Tom Primrose recounts recent events in the world of Macdonald & Company Property Ltd.
Week 1 – The dangerous decorator
Our Mayfair office is undergoing extensive refurbishment and looks like a tornado has hit. From my desk I can see a decorator hanging precariously off the top rung of a ladder while simultaneously measuring something and reporting his findings to someone on the other end of his phone. Wistfully, I wonder what some of my candidates would have to say about that, and it reminds me to book my place on the NEBOSH General Certificate course I’ve been promising to do. A recent rise in speculative candidate applications suggests that after prolonged economic uncertainty, for many it’s time for a move.
Week 2 – No unwanted surprises
A cursory glance at my inbox confirms my suspicions that this week is going to be manic. Topping the charts are final interviews on two director positions, which call for some face-to-face time with some pretty anxious practitioners, a get-to-know-you-better meeting with a global investment bank, and a raft of new positions – all of which seem to deliver a figurative rude gesture to the recession. August is traditionally a very quiet month – the interview process becomes fractured when various parties go on holiday, and we spend a substantial amount of time reassuring both candidates and clients of each other’s interest, despite their unavailability. It’s best to ask both parties of their availability for the upcoming month at the onset of the process – it saves any unwanted surprises later on!
Week 3 – They’re in, they’re out!
A junior member of my team is knee-deep in a recruitment nightmare at the moment. A candidate with a fantastic offer on the table accepted, then declined, the same offer – twice! It seems that every time they hand in their notice, their employer offers something slightly more appealing. It’s a tough one because you have to remain emotionally uninvolved and let the candidate decide what they think is best, even if you think different. The consultant in question dealt with the situation perfectly but it’s back to the drawing board with the frustrated but understanding client. On the flip side, both of my H&S director positions have been offered and accepted. They’re both ecstatic, and so am I.
Week 4 – Press the flesh
The theme for this week has definitely been candidate meetings. There really is no substitute for meeting people in the flesh and talking through their options. A number of the meetings are general catch-ups and, owing to the ongoing refurb and glorious weather, I’ve opted for al fresco meetings at a local coffee shop. One of my biggest gripes in recruitment is the occasional contact ‘black-out’ from employers. We’re brought on board to fill a position that has been deemed urgent, and candidates book days off, cancel meetings, and generally run around like lunatics to make interviews, only to be rewarded with an agonising two or three-week wait while companies decide how best to proceed. We understand that appointments don’t happen overnight, and there are protocols to follow, but there are few things that put potential employees off more than a disorganised and lengthy post-interview process.
Week 5 – Love what you’ve done with the place!
Things are starting to heat up. After a much-needed Bank-Holiday weekend, I return to work to find out we’ve been invited to pitch for another H&S director role with a global construction firm. It’s a new client and a very important position, so we’re delighted to be one of two firms invited – fingers crossed. The office refurbishment has also finished. I love the new look and I’m even happier that the crescendo of drills and saws has ceased – now replaced by the familiar hubbub of recruitment consultants going about their business in the usual cheery way.
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