Struggling to Fill Engineering Roles: Why Aren't Candidates Showing Up or Accepting Offers?

Hi friends,

Kindly resolve my problem. Our company is an engineering concern that provides services for US clients and has a good reputation in the market among employees. However, I am still unable to find suitable candidates to fill the lateral positions.

Our management provides me with a manpower requisition form and ample time, yet I struggle to find the right profiles. The main reasons for this are:

1. There are not enough profiles on Naukri for this field (I am currently using Naukri and have also tried Monster).

2. If there are profiles available, the candidate's current compensation package is high, or they are unwilling to relocate.

3. Even if I find a suitable profile, I encounter issues. Candidates often do not show up for interviews despite being informed of the time, or they fail to confirm their attendance. Additionally, some candidates get rejected during the interview process.

I am unsure of what steps to take next. Where am I going wrong? Is my recruitment approach flawed?

Please help me as every time management inquires about the delays, I struggle to provide an answer since increasing pay for every position is not always feasible.

I appreciate your insights.

Dear Friend,

There is no other option for searching for people than from job sites. It's better to search for candidates on job sites, but the main thing is that you have to consider the market status of the profile you are looking for, including their current total compensation (CTC), job description, etc. You need to align with the market to find the right candidate. Don't worry about it. First, assess the market compensation and then proceed. Best of luck.

Regards,
RAJNISH

Hi Sowmya,

This is the problem almost every recruiter faces. You can ask for references; this is one way. Also, adopt some new methods to search for profiles. Don't restrict your search to job portals. For example, on Orkut, you can visit a particular community and search for potential candidates.

All the best! Go ahead.

Hi Friend,

As you mentioned, our company has a very good brand name in the market. I don't see any difficulty in attracting more candidates for a better company.

In your company, you have accounts with platforms like Naukri, Monster, etc., but they do not provide updated profiles, etc. Why not consider implementing an employee referral program? It really works out. Offer some bonuses, gift vouchers, and extra pay for referred employees; this approach can truly yield positive results.

Regards,
Saravana
Executive - HR

Hi K. Sowmya,

Here, I can guide you on the best way to approach recruitment.

Firstly, ask your Naukri agent to assist you in searching for good profiles. Nowadays, they can come to your office to provide help.

Secondly, opt for hot vacancies or preferred employers when posting your job.

Thirdly, seek out reputable consultants who can assist in defining your search criteria and lining up candidates for interviews.

If you would like, I can provide you with the names and numbers of some excellent consultants who offer quality services to our company.

Lastly, you can also explore good profiles on Naukri2000.com, which offers free access to job postings and databases.

Let me know if these methods were helpful to you or not.

Thank you.

Nidhi (HR Executive)

Thank you very much, friends, for your valuable suggestions. I have tried out all the alternatives as suggested by you.

According to the market, I have informed my management that there are companies paying better than us or equal to us. However, the management says we cannot simply go on revising the pay of the employees. After conducting a comprehensive study, I recently suggested to management about increasing the pay. We have implemented the increase, but it is not as substantial as what other companies in the market are offering. We are providing the same pay as other companies. The issue arises as some companies are yet to conduct appraisals for their employees, potentially going beyond our pay range after the appraisal.

Furthermore, my CEO consistently asks, "Why do you keep saying you're not finding suitable profiles? Why can't you leverage references?" I have indeed tried this approach by asking employees to refer their friends, but they often respond that their friends are not interested.

I find it frustrating when my CEO remarks, "You are not recruiting candidates at a fast pace. You are always delaying the process. Do you realize how much productivity is affected because of this?"

I feel there is a lack of understanding of my challenges here. As the sole HR personnel in the company, I am responsible for managing the needs of the three centers we have.

Please help me.

Thank you,

Sowmya

Hi,

The best method I can suggest to you is to go for consultants. Trust me, it really works. You only need to inform them of the salary range you are looking for and the experience level you require, and they will line up the candidates for you.

Secondly, you can search for candidates on Naukri2000.com; they have a good database. Try these methods, and I am sure they will yield some results.

If you want, I can send you details of those who are really good and worth working with.

Cheers,
Nidhi (HR Executive)

Hi Sowmya,

Please note: Whether it is Manpower Consultants, Job Portals, References, or Freelance opportunities, there is something called a relationship in each of these.

Instead of thinking that no one understands your problem in your company, why don't you try changing your approach to them?

When the relationship is good, employees automatically volunteer to help you out by giving good consultant references or candidate referrals, etc.

You have never seen the face of any of us, but you confide in us (Cite HR forum). Think if you are sharing the same rapport internally in your organization.

Increasing the CTC is not the only solution. It doesn't work out most of the time.

See if you are contributing to the preparation of the Manpower requirement form, which is now being given to you by your management. When you involve yourselves in the preparation of the same, you will get a clearer picture of what you are searching for and will enable you to work more focused.

Also, note that HR involves a lot of selling and marketing. If candidates do not turn up for interviews, then it is not always their problem. Probably, as HR people, we have not sold or marketed our company's image and brand in the proper perspective, which kindles the interest of the candidates to come for the interview.

Please think about all the above. Do a self-analysis. Do remember, we are responsible for both our success and our failures. All the best for an honest self-analysis and course correction.

Ramram

Hi Sowmya,

I think you are in recruitment-HR. First, you have to create your own database through friends and your own staff and make a separate file so that you can find the right people at the right time. You can create a strong network; it will help you.

Recruitment is nothing but marketing the philosophy and policies of your company. A good salary is undoubtedly important and crucial, but equally important is the work culture of your company, career plans for employees, growth opportunities, and the performance management system. You need to work on this.

Sanjeev