5. Importance of communication
Excellent communication: required for oversees customer interfacing
jobs for junior roles,
Good communication: managers/directors .
Above Average communication: individual contributor without
customer interfacing.
Meaning of communication:
Grammatically correct spoken/written English
Ability to articulate ideas into clear, concise and easy to understand
manner.
6. Candidate types
Friendly and interested: talks to you properly, responds to all the e-mail/phone calls properly and
follows-up with you.
Reserve candidate: answers only to the point, least interested in talking to the consultants. You can
open this candidate by displaying strong understanding about what’s he looking for?
Rude/Arrogant candidate: thinks that, he is doing a favor by talking to you.
Desperate job seeker: will call you 3 times a day to know the feedback or next status update.
Gathering market knowledge: few candidates just attend interviews to know their market value.
Typically these candidates don’t have convincing reason for change. Beware of such candidates!!!
Time-pass candidate: candidate trying to be more intimate with specially the female recruiters by
personal sms/late night phone calls/irrelevant forward mails. Recruiter should maintain the
communication within professional limits. Escalate to reporting manager, if the limits are crossed.
7. Profiling candidates
Suitable for start-ups
High achievers
Confident
Risk-takers
Wants to learn
Wannabe entrepreneurs
Best/Among Best performers of team
More focused on work –rather than infrastructure.
Not bothered about brand
Strong interest in domain.
Wants higher compensation
Suitable for large services companies
More brand conspicuous
Interested in onsite
Typically coming from a small services company or large services company contract employees.
Not too ambitious and wants to settle down with a secure life.
Good infrastructure must.
8. Profiling candidates
Suitable for large product companies
Top performers of services companies who wants to do direct product development
Wants to learn more.
Good infrastructure must.
Suitable for contract jobs
If the compensation is higher then the permanent position.
Work content is impressive
Candidates working on contract with small companies can move to large companies and still on contract to get
better exposure.
On contract but on bench.
Contract is expired
Assurance from QLC : No-bench period, awards (to be introduced)
9. Interested candidates versus Suitable
candidate?
Most of the time candidate shows interested that’s not
mandatory parameter to make him join. He may want to desire
to be in that particular company but he may not have the
relevant skills to get that job.
When the candidate is interested also look at his suitability and
profile match for the job.
10. Reasons for candidate profile rejection
Key skills not mentioned clearly in the resume
Weak projects: hospital management system, school management system, library
management system for local customers.
Poor/average core technical skills required to execute the job
Expected CTC too high
Less relevant experience.
Education gaps
Poor academic performance.
Not worked in branded companies.
Frequent job gaps.
Frequency job hops.
11. Importance of stability
Person leaving organizations too fast is most likely a non-performer
Recent frequent changes in job with significant hikes in new job indicates candidate is running after
compensation.
Majority of the organizations go through policy/management/business goals change every 18-24 months
the candidate who has stayed in an organization for 4-5 years typically would mean
With achievements – Good patience level, adaptability towards change, orientation towards
company vision and a performer.
Average achievements – Lack of initiative, wants to lead more of a relaxed life with less risk. Not a
good candidate to hire!
Ideal profile: each company 3-5years minimum.
Acceptable profile: few companies 3-5 years and few company 6 months to 1 year.
Borderline profile: every company 1 year. Company getting closed every year.
12. working patiently with customers
Lot of times customers are not aware of the availability of skills and they look for the perfect combination of multiple
skills…send few profiles and identify the bare-minimum mandatory skills and good-to-have skills.
Re-work with the new search criterion.
Be patient while working on a evolving JD as you may be just 10% away from closing the position when you decide to
give up.
Some other times customer are not clear about their own expectations which typically evolve after meeting first few
candidates..remember to work closely with the customers patiently on such requirements we may have lesser
competition there.
Keep sourcing relevant candidates as per the best possible understanding of the requirement and you will close the
position soon!
Even if you are not able to close the position, customer would recognize the effort and may come back with more
requirements, wherein you may close with ease.
After sourcing the CV, if you are not getting the feedback from the customer then move on to the next requirement and
follow-up with your manager/customer SPOC for the feedback.
While working on senior position, you should have 10 CV shortlists and 2 offers (1 joinee and 1 backup candidate).
Typically customer would ask for CV’s in 2-3 phases, make sure that you send 5 relevant cv’s in each phase.
