How Hiring Managers Can Effectively Shortlist Candidates with the Help of a Recruitment Consultant
Posted by Daria Tkach, Senior Recruitment Consultant on Monday, July 22, 2024
In today’s competitive job market, finding the right candidate to fill a construction job role can be a challenging and time-consuming task. This is where hiring managers can turn to specialist recruitment agencies like Maxim to help streamline this process and ensure they find the best fit for their team while managing their limited time most effectively.
With over 20 years of construction recruitment experience, Maxim Recruitment is here to help. From our extensive experience, here are our thoughts on how hiring managers can effectively collaborate with Maxim recruitment consultants to shortlist high-quality construction industry candidates efficiently and effectively.
The foundation of a successful collaboration with a recruitment consultant is clear and consistent communication. At first, it is a good idea to set up a detailed initial meeting to discuss the job requirements, remuneration and company culture and other specific needs of the role.
Before the ‘discovery’ call takes place, I usually ask the hiring manager for a detailed job description that outlines essential skills, experience, educational background and qualifications etc. It is important to provide the recruitment consultant with a comprehensive written understanding of the job requirements.
Both employers and their recruitment partner can greatly benefit from regular check-ins to review progress, provide feedback and make necessary adjustments to the search criteria. I greatly appreciate hiring managers who give me timely and constructive feedback on the candidates I have presented. Understanding the thoughts on each candidate's strengths and weaknesses helps to tailor our search to find the very best fit. Regular updates help to prevent any problems that might otherwise arise. This ensures the recruitment process stays on track and maximises the chances that the position is filled promptly.
Hiring managers can work together with the recruitment consultant to develop a structured screening process. Defining clear pre-screening criteria helps to filter out unsuitable candidates early in the process. It would also be a good idea to involve the recruitment consultant in the interview process to gain additional insights.
Maxim Recruitment Consultants are experts in recruiting within their construction niche markets, so you as a hiring manager can benefit from our expertise to enhance the shortlisting process. This could be done with shared insights into the job market and industry trends.
As an example, if you are unsure whether your vacant position offers a sufficiently competitive salary, you could ask a specialist recruitment consultant at Maxim for up-to-date information on salary trends within your specialist sector, thereby ensuring your eventual job offers are sufficiently competitive and maximising your hiring efficiency. The team at Maxim can also offer insights into regional salary differences, helping you adjust your salary offerings based on location.
Over the years, the Maxim team has built up a broad and diverse pool of premium calibre candidates. These networks include passive candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities but are open to come to the table for the right offer. This access expands your candidate pool beyond those who respond to job advertisements, including highly skilled individuals who are not visible on traditional job boards.
As an employer, you should ensure that the recruitment consultant you have engaged can inform candidates about their status and next steps promptly. This maintains candidates' engagement and interest. We have all heard the cliché saying ‘’Time kills all deals’’, but it holds a particular relevance when it comes to recruiting. Delays in the recruitment process can cause candidates to lose interest or pursue other opportunities, reducing the chances of securing the top construction talent you are needing.
Conclusion
To fully succeed with shortlisting and hiring the best new employees, it is wise to partner with a specialist construction industry recruitment consultant like Maxim. Leverage the expertise of specialist recruitment consultants, using their targeted approach to save time and increase the likelihood of a successful hire. Maintaining clear communication throughout the recruiting cycle will help you ensure you find the most suitable talent for your construction team.
For more details on how the Maxim Recruitment team can assist in filling your urgent construction position and provide a shortlist of suitable candidates, please get in touch with our UK head office on 0800 689 4841 or submit a vacancy and we will be in touch to discuss further.
Daria is a Senior Recruitment Consultant with day-to-day responsibility for researching, shortlisting, contacting, and interviewing premium construction industry candidates. Daria works with our UK team to help construction industry jobseekers into exciting new construction jobs with our market leading employer clients. Daria also covers the Canadian market as part of her international recruitment responsibilities. Her focus is on Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and other major cities in Canada.