Setting Expectations: Recruiters as a Constant Career Companion

If it is done right, the bond of trust that is built between a recruiter and candidate for hire is stronger than almost any others that happen after the hire. A recruiter is not a social worker, but honesty between professionals builds a relationship that may last a lifetime. One internal company survey that explored this phenomenon saw a perception that the human resources partner for a group had less trust or recognition as an expert than the recruiter that worked with an employee toward an ultimate hire. From one perspective this is unfortunate due to the fact that the usual division of work places the day-to-day HR advisory duties on someone other than the recruiter. On the other hand it is a perfectly understandable reaction because the source of all that new employees learned about their benefits, salary guidelines, applicable policies, company hierarchy, and culture was their recruiter. Their recruiter showed them the way through the maze.

Recruiters â€“ There is a certain amount of gratitude driven by your expertise and knowledge of the company that causes this employee loyalty to you as a person, but it is also based on an element of need. There is often a quandary about the new environment that creates a bit of insecurity that is in search of advice from a friendly face. Much of the time a new employeeâ€™s need for instant gratification will be in conflict with the current task of working with new people. A professional recruiter will not simply throw a new hire over the transom for somebody else to handle, but will assume the momentary job of directing them to the correct source for answers. No phone call about salary or benefits should be turned away because these are serious concerns. Fielding their questions and guiding them through the proper channels for resolution is preferable to ignoring them. Any attempt to defuse this relationship could be detrimental to the employeesâ€™ acclimation to the company. Setting employee expectations starts with letting them know that you will be there for them, but that you will be weaning them off to other human resources specialists. Reinforcing this relationship by repeated following up with them also helps in sourcing their former colleagues as referrals. Eyeball to eyeball contact over lunch or a cup of coffee may not be the expectation but it is the right thing to do.
Employees â€“ Recruiters appreciate a sincere thank you when it is not an obligatory response to a phone call or interview. They probably donâ€™t have an expectation that you will thank them, but if you are genuinely pleased with their assistance in getting you through the selection process and into the new hire zone let them know. You may find this surprising, but they also value feedback on how to improve the process. Nobody is more concerned about the success of a recruiting campaign than the recruiter. If your expectations were not fully met as a candidate there may have been a good reason for it and you should understand their thinking. It is also possible that your input will help to close loopholes in the process to help others that will come through that employment pipeline after you. It is your company now! Take pride in helping to make it the most professional candidate experience for those to come. After all, they will be your coworkers and perhaps even your future bosses. Expect the best and let people know your thoughts. It also pays to remember that feedback is a two-way street. Listen for signs that your expectations may have been a little too idealistic. Making this reality check keeps you on the path toward a successful future at your new company.

When the expectations of new hires and the recruiter are in sync, the flow of people from new hire orientation through becoming productive corporate citizens happens without a hitch. When they are not working together, it becomes obvious in short order and company productivity is diminished.

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