Stay focused with never give up attitude to succeed in recruitment!
13. Requirement prioritization
Work on 4-5 active requirements in a week with 1-2 senior requirements / weeks.
Keep track of all your senior candidates
Keep track of all your immediate joinees.
Regularly follow-up with all the candidate pending for interview feedback.
Work on requirements, where customer support is aggressive.
Never work on all the requirements from all new customers. maintain a mix of old and new customers.
Give your 100% while switching to any other requirement. Use multiple search criterions on all portals.
Try different searches (relevance, last modified, full cv, Boolean, candidates older than 180 days). Work
on LinkedIn for all senior profiles (use only company login).
Take references from candidates in each and every call.
If you are unable to get cv’s on a particular requirement, inform reporting manager immediately and
switch to the other active requirement.
14. Immediate Joinees
Late profile feedback: candidate might have resigned already, if he’s looking for a job aggressively by the
time interview is scheduled.
Already relieved: if the candidate is already relieved (local or returned from oversees assignment), pls
check the following:
To which all companies profile is forwarded by the candidate
When are you likely to start with next job?
Build the repo so that candidate calls you up incase he gets offer from any other company.
If possible, let regular joinees be interviewed first and pass on the questions asked to the immediate
joinee.
Work with the candidate to help him prepare better for the interview.
Build pressure to get the feedback from customer 10 days in advance and not just 2 days before
candidate’s day of joining of another company.
16. Understanding candidate requirement
Which are your dream companies?
Why would you regard them as dream companies?
What would be your preferred location and why?
If relocation case: reason for relocation- typically it should be closer to native place, in-laws staying there,
brother/sister’s staying/studying there, studied there, previously worked there, friends are working there, owns
property there
If any other reason is given – need to cross question more to judge on the seriousness.
What’s your expected role?
Are you looking for a individual contributor/lead/manager role?
Are you looking for technical or managerial role?
If manager, what would be your ideal team size?
What’s your preferred domain and why?
Check if customer is also in the same domain. If yes, it could be a strong case.
17. Understanding candidate requirement
For how long have you been looking for a change?
If the candidate is looking for a change for more than a month: not having offers could mean
average candidate despite good cv. How many interviews have you attended? Ask candidate
reasons for not getting through in the previous interviews?
If the candidate has just started looking: how many interviews would you attend to decide?
How many offers should you have to resign from your current job?
What’s your current role?
How much’s your current team size !
18. Understanding candidate precisely
How many lines of code have you written?
What are the initiatives taken by you in your project?
What are your best 3 career/academic achievements?
Is he involved in design and code reviews also?
What are the design tools that he has used?
Contribution in the design phase?
Contribution in the coding phase?
Have you written any white papers? If yes, details
Have you filed any patents? If yes, details. Any patents allotted in your name?
19. About family
Are you staying with your parents? Candidate says, No I am staying with friends.
When are you likely to get married?
Would you be looking at a working spouse? If yes, would she relocate here or would you go
there? (if both are from different places)
If already engaged? Oh congratulations…when are you planning to get married? Where’s your
fiancée/fiancé from? Is he/she working?
For female candidates, if the fiancé is oversees they are likely to quit job search and move.
20. About offers
Do you have any offer at the moment?
If yes, how many offers are you holding at the moment ?
How much’s the highest offer for ?
How many interviews have you attended to get these offers?
Are all the offers from current location of candidate?
If no, are you willing to relocate?
If yes, reason for relocation?
Top 3 factors on which you are going to pick the next company? – typically compensation, brand, work,
job responsibilities.
Any offers in pipeline? If yes, when are you expecting offers?
How many interviews have you attended?
What if you are counter-offered by your current company? Would you like to stay back?
21. About Onsite
Is there any possibility of onsite travel for you in your current company? If yes, country, visa, duration,
onsite allowance? Typically in services company, H1B is filed after 1 year of service and person can fly
depending upon the state of current project or availability of new projects with onsite options.
What would be your motivation to travel to onsite? Money/exposure/travel
Would you be travelling alone or with family? (onsite pressure typically increases after marriage)
Do you have any valid visas? If yes, visa type, for country, expiry date?
Have you applied for migration in Australia/UK/Canada?
Have you applied for H1B in US?
