One thing Marion always loved about Halloween (since her children had become too old to trick-or-treat) was trying to guess who was the person behind that mask in responding to the doorbell. Also baffling were some of the choices that the children made for costumes. It was easy to imagine why the girl who lived down the street smitten with ballet would dress as a ballerina: or the son of her backyard neighbor who shared his dad’s love of the Philadelphia Eagles would dress as their famed quarterback.
The morning afterward, she shared with her colleagues some of the most ingenious costumes she saw the night before as they took turns pouring coffee from the carafe. As she sipped the hot brew, she thought of how her position as a recruiter was very much like that of the person opening the door to screams of, “Trick or Treat!” Just like the children on her doorstep, her candidates would greet her with their “masks” for her to determine who was really behind the presented facade. Was the angel really an angel? Was the person aggressively growling like The Hulk overcome by shyness?
When explaining Abel Personnel’s ‘value proposition’ to prospective clients, this recruiter often emphasizes Abel’s responsibility and expertise to discover who is “behind that mask”. Some of the discovery methods Abel typically employs include:
- Multiple Screening Stages:
- Thoroughly reviewing the resume; comprehending not just the roles and duties held, but also identifying any disconnects from one position to the next.
- Phone screening to identify the employment parameters and goals of the applicant as well as what drew them to the position they applied to.
- Matching the candidate to a well-seasoned recruiter within the niche of the role best matches the goals of the candidate and their skill set.
- Conducting extensive interviews with the candidate, exploring and re-exploring the strengths and anything that may be vague or a mixed message throughout the candidates’ responses, keeping in mind the needs and culture of the client’s organization and culture.
- Administering Skills assessments to identify and verify the candidate’s areas of strength with software, computer skills, or reading comprehension( and much more based on the needs of the roles).
- Assessment Results: Abel Recruiters evaluate candidates on a 20+ point rating criteria, compiling all of the assessments/screening stages, as well as the top soft skills companies, look for (all housed in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) as a reference for the recruiting team).
- Industry Contacts: Being in the recruiting business for over 50 years, Abel Personnel works with many companies and has placed many people who might know the candidate but aren’t listed as a reference. We utilize our network to gain additional insights into the candidate’s performance and work personality.
- Checking References: This may involve reaching out to the potential hiring company’s competitors who might not be as candid if the hiring company called.
- Background Checks and Drug Tests: These occur for specific positions with procedures and contracts already in place.
- Social Media Search: Review what candidates post on various social media platforms, and LinkedIn profiles.
Her musing about masks reminded the recruiter of a recent placement where the person behind the mask presented was revealed to be a far stronger candidate than their resume and nervousness demonstrated.
Marion often told her new clients: “there are just as many poor candidates with great-looking resumes and interviewing capabilities as there are strong candidates whose resumes and initial interviews undersold them”. Abel Personnel’s recruiters’ mission is to sort this out so their clients know as much as possible about who is behind the mask in considering a candidate and making a hiring decision. In her business, it’s always Halloween!
