Yesterday morning I received a call from the CMO of a large multichannel retailer that seeks a new Director of Ecommerce. "Great," I thought, "right in my strike zone." As the CMO explained what he needed, the opportunity sounded better and better. Lots of Fun. Great Future. Good money, and so on.
Then I inquired "How long has the position been open?" "Six months" came the answer. "Why so long?" I asked. To which the CMO responded, "We have run the posting everywhere and just haven't received that many qualified applications." I asked him to send me the job description and let me assess whether or not I had the bandwidth to handle the search.
As the day wore on, I made calls to a dozen potential "A-player" candidates to see if they had heard anything about the company or the job. They all had -- and six had applied for the job and never been contacted by HR.
Three things ...
- The HR department in this company must be really lousy, and if I were a candidate that would scare the hell out of me. Nowadays, HR is a strategic function, and no HR function is as strategic as talent acquisition, retention, and development. You could be the Tiger Woods of Ecommerce -- but to this company, you are just another resume. No thanks.
- This company does not recognize a great candidate for the job when they see it, and as a candidate that would scare the hell out of me too. If the company cannot tell what makes a candidate great, then chances are your salary negotiation with them will be like pulling teeth. Who pays top dollar for something they cannot appreciate? Not me.
- This client is very likely to take my candidate submissions and say "So-and-so already contacted us. Sorry. They are already on file for this job." Note to potential clients: I am not your tickler file.
Advice to candidates and fellow recruiters ...
Always ask how long the job has been open and why it has taken so long to fill. Also ask how many and what types of candidates have interviewed and been turned down -- and why? The answers that you get may surprise you. If the company refuses to answer these questions, pursue another opportunity. You'll be glad you did.
