How I learnt the importance of hiding behind jargon in recruitment.

Back in 2012, we won our 3rd retained assignment, with my Dad delivering on it (he'd been ill for some time, so it was my privilege to support him).

This was a software company whose vacancy had been open for 18 months, considering hundreds of CVs through many agency suppliers.

When we proposed looking at it differently, and on a retained basis, we were met with the objection they'd tried headhunters before and it had been a huge waste of money.

Nonetheless, they asked us to lay out our process, and our proposal's overall fee was in line with what they paid contingency recruiters.

They agreed, and we took a full brief from the hiring manager. They hadn't allowed access to him from contingency suppliers and it quickly became clear that what they needed wasn't reflected in an Americanised generic job family description, including missing out on key skill requirements.

The search was a lot simpler than we anticipated and we presented three candidates within a couple of weeks of instruction.

One was appointed, one was declined after a back door reference prevented them offering (sneaky) and a third was put on hold pending budgetary approval for a role that never came about. Could have been a 300% fill rate!

It was remarkably simple, although of course that simplicity was derived from our process and expertise.

After Dad died, I caught up with their new internal recruiter. It felt like a productive meeting, although I still felt like a rabbit caught in headlights after my family's loss.

At the end, he asked me how we had unpicked their problem of a vacancy, and I straightforwardly told him their issue had been one of documentation and hiring manager access, rather than anything particularly clever on our part.

We did what we always do and the consequence was a straightforward placement.

Indeed, I said, improve those two points and it would make all their vacancies simpler to fill.

He looked at me a little strangely - I think he was expecting mystical IP hidden art headhunting smoke and mirrors, not the unadorned truth.

Anyway, long story short they improved their adverts shortly afterwards, and I wouldn't be surprised if they allowed their agencies access to hiring managers.

I wouldn't know - he never replied to an email, phone call or LinkedIn message ever after 🤣.

That's how I learnt the importance of hiding behind jargon.

#recruitment #BirchamWyattRecruitment #RecruitmentLife

p.s. And that's why I'll never hide behind jargon - I'll only lay out a clear process. If you want to pay me to sort out your recruitment mess, you're very welcome to run with my advice yourself.