Do your clients require you to submit CVs via an internet portal system?

I hate recruitment ’portals’ with a passion. They take the fun out of recruiting and reduce recruiters to glorified administrators. Of course, it’s not the portal itself that’s the problem. The real problem is the client’s perception that the technology removes the need for them to talk to us.

Recruitment is about people and effective communication is central to the success of all parties - the client, the candidate and the consultant. So why would clients adopt rigid recruitment systems that discourage communication?

Bad for recruiters The portal acts as a barrier that restricts the flow of information at every stage in the recruitment process. You are “not allowed” to contact the client, which limits your understanding of their needs. As a result, your ability to help the client is severely compromised, and your chances of success are dramatically reduced.

Bad for candidates What impact does all of this have on the ’candidate experience’? The candidate, like the recruiter, receives little or no feedback and is usually rejected without ever knowing why. The client’s employer brand is tarnished and their chances of filling this job (and future ones) are diminished.

If the client is inflexible, then be prepared to quit the account. When you weigh up the realistic revenue the account produces against the time and effort involved in servicing it, you may discover that it’s just not worth your while.

Bad for the client I wonder if clients realise just how much they’re giving up. Do they realise they’re getting less time and less attention, from less experienced recruiters? What’s the incentive for the recruiter to work on ’portal’ jobs if they have other vacancies to work on where they get full access to the client, and timely and detailed feedback?

The client must also settle for ’active’ candidates, because no headhunter worth their salt would waste time approaching ’passive’ candidates under these circumstances. Even for lower-level jobs, clients will be paying a full service agency but are only getting a fraction of the delivery capability and none of the market intelligence or value added services that recruiters can provide.

Effort versus reward The next time you’re asked to recruit via a client’s portal, stop and ask yourself: “Is this the best use of my time and resources?”

Explain your concerns to the client and let them know you’re happy to submit CVs via their portal, provided you can still contact them when there’s important information to be exchanged, for example to take an accurate job brief, discuss the CVs, agree the shortlist, brief and debrief the client pre and post interview, discuss the offer and confirm the candidate’s acceptance.

If the client is inflexible, then be prepared to quit the account. When you weigh up the realistic revenue the account produces against the time and effort involved in servicing it, you may discover that it’s just not worth your while.

If you’re not willing or able to walk away completely, then minimise the time spent on that account and focus your efforts on replacing the ’portal’ client with better ones who value your expertise, want the full service and are willing collaborate with you as a business partner.

Mark Whitby is a coach, trainer and consultant to the UK recruitment industry

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