Job-Related Call From In-House HR Department and Consultants, Differences and Approach!

With the advent of technology, finding a job has metamorphosized into various strategies and moves one can make to ultimately find their place in the industries. And on the other side of the process, especially the congruency provided by the job search portals, recruiters have devised their own processes to find talents. And just like the portals, Human Resource Consultants were born out of these requirements of bridging the gaps between the two.

 And with that came the era of being searched for, as a job seeker, offers with opportunities if handled right. Being contacted with job prospectus even when the vacancy never crossed your sight is one blessing from the ecosystem technology has provided. And this means the older ways are not obsolete, rather better applicable. And the approach has evolved as well. So, when contacted by an in-house recruiter and a consultant can be two very different scenarios.

To understand better, here are the key differences between the two to look into:

•             HRs are a part and direct representative of the organization while consultants are indirect and contract partners, which gives an advantage to the consultants by working for both, the organization and the candidate. For the candidate, it makes sorting doubts and setbacks much more easily and prepare accordingly with support leading to a refined candidature, one reason why many organizations seek consultancy to research candidates.

•             Consultants can be much more informed about general queries but only HRs can evaluate a candidate’s actual resonance with the organizations. Thereby evaluating candidates in the initial contact and efficiently going through the process. The reason why most of the smaller organizations prefer in-house research and processing and invest in portal subscriptions instead.

•             HRs being the organization itself (the image, first touch, passage to it), they have limits and often, reaching out has limits too. While, consultants can be reached out more often and thus, handling of candidates is better on that side. Also, because of more communications and indirect affiliations, they have better information about candidate’s other search results and priorities. Thereby, being better equipped for not losing on opportunities for either side. Also, a similar flow of information is received from the organizational end as well, thus, being helpful to candidates.

With the above points in mind, here is a little guide to handling calls for job vacancies from either side, starting with HR Department.

What to do when HR calls with a job opportunity?

•             Maintain a positive professional demeanor, greet and listen carefully about the prospect. Respond briefly and efficiently unless asked otherwise.

•             Exchange basic information about self and the opportunity and the organization. Get your job description clear before confirming to anything, ask few but relevant questions. Although not really recommended, but can also ask for some time, a day max, to think over it. But it’s best to take things further with such little contact.

•             Work your way towards an appointment and get clear on the documentation and formalities. Also, a telephonic conversation with any team member can also be arranged and seeking it can be a good option.

•             Get contact details and seek permission to follow up appropriately.

What to do when a consultant contacts with a job offer?

•             A neutral demeanor with an inquisitive attitude to extract information about the role, company, pay and allowances, and other details. Similar details about self can be provided to be instantly reviewed by the consulting personnel. Also, inquire about any charges that may be payable by self (usually, being charged for a consultation before the selection is a known misconduct).

•             Exchange detailed information about every aspect of the process and even seek tips and reviews for them. Consultants are there to bridge and thus, can be very helpful.

•             Get an appointment scheduled and direct contact arranged from the employer/HR (for single use at least). Also, the consultants can be of great help in pay negotiations which should be taken into account.

•             Get other contact details of the consultant and follow up at least once in a day or two and more if it takes longer time. Can be done many times but two to three follow-ups should be the limit.

Direct recruitment is confining itself to lesser segments these days towards managerial positions. Fresher jobs and lower-experience/skill/post jobs have started to go through consultants more often. Mainly due to the volume of applications they can handle and are there and efficient initial screening and candidate preparation they can provide. While direct recruitment yields similar results, the process itself can become inefficient while handling larger volumes.

However, start to intermediate managerial jobs are mostly being handled by recruiters directly, although consultants do aid in research, leads, and initial contact but anything beyond that is mostly handled by HR personnel.

Also, with recent observations, consultants are providing probationary employment from their end as well known as off-roll employment or contract employment. This is a unique opportunity for many, especially freshers and freelancers who want to gain more initial and wider experience and network as well. It is one added advantage Consultants are providing these days but it is not for everyone.

This article is inspired by parts of another article which can be accessed from here.

Why Referrals Are Losing Value And The Value Itself, Explained!

