Case Studies
Case Studies From our books
Unravelling Success: From Our Archives
What happens when your client is very particular about the cultural fit of the candidate apart from the skills? How difficult can it get when the client insists on as many as 10 rounds of interviews to gauge the cultural fit of the candidate? Well, read on to know how our Senior Business Manager of the Industrial Services Vertical deftly handled this ask of our client.
Premise: The hiring manager was a veteran belonging to a B2B e-commerce Startup. They were on the lookout for a CFO.
Challenges: Three enormous challenges were looming large over this requirement.
One, convincing the candidates, especially very senior ones, to join the startup.
The second challenge was the actual search for a C-suite candidate. These candidates were mostly passive candidates who were not actively looking for a job change. Unlike other candidates whose profiles can be sourced from job portals, C-suite executives do not usually advertise their availability. Therefore, it was a tightrope walk.
Usually, the selection and interview process in a startup gets completed within 2 rounds of interviews. But here, the client’s insistence on ensuring the cultural fit, moral values and beliefs were extending the process to up to 10 rounds of interviews and sometimes even more. That was the third challenge.
PeopleLogic Strategy and Approach:
The challenge was handled by our Senior Business Manager and his team by adopting the three paths given below
- CTAR
- Experimental and Exploratory
- Closed Loop System.
CTAR Approach
CTAR is an acronym for Client Focussed, Trust, Action and Respect. Understanding the client's perspective is very important in building long-lasting relationships whose foundation is Trust. Also being proactive, and anticipating client needs helps in achieving desired results. Here is where action comes in. Lastly, every relationship thrives when there is mutual respect. This acts as a catalyst for creating an ambient environment where open communication, active listening and mutual understanding flourish. Thus CTAR approach is a winner in all respects
Experimental and Exploratory Path
An experimental and exploratory path was taken throughout this journey. Our Senior Business Manager had lengthy discussions with the shortlisted candidates to understand their backgrounds, beliefs, values, career journeys, career aspirations and future plans. These discussions easily took about 30 - 45 minutes but it was time invested well because, in this way, the first and most important level of gauging the cultural fit was done effectively before actually forwarding the profile to the client company. Therefore, this valued client only got those profiles that were a first-level cultural match.
Closed Loop System
Feedback helps close the system and gives corrective measures. So, after every candidate interview with the client, feedback was taken by us to understand the client better and to also make course corrections if needed. This feedback mechanism helped find all those grey areas and gaps and strategies were built to address these.
Success: As they say, time well spent is never wasted. The position was successfully closed once the right fit came along and it took just 3 weeks to close the position once the right candidate came along. Now we have a happy candidate and a happier client!
Unravelling Success: From our Archives
Recruiters are not just “paper pushers” Their role is not merely to close positions. Instead, they help the candidates to chart their path towards a better future. In that sense, they are the candidate's most trusted counsellor and their confidantes. Every concern, every doubt, every fear of the candidate has to be allayed by the recruiter, sometimes even validating the decisions taken. This case is a classic example of how our team helped a candidate choose the right path and the best career decision of his life and at the same time, fulfilled the client’s requirement on time.
Premise: The candidate was working in a major IT services company and was looking for a career change. He got a very good offer from another IT services company, with an excellent salary package with almost a 60% hike. However, while serving his 45-day notice period, his current company assigned him an onsite overseas project for a period of two years.
Challenge: An overseas onsite project is definitely an attractive proposition for anyone. Apart from the prospect of staying overseas, there are other benefits like salary and other perks as per the industry standards of that country. Therefore, at this point, the candidate was undecided about the job offer he had received. He was not able to make up his mind and was in a dilemma.
PeopleLogic Approach and Strategy
ADDA approach :
At PeopleLogic, ideas, opinions and solutions are taken from everyone. We call it our “ADDA”, an acronym for Analysis, Deliberation, Debate and Argument. Every problem is approached via this method. So the team got together for ADDA sessions. The candidate's career path and long-term benefits for both options were discussed at length. These were mapped and given to the candidate so that he could make an informed decision.
Backup Options: While ADDA sessions were going on, our sourcing team and our profile validation team were already moving ahead with backup options in order to ensure timely delivery.
Closed loop system: The client was informed of the situation at hand and our processes to handle the situation. This transparency helped our clients to trust our process. The feedback and information were flowing continuously which helped allay the client’s fears.
Success: The candidate after weighing the pros and cons of both options, decided to take up the job offer and not go for the overseas onsite project. The reasons were many, first and foremost being the long-term benefits. The onsite project was only for 2 years and once he came back he would have to rejoin the current company at the existing salary. Also, the role and responsibilities of the new job were more exciting as he could see a clear career progression. Through all this, our team ensured that they presented an objective and non-biased picture of both options. For, recruiters are not just paper pushers, but they help create futures!
