After a tough day of business development, finally you’ve managed to speak to the hiring manager at the top of your target list and gained their agreement to fill the job advertised on their website. But not all jobs – or hiring managers – are created equal. Here are the red flags that should make you think twice about the client – and the job.
Re-advertised job : A job that has been recently re-advertised carries a big red flag. A new hire who left within the first three months (or earlier) could be down to bad luck in final candidate selection. More likely it’s because it didn’t meet the expectations presented by the employer during the hiring process or the company culture wasn’t quite the open, encouraging environment it was described as. Whatever the answer, you need to know exactly why it was reposted so quickly.
Rejected job offers : Candidates turning down job offers are more likely in sectors such as tech and engineering where skills are in short supply. If the hiring manager reels off a list of several candidates who have turned down the job offer dig deeper. A low salary, unrealistic expectations of the post holder, a poor interviewing technique or a delayed hiring decision all play a part in rejected job offers and indicate a potentially difficult client.
No sense of urgency : Employers need to act quickly to hire the best talent. If the hiring manager shows no sense of urgency in scheduling first interview dates during your call, this job isn’t a priority for them – and your calls won’t be either. Delays in recruitment mean the outstanding candidate you sourced for them will explore other opportunities with your competition. Focus your efforts on an employer who appreciates the value of your service – and is serious about hiring.
Reluctance to agree to your fee : Don’t proceed on a job with a hiring manager who gives you the verbal go ahead to recruit but does not agree to your terms and conditions or your fee. They don’t respect what you have to offer. Find an employer who does.
They can’t sell their employer brand : Why do people stay with this company? As a recruiter, you’re looking for more than salary. Job security is the number one priority for today’s jobseekers according to Indeed. Company values, career development, flexible working and recognition of their staff all play their part. If the hiring manager can’t easily answer that question, dig deeper to find out about staff retention levels. If they can’t hang on to their top performers, how well do you think this placement will work out?
They’re not the decision maker : If you’re not dealing with the person who has the final say on candidate selection, the whole process will fall apart at a critical point. Be sure you are talking to the decision maker early on in the call. If every conversation you have has to be approved by the HR Director or CEO who communicates only through a team member, think again. Employers who are serious about hiring will work directly with you.
Death by interview : A process that requires four of five interviews is guaranteed to send your candidate in search of an alternative job opportunity. Be realistic. Unless it’s Google, the majority of your qualified applicants will find another job in that time.
They don’t return your calls : The hiring manager may have agreed to your fee, but if they don’t respond quickly to the CVs you send them it’s a red flag. Don’t call them repeatedly. Take your candidate and move on to your next vacancy. Enter your specific search criteria on 8LEGS to identify the companies recruiting in your target market. Our business development platform carries out searches on over 13 million unique URLs on a daily basis to discover all of the vacancies relevant to your business.
