Need for an Event Section in Job Portals

Job portals have been doing great work in creating a virtual meeting place for both employers and job seeking candidates.Though with arrival of social recruiting methods, some of us have started doubting their usefulness in future, still I think Job boards are here to stay.Only they need to incorporate new options that can bring more value for both parties, make job/candidate finding process easier and less burdensome.

When I look at a job portal's web-design(both recruiter page and candidate page), I find it to be filled with lot of options. Many options are quite helpful yet there are many options which are not quite required and they unnecessarily clutter the page.

If we look at job search options all job sites give options to search jobs based on companies, skills, experiences, salaries, location etc (i,e:1, 2, 3 ). We can search job putting an  individual option or  mix of some, which is quite useful.

However there is a very important feature, which can be equally useful for employers as well as candidates and  still is missing from job sites .

I am talking about an 'Event' section.

To explain, let me take an example.

Lets take, I am a software engineer. And I am looking for change. However, due to busy work schedules I can't attend interviews on working days. I can either attend interview on weekend or some day when I have applied for leave.I can surely check what all jobs matching to my skills are available in the market. But how am I supposed to know what interviews are happening on my free day? For that I may need to call/mail many employers , which is a tedious task.

Just imagine, if job site has a section called 'Event', which has fields like recruitment drive date, skill, experience, location etc. All I have to do is put my preferences on the required fields and click on search button, and I can know what all recruitment drives are happening in my town on a specific day that are matching to my skill sets.Lets take, next Saturday , I am free. I just have to check on Saturday,what recruitment drives are happening in my town that match my skill, experience etc. If it is a walk in, I can directly go there with my resume. And if it is a scheduled drive, I can apply for the job and inform about my availability.I feel this can ease job search a lot.

Now lets have a look at it from the employer's side. Suppose we are a software services organization.We are currently having huge requirements and we want to close positions soon as project is about to start. So,We plan for a recruitment drive next weekend. Till now,there is no proper channel to announce the event.We either send mail to job mail groups  or give advertisement on paper(which can be expensive) or post details on job posting space in job sites.  There are chances that candidates might overlook it.Here 'Event' section will come handy.

So with 'Event' options , what I have to do is, fill recruitment drive date, interview slots, required skills, Job description, and experience, venue detail etc fields and post it.This will give clear communications to all job seeking candidates.Candidates who are looking for change and free on the required date will directly apply here.

It is a win win situation for both employers and candidates.And looking at the current trends where most of the companies are preferring recruitment drives to meet their mass hiring need, it can be a boon.I wont be surprised if it becomes one of the most used features on job portals soon.
 
I hope some job portal comes across this article and adds this option in their site. :)

Naukri, Monster, TimesJobs : Anybody listening...

Dear readers,Please tell what do you think of this suggestion.

How to organise a recruitment drive (Part 2)

Contd from....Here

On the day of drive:

• Reach the venue at least 1 hour before the starting time. This will give you necessary time to make arrangements.
• If a written test is planned then arrange a long room with sufficient chairs.
• Arrange sufficient chairs in waiting room.
• Arrange enough candidate information forms and interviewer feedback forms.
• Arrange rooms for the interviews to be conducted.
• Have a small talk with the panel members about the hiring plan.
• Discus with the hiring manager and decide on the average duration of an interview. Convey it to panel members. If interviews stretch for very long time, it may be difficult to finish the process for all the candidates.

Once candidates start coming in :

• As candidates come, give them information form to fill. Mention the time of candidate’s arrival so that you can send them for interview serially.
• Immediately start interview process.
• Don’t make candidate’s wait for very long time. At the same time don’t let interviewers sit idly. Once a candidate’s interview is finished, take his feedback and send another candidate. If a candidate is rejected, don’t make them wait. Rather inform them about the feedback politely and send them back.
• Keep proper records (candidate name, interview feedback, panel member name etc) of the process in either excel sheet or any other paper.
• Arrange second round of interview for 1st round shortlisted candidates. And if he clears the final technical rounds try to arrange HR rounds also. If you can finish the whole process in the same day it is good for both the sides. Candidate need not come again and you need not bother to schedule him for HR round again.
• Look at the candidate turn out ratio and if necessary change your plan accordingly.

(Sample record sheet. Can be modified according to need)

Some difficult situations and how to handle them:

•  Low turn out ratio:

Suppose candidate turn out ratio is very less ie: you have scheduled 100 candidates and only 30 have turned up and hiring manager is really angry.
What to do:
Call all the consultants who have done sourcing and ask them to follow up the candidates again and push candidates to come for interview. Then go to the hiring manager, apologize to him for inconvenience caused and inform about the steps you are taking. It will help to cool him down.

• Appearance of uncalled candidates:

Sometimes candidates hear about some recruitment drive from their friends and just show up with their resume. Here either you can ask them to leave as they were not scheduled or let them sit for interview.
My suggestion is: take their resume and show it to the panel members. If they find the resume to be suitable, let them sit for interview.

 

Parameters to measure the success of recruitment drive:

• Turn out ratio: The ratio of candidates scheduled versus candidates turned up should be good. Generally 70-80% turn out ratio can be termed as good.
• Offers: Number of offers will definitely be criteria for success of any recruitment event.
• Smooth proceedings: How well organized the drive was? Did candidates have to wait for very long time? Did you goof up any time?

 

Well, this is the whole recruitment drive process explained.Simple! isn't it ? :)

Plan properly, maintain a calm demeanor and act diligently. Drive will surely be a success.

How to organise a recruitment drive (Part 1)

How to organize a recruitment drive

What is a recruitment drive?

Generally recruitment drives (or events) are conducted when the requirement is generic but critical and number of positions is more. Here on a predetermined day ideally 50-60 candidates turn up for interview and 4-5 panel members keep taking interviews of candidates all along the day. Number of panel members varies according to number of candidates. Mostly recruitment drives are conducted on weekends as candidates have off that day.

Recruitment drives can be of two types:

Walk -ins : In case of walk-ins, an advertisement regarding the drive  is published  on news paper or job boards. Any candidate with suitable education and skill set can attend the interview. Mostly it is done for 0-2 yrs candidates.

Scheduled interview: In case of a scheduled interview large numbers of candidates are scheduled by consultants or company to come on the same day for same requirement. In this case their profiles are already seen and shortlisted by the technical people.

Preparation:
In case of scheduled interview, please ensure that all the candidates get the mail with Interview venue, timing, contact person detail and Job description.
Also candidates should be called a day before for conformation and if possible consultants should do follow up calls also.
Also ensure that all interviewers are informed about the timing and requirement properly.
Discuss the process of interview (number of rounds, written test) with the hiring manager.

Continued here..