I once heard a saying in the office that I found captured the essence of comedy and tragedy in a neat package. My colleague remarked that she was going to get put “through the broiler” if her presentation wasn’t completed in time. Eventually, the saying became the catch phrase on the row; someone or something was going through the broiler on a daily basis.
Well, this being a fast food themed blog, I’m going to start a weekly feature actions that I want to pass through this broiler. The first to go through this proverbial broiler are some of the actions of my former brethren, corporate recruiters. You are a recruiter, first and foremost. You should not make sweeping, hasty generalizations about technical individuals. Now, if you happen to be an engineer, or an accountant, and you have intimate knowledge of the particular job at hand, then yes, your opinion holds water.
If you’re a junior recruiter that’s only ever recruited temps for an agency and then make the jump into corporate recruitment, I’d like you to listen to your client/hiring manager and bring them a good selection of candidates. But to weigh in with a technical opinion about a candidates technical abilities without having done that job, is just plain dumb.
Listen, learn, observe and make a difference in the company and organization. Leave the OD work to the OD peeps and go beat your competition for the best candidates. Put that practice through the broiler.
