Recruitment Dilemma: Who Ensures Candidates Are Serious About Job Changes?

Responsibility in the Recruitment Process

Out of the two people involved in the recruitment process, the Recruiter (who performs the initial screening) and the HR Manager (who conducts the final HR round), who is responsible for determining if the candidate is genuinely seeking a change and not just applying casually to secure an offer letter?

Both HR roles play an equal part here. The initial screening should definitely provide an idea about the candidate's seriousness in looking for a switch, but still, he might move forward if he finds the right fit. (Need to add a point in notes - the candidate doesn't sound serious).

When it comes to the HR manager having the note from the initial screener, he/she needs to thoroughly assess the candidate and understand how committed he is to joining our organization.

Another important point: it might also happen that the candidate was serious when he came to the interview, but then his current organization offered him a good package, and so he might have reconsidered staying.

Anyways, my suggestion is to send an email to HR management, be strict, and follow proper procedures in interviews.

Regards

In my humble opinion, the HR Manager has to assess this aspect in greater detail, given that he has more experience and, perhaps, is the final stage after which the recruitment process ends. Of course, even a less experienced recruiter may, with time, be able to recognize some non-serious candidates straight away and reject them in the first round itself.

At the same time, as already pointed out above, there are many indeterminate factors in recruitment that become clear only after an offer is given since till then the candidate is not really thinking about them. A skillful recruiter/Manager may use a "trial offer" to gauge the candidate on this aspect. And if there are skilled Consultants involved in the process, they can help in many ways.

I am aware of a present situation - senior level - where after accepting, the candidate is having second thoughts. It is interesting since the Consultant who proposed him to the Company does not seem aware of this - he should have been.

Counteroffers and second thoughts - particularly for middle/senior management positions should be expected as a norm and planned for accordingly.

But sometimes, despite everyone's best intentions, things may go wrong - even some months later. Here is a recent example you might have seen in the media:

[Scroll.in - News. Politics. Culture](http://scroll.in/article/677005/Shekhar-Gupta-quits-as-India-Today-Group-editor-in-chief-after-two-months)

It is best to acknowledge such errors quickly and move on - for all concerned.