Referral hiring has been one of the most effective methods for organizations to build reliable and enduring teams, especially on the management side. Referrals worked because it brought in people with proven or tested abilities and persona, to say the least. While many other aspects can be relied upon to test them, few factors (assurances) still remained missing. And with the advent of referral hiring and networking as a part of recruitment and job search, it has started to lose the charm. Let's understand it first.

Coming through an existing employee, an endorsement gives boost to the candidate and also makes the recruitment process a two-way test, 

One, to get the candidate from a person who knows the organization from inside and thus, the perceived connection of the candidate and team might work better, 

Two, testing the judgment and/or understanding of current employee(s) towards other members and needs of the organization.

But as time and technology went forward, standardized practices took over most of it, while referrals reserved a special spot in the job applications.

While still in use, extensive information about individuals is readily available, and thus, the overall judgment is majorly influenced by the knowledge. Exceptions are always there, but general cases and scenarios witness the influence.

In order to analyze whether referrals are still up for consideration, here's a look at the recruitment process with and without them:

·         Job Application without referrals goes directly with other applications and with the regular processing, while referrals go direct and have a faster processing due to point of contact available. Counting it as a neutral advantage, it does bring efficiency to the process.

·         Test and Interview Calls, especially pre-visit telephonic interviews can have positive results with a greater probability, considering the same conditions with a un-referred applicant. The advantage here is the positive image the call begins with due to the reference, which affects the overall process.

·         Interviews, again, may share the same overall advantage. But the profiles and other information (relative to other candidates) tend to shadow the fact and interviews become almost unbiased.

Seeing the above, while referrals certainly provide an advantage in the process but not so much as to substantiate recruitment itself. Job search without referrals is almost the same process after applying. Although, on the other side of the story, referrals can actually make a difference if processed properly.

The point to consider with references, be it the recruiter, the referrer, or the candidate, there is a broader analysis in the recruitment process, especially interview, that needs to be done. Its relevance depends on the amount of unique data it provides that can't be acquired otherwise. And bringing in the referrer in context can do exactly that.

Interviewing the referrer for why, how, and what will be the positives (and negatives) of hiring the candidate. It can lead to a better organizational setup whether or not the candidate is hired, because of the better understanding of the decision.

Opinion: With all the information available, references have lost their value in most cases. For upcoming times, unless the recruitment processes evolve, they will lose value further. However, getting a valuable reference will certainly lead to a substantial boost in the jobs search.

The value depends on, One, profile, if it is related and senior to that of candidate, Two, experience, the more the better, Three, position, at least a few ranks over the applied profile, Four, involvement, whether the referrer is directly or indirectly involved with the organization, Five, credibility, whether unproven or tested in past (not necessarily with referencing but work in general), and Six, relationship, with the candidate (professionally; personal doesn't make a positive difference) and with the organization as well.

If the six things check out, it calls for a very strong endorsement, getting which is not easy either, both the traits and the reference itself. Although, the most important of all these are Credibility and Relationship. A person whose work and/or judgment is proven is always bound to give more reliable and better recommendations. Similarly, the relationship of the referrer with the organization and the candidate will define the resonance of values that can connect them better. If these two criteria check out, especially for recruiters, it can be considered a good endorsement.

So, however, the value may have faded, referrals still hold a very high regard when it comes from the right people. And so, it is important to network inside and beyond the industries to create relations that help one grow. More on this SOON!

7 Questions to Ask During Job Interview When Given a Chance

Keeping things simple, a job offer has many, way too many hidden aspects. And while they all can never be identified before joining, a certain few are almost always prominently visible if you look carefully enough. Most of these are neutral in nature, few are resonating and other few are unclear. It is the last we are here to get straight and also tackle a few other impressionable aspects of an interview.

Keep these in mind to modify and/or preparing your own questions to ask when given a chance to clear queries:

·         You are going to work in an organization, and you won’t be alone or at home.

·         You have a future ahead on which you are working, so as the company, the team, and work itself.

·         Organizations have systems in place to manage things, and the system is defined by regulations and culture.

·         Everything has ups and downs, competitions, collaborations, stories, and history. And not all aspects are public knowledge.

