Client abuse of recruiters - It goes both ways!

Over the past six weeks I have been watching as a very well known $billion brand name, has put one of my recruiter colleagues through the ringer!! And his crime? - just being a truly professional recruitment consultant!!
After reading Stephen's post - Recruitment agents are scum - , I thought I would share this story as a view to show that honesty, trust and respect needs to go both ways in this business.

• About six weeks ago, this client, called him about a very difficult and highly specified and very urgent role, within his specialised area. Having recruited in that area myself, I know that the role they were trying to fill was incredibly difficult - and to make matters worse it was to be based in the 'arse end of Europe'!
• The client Resourcing Manager, arranged a briefing meeting for the next day face to face. (Going well so far and showing traits that they are really keen to fill this role). Oh dear, downhill so fast. They then proceeded to call on average three times a day, for the first week, asking stupid questions about prospective candidates and and generally wanting action immediately. And when emails and voice mails were left, she expected immediate responses to them!
• Due to excellent resourcing and networking skills, my colleague came up with three candidates, with one being a near perfect match. (Considering that the RM had been to loads of other agencies first with no success, my colleague was really pleased with his work.)
• After sending across the CV's as requested to do so, he thought the 'hard work' had been done - WRONG!!!

• After the RM had seen the CV's, the calls started again, asking silly questions about the candidates - questions that had already been answered verbally and in writing in the cover letters - "Would candidate X work abroad?", "Has candidate X got experience in....?" and "Has candidate X got a passport, can he travel?" - my colleague is a consummate recruitment professional, and these 'basic' questions are covered off right at the start of the process, as you would do I am sure!!
• Eventually they make a decision and realise that there is one candidate that stands out. The RM tried then to get hold of the candidate details to make the interview arrangements, but there was no way that was going to happen - alarm bells were already ringing in my colleagues ears! The RM wanted the candidate to interview the next day  - it was very urgent by now - but he couldn't get there until the Monday. Not good enough, says the RM, they kept trying to get the candidate there on the next day, and after ten attempts by phone and email, accepted that Monday would have to do. So are you getting the impression that the role is really urgent by now?
• Candidate turns up for the interview - two people at 10.00am. He left the building at 3.45pm after having 8 people put in front of him!!! And that wasn't enough!! They scheduled a telephone interview for the next day with 3 more!!
• Sounds like it went well - I mean you wouldn't have that many interviews if you weren't good enough would you?
• All you seasoned recruiters will probably guess what comes next.......SILENCE!
• For two weeks, there was nothing from the client at all - not even any responses to emails or voice mails. Now bearing in mind how much of a pain the RM was during the first stage of the process, this is very surprising indeed......and of course it is still urgent, isn't it?
• Two weeks later an email arrived - it was for a new role - a slightly amended version of the original, AND it was now a contract role!!
• Again no response to emails or voice mails.
• Another week goes by, and eventually the RM calls my colleague. "Yes we are still interested in your candidate, but can you send us some more candidates please".
• Well I will leave the response in the office blank for you to guess what he said!!
• The problem with this new role was that is now had a new range of skills added to the original spec. What they were looking for, was two separate sets of job skills rolled into one, which my colleague proceeded to inform the client. Candidates with all these combined skills just don't exist.

We are now current with the process, 7 weeks later. It hasn't moved on, the client still believe that they can find someone with the skill set, the poor candidate is still interested in the (original) job and of course the role is still urgent!!!!

This is not a unique story in the world of recruitment, but it is so disappointing that one of the worlds biggest brands have acted in this way. Here are some of my thoughts to the client:

1. If you are going to take recruitment seriously (and you should), then appoint resourcing managers that actually know what they are doing. Don't just take graduates, go and hire ex recruiters - (good ones of course). They know how to recruit people effectively.
2. Understand the recruitment process, when working with agencies. If not, at least tell the agency how you are going to work with them, management of expectations is two way.
3. Communication is key to a client/recruiter relationship. Failure to do so and sticking your head in the sand, is not the way.
4. If you have exhausted many agencies in the first place looking for a role to be filled, then just maybe you have got your spec wrong..........or you have gone to the wrong agencies in the first place!!
5. Niche pays!! Do some homework and find out which agencies are the ones that specialise in the field that you are looking to recruit in. You will be rewarded with quality.
6. Respect. A consultant that has been in the business >20 years should know a little more about recruitment than a RM straight out of university. Give them space and let them do their job. Judge them on their results not your failings.
7. If you are planning on a serious heavyweight interview session, it's always good to tell the candidate before hand. Candidates don't like surprises - well not 6 of them anyway!!.
8. Don't use agencies to do your work for you. If you want market information, just ask and be honest. Don't just bring candidates in for interviews and then suck them dry of information, only to tell them they are not suitable.
9. Be reasonable. If you have given a role to a recruiter, then be reasonable and give them some time to produce results. Three calls a day for a week asking for results is not the way forward.
10. If you have got to this one and have agreed with my comments, then hire in some recruiting skills and do it fast!!

Just for reference, the role is still ongoing with the client, and will probably never get filled if they keep on going in the same way!!