Recruitment Issue - Not Finding Right Candidates With Communication Skills!

Good evening HR professionals,

I am really not understanding my current situation. I work in an HR role in Recruitment for a small company operating in the field of brand promotion. We are currently seeking a candidate for a Marketing & Communication position in B2B corporate communication. Despite my efforts, I have been unsuccessful in finding the right candidate for this role. We have conducted a few interviews, but encountered challenges such as communication issues from our side and demands for high salary expectations.

I am seeking guidance on how to successfully hire 1-2 individuals for this role who possess excellent communication skills in English and are highly presentable. We are prepared to offer a salary of up to 2.0 CTC. This position is not target-based and does not involve sales; it is solely focused on corporate communication in the B2B sector.

Please advise me on the best approach to recruit suitable candidates for this role. Alternatively, if you have any data on Business Development profiles in the Gurgaon area, kindly share it with me.

Thank you.

Hi Atul,

I assume you are advertising this position. In that case, are you marking the advert as "Marketing and Communication"?

If so, you will get a poor response because Marketing and Communication are two very different profiles. Your advert should be for a Business Development Officer/Manager. This profile targets a person who will have the qualities you are looking for.

As you require communication skills, in your advert, ask the candidates to telephone you first to establish oral communication skills. If you then want to hold a second interview, you should ask them to bring examples of their written work so that you can establish their written skills.

When a candidate asks for a higher salary, there is nothing wrong with that. It is purely a reflection of what the candidate thinks they are worth. Therefore, you should ask why they think they are worth more than the market rate. Listen to their answer very carefully; it might just be valid.

If the sticking point is the salary, then consider offering to increase the rate after they have proved themselves over a period of time.

With due respect to you, Atul, I would like to make a constructive criticism:

Please review your own post; you will notice that it is very poor. If a candidate sees that, what will the candidate think of your required standards?

I hope the above helps.

With Warm Regards,

Harsh

Hi,

I agree with Harsh; clarity on the profile is a must to start recruitment. Hence, be clear on the designation, JD, and the key skills/competencies you are looking for.

I assume you must have contacted some recruitment consultancy or posted on portals. Have a thorough telephonic round; keep a set of standard questions handy. When the shortlisted candidates come for an interview, ask them to prepare a write-up. This will help in checking their writing skills (I prefer this to asking them to carry their write-ups).

You may consider looking at fresh graduates from college as they will possess good communication skills and can be molded (if prior experience is not essential).

Share it with your employees and ask for referrals.

Review after a week - relook at the CTC aspect as well. Is 2 lacs less for such profiles in Gurgaon? Just check...

Thanks!

Hi Atul / Reeti,

I stand corrected. It is much better to have the candidates write something at the interview, rather than bringing it with them.

Regards,

Harsh