And there is much more.

Why it matters is because these factors affect your growth and guide your career path in the long run. Whether or not you choose to stay with them for long, the factors do affect you for the sole reason that a part of your work experience would be attached to the organization.

So, what you need clarifying before going for an offer are questions in these lines that can mine the information you need.

 Digging into the Work and Lifestyle

What would be my typical working day be like and what is expected of me?

An answer to this question would give you insights into the routine and regular responsibilities you are expected of. Although much of it is available in jobs descriptions provided during the application, not all tasks and responsibilities are to be performed all the time and with the same intensity. It will also give a certain insight into the learning and growth prospectus of the work. Most importantly, it’ll project your interest in the profile and your knack for targeted information.

What kind of periodic goals are expected of me, say monthly or quarterly?

This will give you a clearer idea of what you are expected to deliver. The work pressure and other aspects that you need to be prepared for. Also, it would be able to give a clear picture of what your department is going towards, how it is growing and what it is working towards, which eventually will become your own targets.

Can you tell a bit more about the team I am to work with?

Going another step in, taking interest in the team members, the human factor around your work, is a sign of interest and involvement. Also, information about the people in the organization from the HR is also a sign of how managed and social the culture is and also, how efficiently people are evaluated.  This question should be followed with the above two or at least one of them. It should also end the digging into the work life you have applied for.

Digging into the Organization and Your Future with it

 What is the prospects, projects, new verticals, etc the company is looking into currently or for the next 5 years?

This will give you two kinds of information, one, how progressive or otherwise is the growth strategy of the organization, two, how much information and other material is made available to the employees. It will help access the periodic growth one can achieve with the organization. It also gives information on the wider aspects of the industry and what it may convert for you in the long haul.

What are the challenges and opportunities the organization and the team are facing? How do I fit into the equation?

Adding the latter part not only adds a masterstroke, it also adds a very risky gamble, so use wisely. As of the former part, it actually does direct to the latter question, keeping it in the backdrop. It describes the possibilities you may have to aid in the organization along with your duties and create further opportunities. And most importantly, the interviewer will give you your feedback in disguise by his involvement of you in the answer, thereby giving away the affinity (s)he has developed for you.

Who are the organizations chief or top competitors and collaborators?

Some of the most important insights and prospects can be extracted from this question. It shows the stronghold and development of the organization in the industry which directly converts to your own reputation as well. Similarly, networking opportunities and so much more comes along. On the interviewer’s perspective, you also leave a good impression by asking relevant questions.

How to Answer – Tell Me About Yourself

Considered as an interviewer's nuclear weapon and an interviewee's trigger for a heart attack.The question Tell me about yourself is the oldest and one of the most asked questions throughout the history of humankind and its professional journey. With its inventor unknown (for obvious reasons), it remains one of the biggest unsolved puzzles for several reasons.

 One, there is no wrong or right answer to it, Two, it is usually not asked with any intention at all (except to get things going and possibly, to check communication skills as well), Three, it is almost always the one to give away more negative vibes than positive, Four, there is not even a proper template to lay over some content for it.

 So, taking the three points in consideration here is a quick guide to the fourth problem. But first, take a look at the variations of the question itself, and a general comment to understand them.

Tell me about the variations!

·         What should I know about you?

·         How was your journey so far? or How did you reach where you are?

·         Summarise your life till date!

·         And with recent trends in consideration, What would you write in your Social Media Account bio?

And so on...

Tell me about the answer!

Ah, the answer! It has been a long time since I've been answering the question. And it was into a job once, that I personally approached the interviewer who interviewed me, and asked, What did you wanna know? What did you expect?  and he said, Whatever gets you on the job?

And what gets you the job are three factors: Skills and Knowledge, Approach and Practice, Results and Analytics. And based on it is a template devised to segregate content and deliver it in the right order, making a total of three kinds of answers.