Unravelling Success: From our Archives
Excitement ran high when a major player in the automotive industry entrusted us with a huge project - about 300 requirements to be fulfilled across various roles. At the same time, it becomes a challenge when these requirements have to be closed within 30 days. Our Senior Business Manager, at the helm of the ITS vertical, had a very clear path charted out to deliver the best fit to our clients.
Premise: 300 requirements to be closed within 30 days for a German automotive and infotainment MNC.
Challenges: Well, the obvious challenge is the sheer volume of openings that need to be filled within a very short period of time. Sourcing, screening, shortlisting, interview management, post-offer management, and onboarding management are to be done in high gear without relaxing a bit. Every team member had to be alert without easing up, with an eye on the target number and work very hard to achieve it.
Secondly, the issue of candidate ghosting loomed large over the recruitment industry. Every recruiter will have numerous stories to tell about how the candidate skipped the interview or the onboarding process and completely ghosted them. The ability of a recruiter to keep the communication loop between them and the candidate thriving sets them apart from the others. The art of CRM or candidate relationship management is something every recruiter should know. To source a vast number of candidates that are a right fit and to take them along the entire journey of recruitment including successful onboarding within 30 days is enormous!
PeopleLogic Strategy and Approach
Adoption of Agile methodology:
The entire process was divided into small tasks and each task was assigned to a team. A team lead was given to each team. An organised plan to source, screen and shortlist was created and the assigned teams followed it.
Exclusive Teams for each phase of Recruitment:
Each phase of recruitment was handled by separate teams. There was a Profile validation team, Interview Management team and post-offer management team handling the different phases of recruitment.
3- 4 level profile validation: To minimise the percentage of candidate ghosting, a 3-level profile validation was put in place. After validation by the recruiter, the profile was validated by the team lead and then the Manager. For niche and very senior roles, there was a profile validation done at the Senior Business Manager level. This 4-step profile validation process helped in weeding out candidates who were not the right fit.
Post-Offer Management: The post-offer management team were in constant touch with the candidates who received an offer and their concerns and issues were addressed. The communication loop between them was always open, thus establishing a strong relationship with the candidate.
Talent Pipeline: The sourcing team was constantly keeping the talent pipeline ready with the next set of candidates so that if any candidate was unable to fulfil their commitment, then there was always the next option ready.
Success: By the end of the 29th day, all 300 positions/requirements were successfully closed. And the delighted client gave a shout-out to us by giving us even more requirements. Well, that never daunted us for we knew we had the skills, expertise and the never say die attitude to face any challenging task.
Unravelling Success: From our Archives
Hiring for an IT role can be challenging since it requires recruiters to have an excellent idea about the technologies and the skills required for a particular role. They also have a daunting task where they have to understand the candidate's career profile with respect to the projects done and ascertain if the candidate is a good fit for the role and company. For a traditional, non-IT company, this task becomes even more difficult.
Premise : The client was a manufacturing, distribution and retail company. They were looking for a Dot Net team lead.
Challenges:
The clients were looking for reliable partners with the technical know-how to understand the role and requirements. They wanted the can step up in partnering with them to provide talent solutions.
The IT department in any traditional business is a support entity supporting the core businesses of the organisation. Therefore, convincing a suitable candidate to consider the role within the ambit of client constraints is a herculean task.
Also, there were many other constraints around and within which we had to work, to provide the right fit. Also, there were many other constraints around and within which we had to work, to provide the right fit.
PeopleLogic Strategy and Approach:
Research
We have a systematic and scientific approach when it comes to sourcing, screening and shortlisting candidates. One of the steps our teams diligently follow without ever skipping is, to research the client company, no matter even if it is a repeat client: understand the culture, understand the role, understand the responsibilities and understand what is in it for a candidate.
We believe in ethical business and will never focus on just closing the position . We thoroughly understand the cost our client has to pay because of one wrong hire, not to mention the candidate experience. So our teams went about creating and crafting a pitch that is true and appealing to the candidates. Ready with the answers to all the questions and concerns of our candidates, our recruiters pitched the client and the role in a transparent way.
Through all this, the stakeholders of our clients were kept informed about the progress continuously, thus hand-holding them. Our client focussed approach came into play here. The communications lines were kept open and any concerns or needs of our client were addressed immediately. This collaborative relationship helped both the parties to move forward in the right direction in identifying the right candidate.
Success: Hard work with a large dose of empathy, honesty and ethics will always bear fruit. We could close the position with the right fit and our relationship with the client has gotten stronger!
