There is a heap of advice out there about getting the best from your application form, how to get and interview and how to perform in one.  

All of it sound, noteworthy advice and yet very articles but the boot on the other foot; what about spotting bad recruiters, or a dodgy recruitment process? For potential employees, gut instinct might kick in but there are times when you do need to think carefully, observe what is happening and decide what the people are interviewing you are all about.  

Take note of the following. 

Not understanding the job 

In some companies, the management is responsible for the interviewing and recruitment process. There may be times when this mantel would probably have been best passed to a junior member of staff as they may be the people working directly in the field of work, department and so on.  

Are the people in front of you talking the right ‘language’? Is there a clear understanding of the role? If not, they may not know what they are looking for.  

All talk, no listen 

The best interviews are two-way processes. They are about them meeting you, and you meeting them. The scrutiny should be a two way- process and yet, there are time when the company’s management seems to think that the process is about them talking and selling them, and not really listening to what you have to say.  

Feeding back 

You may have been successful, and you may have accepted the job, but this is one small step. Modern recruiters are providing feedback to ALL candidates, not just those who didn’t make the grade. Asking people why they hired you, the good points and the developmental ones is an insight into their human resources process.  

What training and development have they outlined for you specifically? 

How they decide who to interview 

For some people, not being offered an interview can be a devastating blow, especially when you look down the list of essential and desirable skills and note that you match them all. Not many think to chase this decision but, if you are in this position and have no idea why you were not offered an interview, make contact and ask. 

A polite, well-worded email can not only be the right course of action to find out but can also work wonders in terms of future applications, should you decide to make one.  

Great advice 

When the job isn’t yours, you should be given the courtesy of a phone call and some feedback but, not all recruiters are getting in line for such a policy.  

Assuming that they could come in for some flack, some companies send out ‘thanks, but no thanks’ letters, a poor alternative to a phone call. If you want to know more, always contact them to find out.  

Some really modern recruiters also ask for feedback on the whole process and feeding back honestly but diplomatically is key.  

Spamming 

Some recruiters are third party staffing agencies, tasked with the assignment of finding the latest movers and shakers for their company.  

There are some excellent recruitment agencies out there, who nurture relationships with big companies and agencies, but there are some who think that their main role is to gather CVs and send them to anyone and everyone. 

Large companies and corporations, in particular, have smaller, separate arms to their companies and thus, CV spamming can cause all kinds of embarrassing encounters. Working for a sister organisation and finding your CV on your boss’s desk, as a result, is an embarrassment that has befallen many people.  

And yet, it keeps happening because these agencies are still trolling for CVs and applications from people, with false promises and a scatter gun approach that rarely works.  

Focused on their fee and needs, not yours 

Still with third party recruiters, you need to be aware that they will be paid a fee by the hiring company if you accept a role with them. In some cases, depending on the level of job, as well as whether you were head-hunted or applied to a job vacancy board, the fee can be quite handsome for the agency.  

There are instances where people have been harassed and pressured into taking jobs so that the agency acquires its fee. It is imperative before signing up with a recruiter that you check their reputation, as well as making sure that they work in the area of expertise and skills that you have and want to work in.  

Recruiters are important in finding the right people for the right job, but check that they are centred on your needs and not their own.