The Opening

Start off unconventionally, really! Any job over the world requires thinking, quick thinking. You can start off with a quote you like to work on, or what your friends/colleagues call you and the reason for it; in short, bring in an interesting element and start off by explaining it with you and your past as examples or data points of any kind. It helps give a direction to tread on towards a good answer. A few opening lines to look into are:

Greetings, my name is ABC XYZ

·         but my colleagues like to call me PQRS while friends call me LMNOP because back in school... (and you start off on your past)

·         and was brought up among/in/with/by DEF who, combined with my schooling, triggered... (start off on your developmental journey)

·         and am an inquisitive reader since my school time, reading HIJ in class... (explain how your hobby/habit/skill shaped you)

·         and I like to live based on the saying... (explaining how it defines you and your past)

The Content

Once you have gained the flow using an opening, you need to deliver the required details of the above-mentioned nature within the story. Depending on the job profile, previous experience, and your personality, there are three ways to deliver it. The opening can also be chosen or formulated accordingly.

·         Skill-First Approach is when you start to highlight your skills and how you developed them through your journey. Can be enhanced with an overview of the knowledge acquired. Also, this leads the interview towards topics that one knows of further down the line, and can be helpful. Example: ...triggered an interest in writing while in school, which aided by the communicative nature and reading habits of mine, went on to get me a job in content writing, my first job. As the content was related to marketing endeavors, I read and developed skills related to SEO, affiliate networking, etc which were sharpened with the help of my manager. Later... (and so on) and is recommended for freshers, low-experience individuals, ones transitioning industries, and good for everyone too.

·         Experience-First Approach is the one where basic skills are sorted in out initially, and then, short story-like descriptions of work are given out. It is to highlight the approach you use and the practice you have had in your work. This often leads interviews to instant planning and tests and are a good way to highlight such skills. Example: ...saying "Efficiency lies in the little grey area between perfection and deadlines." Which has driven my schooling and higher-level academics with good grades alongside extensive co-curricular activities! And I practiced the same in my previous jobs like we had these print material to be delivered every weekend and we used to finish it on a basic level by Wednesday noon, grilling it further for a day to make it the best possible version of it. 

    

     This lead to impressive designs with timely completion which is what matters to me... and is recommended for intermediate experienced individuals, fresher with intern/co-curricular/volunteering experience, and anyone with experience, especially in newer or unconventional jobs.

·         Result-First Approach is for those who have achievements to speak of or the work profile is output oriented like sales jobs. It can be used to highlight either or both the results and the analytics around it like profits, lead generation, rank improvement, resources saved, etc. This doesn't give out much direction to the interview a little further but gives out impressive data for discussion during that. Example: ...back in school, I maintained very good relations with my seniors and teachers, which often helped my friends hide behind me and thus, the nickname. Also, the same skill, when I used professionally, led to better client relations and gave us much more freedom and flexibility to work that led to overall improvement in everyone's work and reputation gain, both online and offline bringing XYZ organic leads... and is recommended for sales and marketing experienced individuals, individuals with analytical profiles like accounts, legal, etc, technical operations job, etc.

The Conclusion

To reach conclusion is often the most difficult part of the answer, and also, one that gets tested very less as well. Also, if the answer is leading on to questions that can be asked or details that can be interviewed upon, it generally gets interrupted and gives a continuity to the process, eliminating the conclusion. Still, it is essential to have a clear conclusion in mind. Conclusions can range from an ambition statement, a vision and/or mission statement, or just a marginally smaller goal or next step you look forward to. A well-drawn conclusion reflects a lot of good traits in an individual. A conclusion can look something in the lines of:

·         ...with the prospectus I am here for, I intend to move forward with data analytics as my expertise, along with acquiring certification in it.

·         ...working with XYZ opens up the prospectus of growing in the industry in which I plan to do an MBA and further my career.

·         ...with my current understanding of the organization's goals, the new verticals that they are looking into are also the ones I intend to grow myself with further experience and guidance.

Final Form

The final form should be a content along the lines of above points or any other approach as may deems fit, but must maintain a flow and integrity. The overall speaking time should be no less than a minute and no more than three. Recommended speaking time for an answer is around two to two and a half minute. Give the opening and initial introduction 10-20 seconds, the conclusion should take another 10-15 seconds, rest must be managed and engaged with the main content.