Have you applied for any onsite jobs ? if yes, outcome and if not, when are you likely to hear from them ?
22. About resignation
If having offers: Have you already put down papers ?
if yes, when did you resign and when are you getting
relieved?
When would you be able to join your next company (Is the
candidate taking any break after reliving)
If not resigned? Have you accepted any offer ? are you
waiting for any offer based on which you are likely to resign?
23. About Notice period
How much’s your notice period?
How much’s your leave balance?
Can your notice period be adjusted against notice period?
Are you currently on bench ? If yes, how soon can you be relieved?
When’s the next project/software release date? Could you be relieved immediately after
the release? Any possibility of your project/software release getting extended?
Could your notice period be bought?
If yes, would it be against basic salary or catch?
If yes, could it be bought completely or partially?
24. Reason for change
Could I know the top 3 factors behind looking for a change (open ended question)
Compensation
Currently a contract employee and wants to be a permanent employee.
Wants to move from Services to a Product company
Would like to experience bigger picture…complete product implementation experience.
Wants to move from Product company to a Start-up
Wants to move from Product company to a services company for a bigger role. More of a non-technical role (Program Manager/Delivery
manager)
Role saturation – no more challenges. Product company by default doesn’t mean challenges.
Division getting closed
Fired for non-performance
Left job because of personal reasons .. currently not working ( Probable Non-performer!)
Was constructing house. (mostly fake)
Health issues (acceptable only if all the medical records are maintained)
Land litigations in native place. (mostly fake)
Maternity break availed.
Political working environment
Strict manager
Poor HR policies – can’t be the primary reason for performers.
25. Explaining Job description to the
candidate
Co-relate the JD with the profile of the candidate.
Reading out JD is post-man’s job, which we are not!
Explain the JD logically as per what role and
responsibilities mentioned in the jd will add more value to
the candidate.
26. Expected ctc questions
Scenario 1:
Recruiter: How much CTC are you expecting?
Candidate: Well I am open. (Don’t jump to next question, it’s a vague answer and you need to get more clarity here.)
Recruiter: what’s the minimum hike that you would be expecting assuming everything else is fine.
Candidate: well atleast 50%
If candidate says negotiable: what if you are offered the same CTC as current, would you be ok with that?
Is he aware of market standard and co-relation to the expected ctc?
Appraisal history for last 3 years – how the person has performed in the past 3 years
Hike given to him and the best hike given in that appraisal cycle.
Have you signed any bond which you have to refund, if you leave before that?
If yes, how much;s the duration of bond?
When’s getting over?
If you break the bond before that, do you have to pay the entire amount or on pro-rate basis (based on the period left)?
Typically if the company is buying out the notice period and if the candidate is leaving current company then it has to be
paid back by the candidate. Check on this!
27. Reasons for interest in the new
company
candidate knows someone there with good feedback about the company from them.
dream company.
Customer is market leader in candidate’s domain of interest.
Good paymaster.
Closer to candidate’s house (within same city)/native-place (outstation candidates).
Good working environment.
Has interacted as a vendor with the company and had good experience with them.
If none of this is true candidate is a possible drop out with 50% probability.
28. Call ending
I shall process your resume and send you back the JD for this position.
Would request you to kindly go through the JD and customer’s website
You can give me a call or drop me an e-mail and I shall revert back to you promptly
should have any queries.
In case, if you receive any other call from any other consulting firm. Pls inform that
<your name> from QLC has already processed your resume.
Kindly do not forward your resume to this customer through any of the other
consulting firms or any of your other friends.
Kindly keep me posted, in case if you receive the call directly from the customer.
29. Scheduling interview call
Congratulations….your CV is shortlisted by <Client name>
When do you think you could take up a telephonic/f2f interview with <client name>..candidate tells the time/day
Are you likely to have any unplanned meeting at that time?
Would there be a possibility that you may have to stretch your work on the same day or day before and you may not be
able to attend interview because of that.
Are you sure that you would be attending the interview with the client?
More cross questions on his interest level and so that the interview is done
Extend the Interview call with more questions and pressurize the candidate to make him feel the effort you deliver for
him to attend the interview
As you know that interview panel would be waiting for you, pls be there on time.
I am sending you the venue details, pls acknowledge the mail.
Call up after one hour to check, if the mail is received by the candidate.
Do the follow-up one day before the interview on phone and e-mail both.
