Tom Richards’ Post

Are you still waiting to be rewarded? Sometimes we set ourselves targets (or our managers do) in order to reach the next promotion or salary uplift, only to achieve that goal, yet not receive the promised reward. I was speaking to an experienced recruiter yesterday who was in this position and they felt (unsurprisingly) let down. They hit their ££££ annual target in December 2023 and was promised a salary uplift, change in job title and responsibility. This didn’t materialise so they are looking to leave asap. Although there may be an explanation from your employer as to why they are not sticking to their promise (company profits down?), it leaves a bitter taste and rarely do employees stay in the business. Once trust has been broken it feels like a betrayal but unfortunately it does happen. My advice is to make sure you don’t let it destroy your trust in others. Move on, use that resilience you have developed from working in recruitment and put it to good use seeking out your next career move. Onwards and upwards. #recruitmentlife #recruiting #wfh #remoterecruitment

Losing the right candidate over salary requirements can be a costly mistake for any organization. Here’s what it really means: 1️⃣ Missed Potential: The right candidate brings more than just skills—they bring innovation, leadership, and a vision that aligns with your goals. Passing on them over a salary gap could mean missing out on the game-changer your team needs. 2️⃣ Cost of Not Hiring: Recruiting is expensive and time-consuming. From job postings to interviews, onboarding, and training, the cost of hiring can easily exceed the slight salary increase that could have secured the right person in the first place. 3️⃣ It’s Not Just About Salary: The true cost isn’t the direct salary—it’s the overall cost, including indirect expenses like opportunity lost. Every time a role remains unfilled, projects stall, customer relationships weaken, and new business opportunities slip away. These hidden costs can far outweigh the savings of a lower offer. 4️⃣ Reputation Matters: Candidates talk, and when talented individuals feel they were passed over because of a narrow salary range, it can affect how your company is perceived in the job market. The takeaway? Investing a bit more upfront to bring the right candidate on board can pay dividends in the long run. 💡 #hiring #talentacquisition #leadership #companyculture #opportunitycost

HR: “We’ve been looking for someone for this role for the past 8 months.” Please. PLEASE don’t think this is a point of pride. This was something HR told one of my clients recently. The reason why they haven’t found someone in 8 months is absolutely not because there isn’t a good candidate out there. It’s because they AREN’T WILLING TO PAY. Before they even extended the offer, HR pulled out the old tried-and-true method for underpaying candidates: they asked her what her salary requirements were. She said - that’s not how this works. If you want to give me an offer, then give me an offer. So they did - about 50k under market value for the role. When she told them what she’d need to make the transition, they came up by 10k. This is not a negotiation. This is BARGAINING. Stop trying to get top level candidates for bargain basement prices!!! Maybe then you’ll be able to fill a role in less than 8 months. -- Join our free webinar on January 3rd 2024 at 7:30pm ET: Discover How to Land Executive Roles in 2024 Without Applying Online Register today: https://loom.ly/RbkIo2c #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment #careercoach #careers #careerdevelopment

Honesty is the best policy and here is why. I had to tell a good client today that their salary package for a manufacturing role I was being asked to work on was way too low and that I could not work on it. We would not attract the correct calibre of candidate. I'm always a little scared at this point, but what's the point of wasting everyone's time? So I declined the role. Hard, especially as I'm just starting back out with KP Recruit. When I say this sort of thing to a client, I always back it up with evidence so that it is a factual thing and not just my opinion plucked from thin air. The hiring manager is now on a mission, backed up with evidence, to get a higher budget for the role. Fingers crossed. I also advised that they should consider a salary raise for the current team. Reason being that they are sitting ducks to be headhunted out for higher paying roles with the same skill set. The cost and risk of replacing experienced, trusted long term members of staff is far more than just paying the correct market rate for an in demand skill set to your current team. If you value them, then value them before its too late. Some recruiters can be very transactional, and just looking to make placements and fees. Many forget the consultant part, and that some times means being honest with clients and giving hard truths. So, perhaps next week, the client will come back with a higher budget, maybe not. Perhaps the team will get a rise, but maybe not. But ultimately I feel I have consulted with my client, and even though I don't get the win now, adding value, and being honest, will lead to win wins in the future. #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #Consulting #Honesty #Value #ManufacturingJobs #KPRecruit #EmployeeRetention #MarketRates

The other side of the coin: We often make jokes on HR and their way of response (including me) but today I experienced another side of their job role. I appeared for an interview a month ago, after following up the HR said "I'll let you know" as usual. I thought it was over and moved on, today I received a call from the same HR with a job offer different from what I had applied for ( higher pay) but the catch is location. It's way far from where I wanted to, he said that particular position is filled up but we have another vacancy. I was sure I couldn't join there so I said sir, it's a little far away, you can share the opening with me I'll forward it to my connections and his reply left me thinking for a while. He said, "ma'am it's very difficult to find the right candidate in right budget, people who don't fit for the role apply, those who fit, most of them fail the knowledge and demo round, the one who clears all of it is not ready to join in budget. A perfect candidate that the management is impressed from is very unlikely to find. Sometimes it takes months" This conversation made me realise it's not as easy as "I'll get back to you" Even HR's job is a tough one, from communication to patience everything is tested. What are your thoughts about it? 💬 #hr #jobs #job #experience