Remember, a storytelling format will always tend to impress and give the benefit against small mistakes and casualness of information. Since, it is about the past, its best to begin mid-way from school and move quickly to college/professional life. It is, however, not negative while using a mixed content approach, fixing emphasis on a certain set leaves a better impact for most. However, it varies from person and profiles as well.

Lastly, remember the interview is not about you, neither the interviewer is there to bring you down or something like that, nor it is just about just the job. It is about You doing the Job for and with the Organization. And that is what you need to project.

Be Careful When You are on a Job Search! 5 Things to Look In For Signals

Looking for jobs itself is a walkthrough into experiences one may not have seen. Job search for most of us is the first step into the real world and the first look into its bright and dark sides. And ever since recruitment has taken the form of business as a recognized industry, the bright has got brighter and dark, darker. In countries like India, where unemployment is almost a phenomenon, the business is taking a toll on both, job seekers and recruiters. The reason being, setbacks in culture and technology, and most importantly, lack of awareness.

 As a part of the industry and access to in-depth insights, there are certain suggestions for job seekers to make it a better experience. Cause it's always better to learn from other's fall (experience) than to fall ourselves and learn. Let's break it down to the different aspects of the industry to get a better understanding of it.

 Job Portal

Commonly called job search engines, the portal hosts both candidates, and recruiters and consultants to provide an easy process for recruitment. Generally, job postings, job search are browsed by candidates with details about posts including job details, company details, contact details. From the other side, recruiters and consultants browse candidate profiles to search for prospective employees. This is how we understand job portals as the Shine.com team while making sure at least the recruiters are verified before allowing to use the database. Although, there are websites that host similar functionality but are classified websites with adverts on it generally called advertising platforms. The points to be noted here are:

·         Using Advertising Platforms require a little care since the recruiters and postings may not be verified. Look for details and descriptions, weigh the content (for grammar and composition, relevance of data, etc.) and look for company and contact details (at the right place). Most fake posts will not have contact details in proper place but in descriptions and mostly without the company name. And almost all real recruiters will provide the official email address as the quintessential contact detail, if not anything else.

·         Explore the website and go through its functionality, social media profiles (if available) to verify it is a portal and not an advertising platform. Do not upload the resume or provide contact details (except email for signing up) before making sure of it. Some features can help differentiate portals from others like recruiter profiles, company profiles, emailing and/or contacting recruiters from the portal directly, privacy settings (especially for contact details), customer support, etc.

·         Complete the Profiling with all the relevant details and keep them updated with time. Also, visit the portal regularly to see if any communication or views have been made on your profile. Provide details of the kind of jobs and its aspects that you are looking for. In short, do the formalities with a practical approach and be updated.

Example: Say you are searching for Reliance job vacancies, look for the email address with a Reliance related domain, look for the phone number for the location, cross-check from the internet. A Reliance vacancy of local scale may still not have such details but can be checked from the address and other aspects.

HR Consultancy

HR Consultancy firms are the ones that manage recruitment process for either or both, job seekers and employers. In which case, there are two scenarios that develop. One, where job seekers hire them to search for jobs of relevant nature. Two, companies hire them to search for candidates and do the initial screening for the openings. Either of the scenarios, what needs to be noted is:

·         Charges are levied for the service. If they come from the employer's end, it is borne by the employer. If one hires them, it has to be borne by them and this is where things may go wrong. On the darker side of the industry, a lot of lobbying goes on on this front. Check the credentials of the consultant, their registration certificates, billing information, etc to verify. Also, seek contact details of companies and employees they have put together and meet them. Check their contacts and relevance in your industry too.

·         Offerings by HR consultants are common, regarding professional courses, training programs, etc to enhance professional strength. If it seems important, check the affiliation and other details of the courses, verify certificate value, and look for multiple options for the same as well.

·         Be Warned, the above two are the points where the lobbyists try to make quick money out of candidates. Especially, they seek registration fee, and later, force into unnecessary training and coursework and then, leave the candidates in dark. The signs to flag them are, unnecessary interviewing and pitching for a registration fee, not disclosing name and contact of the employers, little to no knowledge about job prospectus, unverifiable bills and receipts or no issuing of them, etc.

