Last week I met with a client to discuss a crucial, senior technology recruitment requirement that he had. I have actually met with this client on several occasions before and had a fairly good idea of his business, what they do and the types of people they look for, both in terms of skills & experience but also candidates that fit best with their culture.
This particular position has been a live requirement for several months and it was so refreshing that my client understood the importance and value of meeting to discuss, so he decided to invite me into his office (rather than me asking him!) to go through things in a lot more detail - two and a half hours of detail to be precise!
With the requirement being so business critical and them requiring a really specific candidate, this was the best option in order to ensure I was fully equipped with the knowledge required to go to market, do a thorough search and selection exercise and provide him with the talent that he requires.
We went through an in-depth review of the business, their products and services offered, the teams, the culture and the challenges they face when looking to attract and retain top talent in this competitive market. We also covered the personal views he has when looking at a CV and a candidate’s previous work history. These are the things that often only come to light when you have an in-depth face to face chat, but they are the things that provide me as a consultant with vital information to ensure I do not waste my time or his when speaking to candidates. This allows me to ensure that I send the strongest shortlist possible.
As we enter December it is traditionally a slower time for recruitment as senior management teams are too busy drinking and having fun at Christmas parties to be managing recruitment processes. No-one really wants to interview or be interviewed for a role in the run up to the festive period (it does happen though).
However, in such a candidate driven market, this is actually a perfect opportunity for me to proactively begin candidate sourcing and pipelining candidates whilst they may have more time to meet with me, ready to begin your recruitment exercise in the New Year!
Therefore, if you have an upcoming requirement that you’d like to discuss please get in touch ASAP, let’s get a coffee and a chat in the diary before it’s taken up with Christmas parties!