In fact, depending on how things are structured, it can be anywhere from 7 to 15 steps, although most organisations work to a 12-step process. The fact that these steps can often be repeated several times means that some recruitment processes will take as many as 36 steps. There are a lot of points therefore at which the process can collapse!

Structure – Early stages issues can be elements such as the budget not being signed off, the brief being wrong or misinterpreted (meaning the hiring manager may be too selective or miss relevant people), candidates being misaligned or the salary not being competitive. This can all impact the attraction of or fit of those candidates being attracted. All of this can be solved by an experienced recruiter consulting with the client and using their greater market knowledge (helps if they are deeply involved in that specific niche) to guide the client towards sharing the right information and utilising the right mix of attraction techniques, selection and assessment of candidates.

Process management – Successful recruitment processes often have a rhythm and a pace to them. Too rushed and candidates can be overwhelmed, too slow and they can be discouraged. The process also must recognise that often the candidates are not in this process in isolation and that they will be involved in a few other processes. Part of what will attract them is a company’s ability to run a smooth, engaging, and efficient process that treats them as an individual of importance. So, an experienced recruiter will help to advise on the process and timing.

Expectation management – Occasionally I have had clients reject strong candidates because there was maybe a small gap in their knowledge. Maybe they did not have experience of a particular tool. Often the response from the candidate is well I can learn and the client will say “ah, but it will take 3 months to get up to speed and we need someone now. Well guess what, 3 months later the client has still not filled the role and that candidate would be up to speed by then. It baffles me the assumption that someone who has gone through an undergraduate degree and then often further learning is assumed not to be likely to pick up new tools and skills quickly when the argument is that they have proven ample capacity to do just that.

Communication – This is probably the element that goes most unnoticed by clients. It is the communication with candidates throughout the process keeping both client and candidate up to speed but also keeping a close eye or more likely ear on what is being said by each part. How engaged are they really? How are they feeling about the prospect? What other options are they considering? What attracts them to the opportunity or person? What is discouraging them? How can the hurdles be overcome? It is this constant communication that allows recruiters to be able to navigate, negotiate, and support the process to the optimal conclusion. It takes time empathy trust and respect.

The result is that the wins seem like plain sailing however the losses are deeply frustrating as so often huge amounts of time and effort have been invested. It is exactly that time and investment that helps the recruiter make the process run more smoothly.

Enigma People Solutions is an award-winning technology recruitment consultancy. We find technical leaders for the emerging and enabling technology industries. Visit our services page for more information. Visit our job search page for the latest vacancies in photonics, electronics, semiconductor, software and IoT in Scotland and the UK. Check out our blog page for the latest in the technology industry. You can get in touch with us hello@enigmapeople.com or call us on + 44 131 510 8150