The importance of choosing a recruitment agency with the right culture for YOU.
Culture is something that is very hard to explain, very hard to prove in an interview and is certainly one of the hottest topics of discussion when a candidate has a bad experience. You really need to question in an interview about what the culture is like. Culture is not perks. You can buy staff all the cake, fruit and coffee in the world, but it will not make them fall in love with your business. Engaging with a Recruitment to Recruitment specialist will certainly assist with gathering information when choosing your next agency.
As a Recruitment Consultant seeking a new employer, what should you look for when trying to measure culture in your application stage?
You want a team that is Diverse
Diversity of skills is an important element of creating any effective team. You see it time and time again, leaders who surround themselves with people just like themselves. A good strong culture will recruit staff with strengths that compliment their weaknesses. A diverse workforce is a great thing, don’t overlook it.
How your work is measured says a lot about culture in the Recruitment Industry
There is an agency out there for everyone, it is finding the right one for you. There are recruiters out there that love structure and others that run like the wind from it. Investigating the below points during your interview process will help you explore culture to some level. However, it is important to remember this aspect of the process is hard to measure and hard to extract evidence for:
- KPI’s – how are they measured (is it a one on one weekly meeting, are they emailed to the entire team on a daily basis etc). Is your diary blocked out throughout the week with structured calling times or do you have the power to make these decisions on your own?
- Are there team incentives and commission targets in place or is it all individual?
- Ask questions around workplace mobility, flexibility and empowerment.
- What is their 2020 plan? Do you understand the strategic direction?
- Explore their investment into IT, systems and innovative work practices. Ask for examples.
- Leadership. People don’t leave workplaces they leave bosses. Choose a leader and a manager that is right for you and that will get the most out of you. You must have a strong alignment with your future manager. Ask them how you will be managed.
- Training and development of employees
- Do you want to be micromanaged? Do you love processes and following procedures? Some people actually love this style of management and it works well for them. But others like to be empowered and left alone with guidance as needed.
- Ask about the high achievers in the business. Do you want to be a part of a high achieving culture? If so, how much are these employees billing and what is making them so successful? Or is work / life balance more important?
- Internal relationships. Don’t ever understatement the importance of internal relationships and the effect these have on culture. You are only as good as the people around you in recruitment. Meet as many people along the way in your interview process to determine your ability to get along and align with your internal partners. Do you feel connected to the business?
- What time does the bar open on Fridays?!? Ask the questions that are important to you! The social side for many is just as important as the work itself.
You will never really have the culture measured until you start and settle in. The job interview is a two way street and doing your due diligence at the earliest stage will benefit both you and your employer. Ask the right questions.
Andrea Collins – Identifying Graduates to work within the Recruitment Industry II Placing Recruiters with Recruiters
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