10 Candidate Control Tips for Recruitment Success

Candidate control is about having a firm handle on the recruitment process as a whole. With the market leaning fully in favour of candidates, recruiters need to be offering the best candidate experience to rise above the competition.

Here are some quick wins that can help towards guiding candidates in their journey.

1. Show them why they should use you

In a candidate driven market where recruiters are vying for deals, what elevates you above the rest? Establish who you are, how you work and most importantly, what you will do for them. Draw out some timescales and always act on your promises. Remember that good reference points will breed further business.

2. Know your candidate not just their skillset

Knowing a candidate’s skillset and whether they are technically capable to fill a role is not enough, it’s only touching the surface. Recruiters need to properly qualify a candidate and know if location will be an issue, If any personal or professional reasons might conflict with the role and if the pay is enough.

It’s simply a way of recruiting with your eyes open, it’s a lot easier to find what a candidate is looking for once you know what they want from life and what drives them forward. Discovering your candidate’s motivations is all about knowing the right questions to ask to get the answers you need.

3. Communication is key

In order to nurture your relationships and develop them it is essential to maintain communication with your candidates during the recruitment process. Keep a continued presence in your network and update your candidates on suitable roles. Step out from behind your phone and actually go meet your candidates.

4. Manners are free

It should be a given that the cordial recruiter that treats their candidates with respect will get better results than the recruiter that doesn’t.

5. Never assume

Try to narrow the margin of chance so that you are in control of what’s going on and not recruiting with your fingers crossed. As the old adage goes, “assuming makes an ass out of you and me”.

6. Prep your candidate

Before interviews give your candidate a call and ensure they’re fully prepared. Not only will they appreciate this but it will also give you an insight of their interest for a role and also reflect better on you with your clients, as every candidate is essentially an extension of your agency.

7. Give feedback

Provide feedback regardless of if they were successful or not. While a candidate may not be suitable for this position it doesn’t mean they won’t be for the next.

8. Always be closing

The trial close, the close and the re-close to name a few. With every point of contact recruiters should be building to a close, a deal is made long before a candidate formally signs.

9. Time kills deals

It’s a valuable commodity so don’t waste your candidate’s time. If a candidate is stalling when making a decision the opportunity will move on. Make sure a candidate’s cards are on the table and you know why they might be delaying.

10. Ensure a good candidate experience

Reputation is a free and effective marketing tool, but can work both in your favour and against you. A poor candidate experience could hamper future business, while a satisfied candidate will give you a free recommendation. Remember that today’s candidate could also be tomorrow’s client.