Dating Your Candidate
Okay, obviously we don't you to actually date your candidates. That would be all kind of wrong and could cause a lot of issues. Don't do that.
What we do mean is that dating and selecting the right candidate is very similar. They (mostly) involve the same steps. Remembering this could help prevent some issues in the future.
First, you know what you want. You have the perfect candidate in mind. You've been dreaming about them for some time. You're ready to find them... but they're nowhere to be found. You go through candidate after candidate, but none of them are right.
Then, it happens. You see it among a crowd of others. The perfect resume. Seasoned recruiters might tell you it's too good to be true, but this could be the one. You press on.
You invite them in for an interview. Maybe they're a jerk in person and you dismiss them immediately. But maybe, just maybe, they're great. Charismatic, they volunteer at a nonprofit organization, and don't say anything negative about their former employers, which are minimal. Definitely worth a second interview.
The second interview goes so well! Everyone loves the candidate. You introduce them to your parents/company you're recruiting for. They love the candidate too. It seems a match made in heaven. You decide to take the next step.
Unfortunately, background and drug tests aren't standard in the dating realm. They are for hiring though, so you may find something you weren't expecting. Maybe they were with more companies than listed on their resume. Maybe they were let go from their last job for a reason. The entire relationship falls apart in a matter of moments, leaving you frustrated at wasting your time and hurt that it didn't work out. You have to start all over again, and the clock is ticking.
Some candidates lack the ability to communicate. You send them an email, but they take a long time to respond. You call, but they don't answer, and they either never respond or they do eventually, after a while. You finally realize you're more into it than they are. It's time to let them go, even if it hurts.
It's also a lot about how you present yourself. Even the most seasoned recruiter can feel nervous when they're excited about a prospect. Remind yourself that it's okay to stutter a little or mix up your words. You're human, and a good candidate will understand that. It's even okay if a candidate decides to go with another agency.
If it's been a while since you started looking, you may be feeling a little desperate. You may think that some candidate is better than none at all. You may decide to send along a less than qualified candidate to show that you're not completely without options (even though everyone knows they're your cousin).
What can you do?
Just like dating, it's important to look at their social media. While this is controversial with some people saying it's morally wrong and decisions should not be made based of what you see there due to exaggerations or hiding their true selves, look at how many people have gotten fired over something they have posted online. Look at how many people have gone into their significant other's social media and found out they were being cheated on or they were lying about something important. How many claim to be doing well, but are hiding mountains of debt or even criminal history.
The number rule in both dating and recruiting is to be patient. We know you've been dreaming of the perfect candidate since you got into recruiting, but ask anyone who's found the right one. They're worth waiting for.
