Comments on: Recruiters: PR Also Means “People Relations”

By: Business Bootcamp for PR Pros: Network With a Twist | Waxing UnLyrical

Business Bootcamp for PR Pros: Network With a Twist | Waxing UnLyrical — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:08:30 +0000

[...] I’ve come across my share of bad recruiters, but the good ones are like gold. [...]

By: Shonali Burke

Shonali Burke — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:33:18 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Eric. I think HR departments in companies can be quite overwhelmed, so for the most part they don’t call back unless one’s being considered for the position. I do think it should be different with recruiters who actively pursue, and present, you for a position, though. There are many good recruiters who do this, but unfortunately the “not so good” ones can give them all a bad name (much like PR!).

By: Eric Mauk

Eric Mauk — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:16:48 +0000

I have come to the realization that there are very, very few companies that follow the hoped-for protocol of letting you know how things are going. I have interviewed with a number of sports properties including some big sanctioning bodies and have not once gotten a call after the interviews (unless I got the job!) I have always made the calls to get the info, but perhaps I am a little impatient that way…

By: Shonali Burke

Shonali Burke — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:22:24 +0000

Thanks, Rosaline – I agree completely. A cold call is one thing, but if a recruiter has actually put you through your paces… well, that deserves a response.

By: Rosaline Raj

Rosaline Raj — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:18:32 +0000

Great posts and interesting experiences! I recently went to an interview with a company for a PR position. For the most part, they were great and timely, the recruiter even asked for my feedback immediately after the interview. I checked in some weeks later and they said they had just filled the position. As busy as everyone is, it would have been nice to receive “closure” and I don’t think it is too much to ask for one if you’ve actually been through their interview process, meeting everyone in the department. Now if I was just calling to check in without an interview, that’s a different story.

By: Shonali Burke

Shonali Burke — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 15:40:21 +0000

Susan, Barbara & Jason -

Thanks so much for your comments.

Susan – you’re absolutely right, it’s a two-way street. It’s critical for candidates to be professional and understand how your business works, and I do think more are beginning to “get it.” But it’s great when smart recruiters (like you) also understand the value of a quick and courteous response to job-seekers, especially those they are already working with. As you point out, the advent of social media can be great help in our time-compressed days.

By: Jason Buck

Jason Buck — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:18:57 +0000

Many years after my ‘interesting’ temping experience, I now have a number of good (UK) recruitment agents. One in particular (www.zebrapeople.com) has proactively helped place me in contracts to fill gaps in CV and even spent time on the phone critiquing my CV/resumé.

Oh … and I have never had quite the same conversation with them as I did with the others )

By: Barbara Saunders

Barbara Saunders — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:03:06 +0000

At one company where I worked, the application process was so unnecessarily arduous. Candidates were subjected to a group presentation, a written test, and a case study interview. Because the job postings were not targeted well, the group sessions included hundreds of people. Eventually rumors began circulating on craigslist that the company was not hiring, but was actually running some sort of experiment.

A group of team members finally convinced the senior management to abandon this process. The bottom line: fewer than ten hires had resulted from this process, which must have cost tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of dollars over several years. If the company was going to fill its open positions, we needed a much more streamlined approach.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:04:28 +0000

Great post!

I agree, recruiters need to be polite and understanding and should follow-up. But there are times they just can’t–when you have hundreds of candidates. There is a set of expectations that both recruiters AND job seekers have to understand. We have to meet in the middle.

Recruiters need to make more of an effort to follow-up and reply especially to those who have gone through the interview process.

But job seekers have to understand too that they aren’t going to hear back on every resume and every application. They are one seeker of perhaps hundreds or even thousands in this market. Take control of your search. Own it! Follow-up and ask for where you stand. Don’t sit back and wait. Be persistent but professional.

Similarly, recruiters need to better understand customer service. Have processes in place, even if automated, to get back to applicants. Use social media where you can to respond to questions and help applicants understand.

It is a two-way street.