden
Director