Overkill.....

I am staggered by many things, in fact, most things....but nothing bemuses me much more than unnecessary interview processes.

The process which always used to amuse me the most was Kent Police when they recruited forensic analysts.  To say it struck me as overkill is a complete understatement - suffice to say they had to hire half the office space in London just to cope with the masses invited for the initial assessment.  If successful in this task there were just another three hundred or so stages before a potential offer was made.  If you applied by age six you were potentially looking at starting work before retirement age along with the other ‘lucky’ applicants.

I am sure it was a thorough process (to say the very least) and to be fair, they did recruit some outstanding people, but was it really the best way to select candidates for a first role in forensics – or any role for that matter?  As you may just have gathered, I think it was way over the top and wasted the time of lots of people.  

However, recently I have seen an increase in never-ending processes for more senior people in both forensics and ED, including the dreaded panel interview.  Of course, for an important role you need to ensure you have found the person with the skills for the role blah, blah, blah.... but, surely, the key to the whole process is a frank discussion between hiring manager and jobseeker?

A jobseeker wants to work with people who really want to understand what they are all about and how they can contribute to the work that needs to be done.  This must mean that the main - and only genuinely significant - interview is a frank conversation between the hiring manager explaining the issues faced and the jobseeker explaining how they will successfully complete the work.

Anything else is purely padding, isn’t it?

Personal Relationships

Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who has sent their best wishes during my recent little batch of ill health – yes, I know that YOU didn’t but others of a more caring nature did...Never mind and don't feel bad, maybe you could make up for it with a particularly generous Christmas gift?

Back at my desk today demonstrated (yet) again to me THE key aspect of looking for a new role which is the importance of maintaining and developing personal relationships.  After way too long I finally caught up with two of my oldest friends in the computer forensics sector and both conversations as well as being hugely pleasurable also opened up considerable opportunities for me as a recruiter.

If you are seriously considering changing jobs the easiest way to do so is by utilising your personal relationships before you even think of doing anything else.  Really, it is so obvious but how often have you actually asked your friends in the industry who is recruiting?  On Facebook have you made it clear that you are looking for a new role and made public your experience?  Just doing these two things will massively increase your chances of securing your new role before your next course of action - calling your favourite recruiter...

So, which personal relationship have you let slip recently and will you call them tomorrow?