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐇𝐑, 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠? In today's competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for organizational success. However, many companies face a growing challenge where employees leave early, even after being recent hires. One significant factor contributing to this trend is the role of Human Resources (HR) in salary negotiations. HR is often tasked with balancing the interests of management and employees. However, in many cases, HR seems to lean more towards management, potentially leading to suboptimal salary offers. When candidates are presented with salary ranges that are significantly lower than market standards, it can lead to dissatisfaction and ultimately, attrition. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨: Two candidates are being interviewed for the same position. One candidate is currently employed, while the other is seeking a new opportunity. Both candidates are offered the same salary range, which is below market value. The candidate who is currently unemployed accepts the offer due to immediate financial needs. The second candidate, however, declines the offer. Why? Because he’s already earning more in his current role and knows the value he brings to the organization. After much back and forth, HR eventually matches his current earnings, sweetening the deal with some added bonuses. Fast forward to five months later. The first candidate who accepted the initial offer resigns after finding a better opportunity elsewhere. Meanwhile, HR is now tasked with finding yet another candidate for a position they filled less than six months ago. If you’re still reading this, I want you to pause and reflect. What did HR do wrong in this scenario? How could this situation have been handled differently to retain talent and reduce turnover? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. #HR #TalentRetention #SalaryNegotiation #EmployeeSatisfaction #JobMarket

🚩 Why “We Offer a Competitive Salary” Is a Red Flag in Job Hunting 🚩 Remember Last time you applied to a very attractive role, everything was good but there was only one clue about the potential pay! Competitive or Industry Standards? When a company responds to salary expectations with "We offer a competitive salary," it can be a sign that they aren't being transparent about the value of the role. Top Reasons why I feel this might be a red flag and potentially a bad idea. 1. Lack of Transparency: By not providing a clear salary range, companies signal they may not have a well-defined compensation structure. This creates uncertainty for the candidate and raises doubts about whether the offer truly reflects their skills and market value. This doubt can lead to dissatisfaction even before joining, impacting productivity and fostering an environment where employees may constantly seek other opportunities. 2. Room for Lowballing: When companies withhold specifics, they might be hoping candidates reveal their expectations first, allowing the employer to offer less than what might have been possible. This tactic often results in offers that undervalue your worth, which can erode trust between employee and employer. 3. Undefined Role Value: If a company hasn't determined a salary range for the position, it may indicate that they haven’t fully assessed the role’s value internally. This lack of clarity could point to larger issues within the organization, including a lack of investment in understanding the true contribution and impact of the position. 4. Mismatch in Expectations: Without knowing what “competitive” means to the company, you might be set up for disappointment if the final offer doesn’t align with your research or needs. This misalignment can harm both parties in the long run, affecting employee morale and engagement. 5. Clear Communication Builds Trust: If companies expect candidates to show honesty and integrity, they need to initiate that themselves by being transparent from the start. Open communication about compensation builds trust, which is essential for fostering a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. When companies fail to be upfront, they risk losing potential talent who value honesty and clear expectations. When companies are truly invested in attracting top talent, they know how to communicate the value they place on their employees, including clear and specific compensation information. #JobHunting #RedFlags #CareerTips #salary #skills #careercounselling #jobsearch

There are two things that typically tell me what its like to work at a business. 1. Market feedback - years of conversations with hiring managers, current and ex employees. If you speak to enough people, you start to see trends emerge. 2. What it's like to work with them as a supplier - This is always a reflection of what it's like to work for them. Here's a recent example that explains my second point. I represented an engineer for a position with a consultancy in Scotland and they were made an offer. The hiring managers gave me a full and detailed understanding of what they needed and were very helpful throughout the whole process. When speaking with the HR department at offer stage, they asked my thoughts on the initial salary suggested, which was perfectly competitive and came with a strong benefits package. I said it was at the lower end of what I'd consider a good salary but it was a strong offer. This contact within the recruitment team had done their own detailed analysis of salaries for this role and reviewed this offer against salaries across the wider business as well. Their figures were spot on. They suggested that an improvement could be made on the offer and made a case for this internally. They came back to me with a revised offer within 24 hours. This is a company I often hear great things about and its easy to see why. When you're looking for a new opportunity there's so much more you need to consider than the job spec. I'm fortunate enough to work with some excellent businesses that I enjoy partnering with, so reach out if you'd like to discuss your next move. #buildingservices #recrutiment

When you spend weeks and hours #interviewing a candidate, decide she is the perfect person for your role, and promptly offer her at least 20% under market value because "a lower salary is better than no salary" or because you had to "take a pay cut" when you joined, you can expect one of two things: 1) She takes it and keeps looking for a #job that pays her what she's worth 2) She declines and keeps looking because she knows the value she brings to an organization Neither leaves a great impression of you or your company, costs you thousands of dollars not only once, but twice when you have to go out and find another candidate (that you could have included in your offer). And you lose out on a professional that could have helped changed the trajectory of your company. I get companies are trying to get the best talent for the least cost. But what does it cost you if your #recruitment process looks like this? A lot more than ten or twenty thousand bucks (Euro for my friends across the pond). If your company does this, it's time for a reset. Stop the cycle of job hopping and terminal unemployment by treating candidates with #respect and pay them what they are worth. If you can't afford them, let them know up front and find someone who will find your budget acceptable.

"It is crucial to thoroughly research a company before accepting a job offer. While an attractive initial salary increase may be tempting, it could prove unfavorable in the long run if the company has: 1) Stagnant salary growth 2) Poor management structure 3) Unprofessional HR practices 4) Inexperienced leadership Take time to investigate company reviews, speak with current or former employees, and ask detailed questions during interviews about career growth, management style, and company culture to make an informed decision about your future workplace." #Upgrade yourself and earn your worth. "Don't join a basic/unrecognized organisation after gaining significant experience or after working with an MNC. It's tough to adjust to the environment."