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The biggest barrier for external recruiters to “level up”: they have it too easy. When times get tough, they can run away.
Search is too hard? Peace. I’m out.
Client is unreasonable? You’re fired. I’ll find another.
Insanity of the job puts you over the edge? Make passive aggressive rants on social media about how bad hiring managers are. (No, I don’t know anything about this…)
Meanwhile, internal recruiters do the unthinkable: they work through it.
Come hell or high water, the internal talent acquisition team is responsible to get it done.
That’s not to say it’s always seamless or successful. But they’re married to the problem. It’s literally solve it or find a new job. The breaking point of walking away is a hell of a lot higher.
Done right, a lot of it is expectation setting. Making sure these things are clear *up front* so there’s no surprises. The whole org buys in.
No response on submissions in X time frame? We’ll put this on pause until you’re ready.
Requirements change? Recalibrate live before any more work is done.
No movement on pipeline candidates in Y weeks? Or it’s been open for Z months? Delist it until the hiring team comes back to the table.
It’s not hardball when it’s known and agreed to up front. Expectations and accountability.
There’s also the soft approach. “It looks like this isn’t a priority” or “The search isn’t working” followed by “What can we do together to get on the right path?” You know, talking to people in a productive manner. Because you have to if you want to get anything done.
Here’s the rub: there’s no reason why external recruiters can’t do the *exact same things.*
Further plot twist: a lot of them do!
Every bad experience a hiring company has with an external recruiter, stems from the lack of understanding in this approach. (Or a general lack of ability but that’s another topic entirely.)
Crappy agencies treat internal recruiters as obstacles.
👉True partner agencies learn from them.
Partner at Hirewell. #3 Ranked Sarcastic Commenter on LinkedIn.
Candidate Experience sucks right now. That’s it. That’s the show.
If you think back to 2021, when the job market was on fire, it was top of mind for everyone. Not just LinkedIn think pieces, but companies poured lots of time and effort into white-glove interview processes.
Now that the market cooled off, so did the effort. But there’s a disconnect: attracting talent isn’t any easier right now. In fact, it’s harder when you inadvertently cut corners.
Jeff Smith and James Hornick explain why ignoring candidate experience is costing companies big in The 10 Minute Talent Rant, Episode 111, “Candidate Experience Has Never Been Worse”
Episode 111