Recruitment is recruitment – it doesn’t change?

So here is the line – we will find the best job for you, or if you are a client, we will find the best candidate for you. It is all the same. It is recruitment.

Or is it the same? Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a person who knew an industry very well, had experience of that industry and had actually done the jobs he was recruiting. He had a high level of knowledge about roles, companies and good understanding of the needs of people within a recruitment process.

Or so he thought.

Then he saw the difference between a “standard” recruitment process and a good one. The difference was startling. How could his previous processes have been so shoddy and inaccurate, with so little data and information to back them up? This new and shiny process had in-depth understandings of the people, the business, and delivered real quality in terms of service. And ultimately, it really did provide the right person in the right job within the right business. That person stayed within that role and has progressed within the business that is absolutely right for them.

This is the story of a converted Recruitment Consultant – me!

What this shows is the difference between a normal recruitment agency and a good quality one. I have been at Chemistry now for 3 months since joining from a leading search & selection firm. I have seen a difference here like I never thought I could. Honesty, openness, quality – a recruitment company that people really like and recruitment consultants that actually care about people and not just revenue and selling advertising all of the time.

And there is the difference. Caring. Caring about the people we deal with and what the outcome is. I have been astounded by the difference between Chemistry and the rest of the recruitment industry. Other recruitment companies are starting to take notice of how we do things and try to emulate it, and our customers are telling us what a refreshing change we are within the industry. People are realising that they don’t have to accept low standards, or bad service, or inaccuracy. An aggressive sales culture will breed aggressive sales people and they are not the people who should be managing recruitment processes.

An important part to add here. Other recruitment companies are very successful businesses and have a business model that works brilliantly for them from a commercial point of view. However, the model does not take into account the people most important to it – customers. Somewhere along the line, something was missed and people were forgotten. People who are looking to find a new job, and people who are looking to recruit great people.

So to the company. Chemistry has been a revelation to me in terms of working. A truly great environment with superb people and a set of values and attitudes that are brilliant. We care, we want this business to be successful, and that success depends on how well we deliver to our customers – and we intend to deliver very well.

A Footnote

Mark, who wrote this blog, did name the company he worked for but hey they are "big and powerful" and we are just the small kid in their playground .  So they, in a very nice, not in a threatening way at all (much) legal letter asked us to remove their name from the blog...which as you can see we have.  A victory for the big guy ;-)

Comments

[Doug Bates]

So what, exactly, are you now doing differently?

[Roger Philby]

Thanks for the contribution Doug.

The fundamental difference is how we assess talent. Most organisations and recruitment vendors assess Experience, i.e. what you have done before and they might get in to some form of competency based interviewing. However our research (we work with the BPS & Cambridge Uni a fair bit)and practical experience suggests that these factors are the least reliable predictors of success. The reasons why people leave roles or under perform are found in someones, Intellect, Values & Motivations and predicting how they will behave can only be assessed by a combination of these things and a Behavioural Assessment. So what are we doing differently? Well we measure all of the critieria, Intellect, Values, Motivation, Behaviour & Experience. Our consultants are independently accredited to interview, they have to pass exams! Every candidate who goes through our process receives a Chemistry Book, which is everything we found out about them, our feedback is objective, clear and honest...to be honest the list goes on. The outcome is a proven 75% accuracy in hiring A Players for organisations, against a market that is running at 25%...finally we put part of our fee at risk based on the new hires performance in role...hopefully you'll agree, a further difference.

If you'd like to find out more please give me a call on 01344 418300.