What Candidates (and Politicians) Ought to Know

As Recruiters, our daily focus necessarily falls on finding, qualifying and placing good candidates.  From that first cup of coffee to that last email sent from a Smart Phone, Recruiters are all about placing candidates.  But what about after the placement?  A Recruiters job doesn’t stop when the offer letter goes out…on the contrary, it can be the most tenuous part of the cycle.  Making sure that fantastic candidate stays fantastic (at least for a little while) is essential to repeat business and a good reputation.  Here are some tips to share with candidates (and politicians) that will help them land and keep their dream job.

Computers Aren’t Confidantes:You would think this one would go without saying, but apparently, it bears repeating…often.  Make sure your candidate knows the internet, email, IM Services, Twitter and Facebook are not secret, private services. Whatever activity a person engages in electronically is out there forever.  That includes embarrassing pictures sent via Twitter or raunchy emails better left unsent. Surprisingly, a lot of people don’t know this fun little tidbit so it’s up to you to make sure your candidate does!  The ‘E’ in Email…it should stand for Eternity, because that’s how long that email will stay out there.  Additionally, from the minute a candidate fires up their company computer or even logs in to a company network, they’re a (traceable) representative of the company.  Using company time, equipment or services to engage in personal fun is a fast way to get yourself fired.

ABC…Always Be Careful:One facet of a great job is enjoying the people you work with. Becoming friends with your colleagues and looking forward to a day at the office is fantastic. That said, there should always be a line that people do not cross. Unfortunately, one of the risks of having a great, fun office is that the line begins to blur.  An off color joke here, a ‘funny’ email there and suddenly, you have the makings of an interoffice HR issue. And for the Recruiter involved, an uncomfortable and disappointing phone call to field.  Take the time to drill professionalism into your candidate.  People don’t have to be afraid to have a little fun and be friends with their colleagues, but they should always be aware that work is work.  If they have an absolute need to engage in questionable behavior, at least make sure it’s not at the office or on CNN.

Be Yourself…the ‘Yourself’ from the Interview That Is…Prepping candidates prior to their interview is an effective and smart way to help them land the role.  Often a candidate can be the ‘right’ person for the job, but they need some help communicating that to the client.  But sometimes there is a candidate that does great, has all the right answers and blows the interview out of the water.  Then they show up to work and they are a completely different person.  Sometimes these people just sneak by all of our honed recruiting senses and sometimes, they don’t even realize they’re doing it.  So reminding candidates that they should bust their hump and strive to be all those wonderful things they were in the interview is a great safety measure.  Most of the time it won’t be necessary and they’ll do great on their own…but taking that extra precaution may save you some trouble down the road.

Being a successful Recruiter isn’t just about placing the right candidate, it’s about keeping them there.  For Recruiters and Headhunters, these rules are second nature…(you don’t often see Recruiters sending dirty twitter pics, inappropriate emails or performing their own version of Jekyll and Hyde) but that isn’t always the case with candidates.  Making sure your placements stick is smart business, so taking the extra time to coach your people in the right direction will pay off in spades.