Send follow-up e-mail with JD, company presentation (if any), google map to reach the customer office, morning
reminder sms.
Request him to go thru the website, JD, company presentation (if any)
Ask him, if he is got any specific questions about the company or the JD?
If he’s unable to attend the interview for any reasons, request him to call/sms/e-mail atleast 2 hours beforehand.
30. Interview Confirmation call
Have you received the venue details?
Your contact person would be <XXXX>.
For telephonic interview: request candidate to keep his cell fully charged and be in a quiet place
to take the call comfortably.
For telephonic interview: follow-up call one hour before. If the candidate is not responding send
sms from hirecraft requesting him to be ready.
If it is a weekend schedule confirm the availability of the candidate and the panel. Would he have
any other commitments on the interview day? If yes, re-schedule the interview immediately to a
different day.
For strict customers: candidates should be scheduled 15-30 mins before the actual interview time (if it’s
not already done by the customer).
31. Interview follow up
Enquire about Preparation
If it is on work days , enquire about managing work timings
Confirm about the knowledge of the Route, Planning time and how he would commutes. Let the candidate
start even early, if travelling by bus/car/taxi.
Check for the information available with you and present him with patience what details you have about the
company, never be in a hurry
Ask the candidate weather he has any queries to be clarified
Ask about the tentative start time
If it is a line up : kindly inform the candidate to make sure that he writes “TWSOL/SMX” on top of the resume
and confirm the same with repeated clause
Wish the candidate good luck.
Note: After the interview follow up the candidate and what were the questions asked and how he performed
and what he thinks about his performance in interview and make him cool and gather information about the
interview and provide the details gathered to the next interview candidate.
32. Preparations for HR round
Inform candidate to express CTC expectations clearly and not to put it as
negotiable.
Request candidate to go through customer’s website.
Expected ctc should be logically justified based on the industry standard.
Bring down the expectations of candidate by giving relevant examples of other
companies CTC range in the same domain.
Request candidate to answer to the point.
Not to get into any kind of argument with any of the interviewers.
Not to reveal about other offers, candidate may be having.
33. Precautions while the offer is released
Follow-up with candidates to send salary slips or any other documents as required
by the customer promptly.
Do regular follow-up with the candidates to check other interviews they are
attending and if any offers in pipeline.
Understand candidate’s CTC and take home expectations and work with customer
to release a logical offer for candidate.
While committing on the tentative offer date keep 3-4 days buffer. If offer is delayed,
keep the candidate informed for the reasons behind delay. Eg: offer is pending for
US approval and concerned person is on leave for this week.
Once he gets the offer (f2f or through e-mail), let the candidate deliberate upon to
come to the conclusion.
After the offer is released take feedback from the candidate.
34. Reasons for candidate interview
rejection
Poor/average core technical skills required to execute the job
Average communication.
Getting into arguments with the interviewer.
Average technical skills where the interviewer is unable to take
any decision.
Candidate’s lack of knowledge about the customer’s line of
business.
35. Post offer Stage
Ask whether he has a alternate number to contact or landline number
Inform the candidate that, incase if he changes his mind to join this company let him keep you posted.
Recommended frequency of calls
2 months notice period: once in a week for first 4 weeks and then bi-weekly for the rest 4 weeks.
Immediate joinee: daily
Reasons for drop-out:
Compensation, role, office location, brand value, growth opportunity, onsite, retention in current company.
Cross verification calls can be made – use your peer or colleague to do the same only from a personal cell
number and pose as a recruitment consulting calling from a different consulting firm.
Have you already resigned? If candidate says no and if he has told that he has resigned that means he’
extra smart and nothing can be concluded.
Are you holding any offer at the moment? If he is not accepting then he’s extra smart. In that case, offer
them job with the same company and evaluate the response.
Make sure your time does not conflict with the calls made by the colleague
36. Symptoms of a doubtful candidate
May not resign after getting the offer
May not collect the offer letter on time.
May not send the prompt acceptance mail.
Dis-satisfied with the CTC/work/domain/role/office location
Manager has gone to onsite, once he returns back then I will resign ( he can always call up
the manager and inform about his resignation and drop a mail as well).
Dis-satisfied with the work
Dis-satisfied with the work/domain
Delay in joining date.
Stops picking calls and no response to e-mails.
