Penna Consulting : How to provide a stand out candidate experience

I have had so much feedback from so many sources about this I was compelled to write. Many have said that our candidate care at Penna is of a high standard and I for one am so very proud of this. Having worked in the executive space for so long the candidate care principle is so ingrained in me, its second nature. I guess the logic I've applied has always, if we approach this from a purely cynical perspective, paid dividends. My basic principle of success: I do not distinguish between my candidates and my clients. To me they are one. As a result my sales cycle is probably longer than many of my competitors, but again, my approach has always been long term and not short. What is guaranteed is that there will always be movement in the markets that I work. I have worked three: IT/Telecoms, Central Government and now Transport.

Recently so many contacts have thanked me for doing what I perceive to be the basic principles of our job and as a consequence I've gained so much more loyalty. Why is the candidate experience so good here? Firstly we do our utmost to close down all candidates from a role and spend equal amounts of time with the unsuccessful if not more. We interview and reference candidates in an aim to provide the best and richest short list for a job. We invest in thought leadership events to support their thinking and learning and expand their networks. We also offer very senior outplacement support to the executive market and we provide coaching, mentoring and leadership development services. We train our recruiters and our recruiters are also treated with respect and dignity. We help our candidates apply their skills into new sectors. We have brokered some really interesting placements in Transport both Rail and Bus where our candidates have come from the outside. No candidate likes to be put in a box.

And we always have time. Time for coffee, time for a rant, time for lunch, dinner, drinks and time to listen. In an increasingly turbulent market the candidate finds themselves on the job market for so many reasons, some very bruised and battered. This is so pertinent in a market where the boundaries between Permanent and Interim work are blurred.

Clients invest in us because they understand we are an extension of them: their Marketing, their Brand Ambassadors and their Human Resources team. A candidate who has had a bad experience for some reason is bad press. I had lunch yesterday with a Human Resources Director I really rate. He told me that many of the top recruitment firms were not returning calls or organising to meet. This lack of investment at a time when candidates/clients call them what you wish are at their most vulnerable is such a basic error. Very little of my business comes from a cold call. Most of it comes from those who have experienced this high level of service. A good recruiters personal brand is inextricably linked with the candidates they serve.

So I want to thank the candidates who invest in us and support us, who share information and provide us with market intelligence, commercial leads and take the trouble to feedback. Collectively we are shaping the thinking of the market and providing an unforgettable stand out service.

Karen Camilleri
Executive Interim, Sector Lead - Transport and Infrastructure