Common Problems Recruiters Face and How to Solve Them

In some ways, finding the right candidate for a position is a bit like looking for a four-leaf clover. You know the right person has to be out there somewhere, but to find him/her, you have to do a lot of looking and examining. And there is a lot of clover to dig through. The good news is that as a recruiter, you’re not alone. So what are some of the most common problems for recruiters?

1 | HIGH VOLUME POSITIONS

First, the sheer volume of responses can be overwhelming. Whether you’re placing a single ad or in a high volume industry with heavy turnover and are placing multiple ads on a regular basis, the fact is that your desk and email inbox is flooded with resumes the moment you confirm your ad. And you’ve got to wade through them all to find the best of the potential prospects, then you’ve got to make time to talk to the promising ones to see if they really are as promising as they seem on paper, then you have to coordinate schedules for interviews. It can seem like a Herculean task at times, but with the right tools, like digital interview platforms, these time-consuming tasks can be whittled down and streamlined. One of the most common problems for recruiters does have a solution.

2 | HARD AND SOFT SKILLS

Second, there is the reality that a person’s qualifications are not the entire equation. You are not just looking for a four-leaf clover for its physical characteristics, but you have to be able to find one that can sing and dance… or at least function well in your office environment. There are so many factors that can’t be read in a resume that still have to be considered. Personality, sense of humor, social skills and overall attitude are not something that a paper resume can reflect. Video, voice and written interviews can give you insight into a candidate’s character, personally, communication skills and overall cultural fit to help you make the right choice. Taking the time to look into a prospective employee’s public social media profile can also be eye-opening and not always in the most positive light for them.

3 | HARD TO FILL ROLES

Last, but not least, there are the seemingly impossible cases. Employees who did the work of 20 and are suddenly retiring and there is no one that can fill their shoes or candidates who play games and parties who refuse to reasonably negotiate win-win resolutions. As a recruiter, you need to make certain calls like whether or not a position needs to be reevaluated if an employee was wearing many hats or if you need to move past a candidate playing games or parties who are refusing to reasonably negotiate.

Recruiting is a tough job, there is no doubt. But there is certainly a great reward when that perfect match happens.

Interested in learning about interviewstream? Schedule a one-on-one meeting with us to see how we can solve any of your daily recruitment challenges.

About The Author

Esteban Gomez is a marketing consultant with interviewstream. He loves learning and has a passion for traveling, having visited many countries including China, Colombia, Italy, and Peru.