Always doubt a candidate and pick weak early signals to preserve your energy and avoid last
moment disappointment.
37. Check for relieving process
Have you already resigned? If yes, when? Every time you call up the candidate ask him when did he
resign? If he has not resigned most likely he will tell different dates.
Request candidate to bcc his resignation mail to you.
Is your resignation accepted by your manager? If yes, when?
How was your discussion with your manager? What was his response?
When are you likely to be relieved?
How are you going to do the knowledge transfer?
Is there any possibility of your relieving date getting extended?
Is your replacement an existing employee or yet to be hired? If yet to be hired, then when is he expected
to join and how much would be the overlap period?
Would you be getting the relieving letter immediately?
(If any medical check up is required) when are you likely to go for the medical check up?
38. If the candidate is a drop-out
Any specific reason that you are dropping this company?
Never say that you had promised to join and you had attended the interview , why you
are not joining now? Why did you waste my time? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? …
don’t be kid dish!!!
Empathize from the candidate’s point of view and understand, if it makes sense for
him to join in our customer place.
How do you compare both these companies and why would you prefer the other one?
If your ctc is matched would you prefer to join our customer?
39. If the candidate is a drop-out..
If the candidate is not willing to reveal any details open call flow as follows:
Have you got other offer in Bangalore or somewhere else?
If Bangalore, is that a product company or a services company?
Are they offering you any onsite as well?
How do you compare the growth opportunities in both the companies?
How do you compare take home in both the companies?
Which is more closer to your home (may be more important for female candidates)
Put yourself in candidate situation and ask yourself and compare it with candidate’s choice. If both are same, gracefully
end the call and emotionally blackmail the candidate.
I thank you for informing me about your decision but as you can understand from our situation that we would be in deep
trouble by saying no to customer at the last moment as they were expecting you to come onboard. Could you pls check
your cell and give phone numbers of your friends, who would be interested in this position?
If the candidate says, he doesn’t have relevant candidates then take references of his friends who have already resigned
or aggressively looking for a job change.
Never force/beg the candidate to join the company. It has to be a best possible logical decision to join the company.
40. Relocation check
Do you have any friends in the new place? Sometimes candidate may have his own house, if yes, is it rented out?
If not, who is staying there? Would he be able to shift there?
Is he planning to travel alone first or along with the family?
Would you like company to provide you accommodation initially?
Is he staying in the rented house or own house?
Have you served notice to your landlord for vacating the house? If yes, when are you likely to vacate it?
How are planning to shift the luggage ?
How are you travelling to the new location? By air/train/bus? Have you received the tickets from the customer?
If travelling to onsite through us:
If married: would you be travelling along with spouse? Is your spouse open for your travel? If not, then most
likely drop-out.
If unmarried: would your parents permit you to travel? If yes, won’t you be very far from them?
If married with < 2yr old kid: probability of travel is higher.
If married with studying kids: not likely to relocate because of cost of living for the entire family.
How would you manage for food there? Would you cook yourself and eat outside?
Onsite travel checklist can be sent from QLC to help the candidate for travel.
Sometimes customer may want candidate to book the tickets which is re-imbursed against production of original
tickets.
41. Documents Check
Have you got all your educational certificates? 10th/12th/Graduation/Post
Graduation/Doctorate
Have you got appointment letter/latest hike letter and relieving letter from
all your previous employers?
42. Concluding the call
Wish and conclude
Wish you a great career ahead with the customer.
Invite him to TW/SMX before/after he joins the company.
Make him feel we are not just recruiters through the service given to candidate.
Have a good follow up until he joins
After joining ask him about the joining formalities.
wish a successful career ahead on behalf of you and “TW/SMX”
Send a “successful career ahead” greeting to the candidate.
Keep in touch with him on a monthly basis until warranty period is over.
43. Post joining call
How’s your new company?
Have you been allotted to the project?
If candidate is on bench, suggest him to upgrade his skills as he goes on project then he
would not have time to upgrade his skills.
How’s the project?
How’s your manager? Is he very friendly or too strict?
Do you have any hr issues?
Would you recommend your friends to join this company? If yes, candidate seems to be ok.
If candidate has travelled, has he got the travel re-imbursement or any other re-imbursement
pending?
For how long do you plan to work in this company?
What kind of future do you see for yourself there?
Ask for references?