Example: Scenario: Say you are contacted for Reliance vacancy by a consultant, if they interview on phone and send you details for further test and interview directly to a Reliance office, then it is genuine. If they ask you to come down for an interview at their own center, FLAG, possibly they'll seek registration fee as well.

Scenario: You contact (on call or revert for the email) through an advert and are asked to come down to interview at a non-official address (not of the employer) FLAG, you are being funneled for above. Similarly, you get in touch with a consultancy and they interview you directly without any lead, FLAG. Similar irrelevant happenings, suggestions, visits, communications, etc are all FLAGS.

 Referrals 

In the world of extensive networking opportunities, referrals are one of the best bets and also, a very difficult approach as well while looking for a job. Referrals are best supported through industry experts and reputed educationists, however, they are not limited to it. Working freelance or on short-term contracts are one of the best ways to network professionally and in the process, useful referrals can be found as well. Also, referrals can come from established employees as well, but networking or reach still is essential.

 The only care that needs to be taken care of with referrals is, the person should have sufficient reputation, should know them enough and be known to them enough as well to validate your professional potential. And most importantly, they should either come through a reliable channel or found by you.

Job Fairs

Job fairs are a fairly new concept, introduced to tackle the communication gap between recruiters and job seekers. It also takes the competition on standardized levels. A job fair works, with similar functions to a portal, in two ways. One, by providing candidates with information about vacancies and opportunity to apply for it in person along with meeting a representative personnel. Two, by providing companies to target their recruitment process without confining themselves, gather the database of candidates, and create their talent pool. Informed actions in a fair can get the job done, just know these:

·         Be Informed about the recruiters, companies, and other professionals attending the fair, a thorough examination of the brochure will give all the information. Plan and explore the event according to your requirements and interests. 

·         Interact with professionals, not just recruiters but other individuals with experience (never know when you land a referral). Especially while exploring industries that do not fall into your direct domain, listen and exchange information, there are always hidden prospectus waiting. Interacting with the recruiters may also provide leads other than the ones already on the table, but only a healthy impactful interaction can extract it.

·         Regulate your activities to a limit and instead, give quality time to certain prospectuses. Also, regulations should also extend towards approaching consultants representing recruiters and/or multiple employers. Such a case simply beats the cause fair stands for. There are other self-imposed regulations that one needs because they are under constant watch of many recruiters.

LinkedIn

This is currently one of the most reliable and widest network for professional networking and subsequently, job search. Unlike other social networks, it follows a rather targeted approach with features aimed at professional works only. To use linked in for job search requires a certain understanding of the network, but with it, it is fairly easy and adopted by most of the organizations as one of the go-to channels for recruitment. What you need is:

·         Share your experience, knowledge, connections, opportunities through creating or just sharing quality content on the channel. Filling in just the profile with relevant content about your experience and professional and academic prowess can give an edge in the job search.

·         Activity among and outside your connections can help build reliable professional relations. Searching for a job, you can ask your connections' permission to include them as references to give a review if asked for. Relevant and honest references are a great way to strengthen profile. 

·         An Updated Profile to give the best information on your professional life for recruiters to go through. Also, keeping it updated (and switching on public updates) will keep you active among your network. Also, can serve as a motivation towards undertakings to increase professional prowess. Also, skills backed by people among your connections validates them as well.

·         Network among the people in your industry and related industries, especially recruiters. Connecting with them provides one, updates on openings as they update them, two, send your updates among them to present your progress, three, find individuals who may be potential referrers for you. 

Doing everything together may prove to be tiring, confusing, and complicated. Use all the medium wisely and give the due time and effort they require. Job portals require time periodically to update and rest can be invested in search. LinkedIn and other networks require less but regular time. Job fairs are scheduled events, informed well in advance and are manageable accordingly. Keep an open mind with consultants but also, careful approach. In all these processes, keep an eye out for individuals who can provide referrals, learn from everyone and have healthy professional relations. And elevate your search to a good level that you can stand out among the crowd and finally succeed. Persistence, folks, is the key!

Yes, we know that Job Search could become tricky sometimes, but if you use right rules and Job Search techniques, your dream job can actually just click away from you!