The Candidate Experience

We talk a lot about finding the perfect candidate, the “right person, right seat,” or A players. For a typical position, we review 150 resumes, interview 20 of those, complete the other 5 screening steps and then recommend 2 of those to the client. God says to love your neighbor as yourself. How is loving 148 of your neighbors telling them no for a position they want and have applied for?

Maybe we are crazy, but these are the things we think about and talk about in our leadership team meetings. And frankly, I do not think we have it all figured out, but I do think we are making strong efforts to try and do so.  

The first suggestion in our meeting was that we were doing a terrible job of telling the candidates they were being “dispositioned” (I am not sure I even like the phrase, but that’s what it is). An awesome recently hired Sr. Recruiter on our team said when he was looking, 95% of the companies he applied to, he never received any response! He also said that we were no better. So we fixed that—at the very least, we could let folks know their status.

I read a quote once that really stuck with me: your success is directly related to the number of uncomfortable conversations you are willing to have. I struggle so hard saying no to people who ask me for something; I want to please everyone and make everyone happy (note: don’t do this!). I certainly understand why it is so difficult to say no to a candidate and tell them why.  

I suspect it is easy to say that as a candidate, “I want to know the hard truth of why I didn’t get looked at for the position.” And I would feel the same way as a candidate. However, that statement often comes from the place of, “I want the position and I fit the position and I want to fight to tell you why,” versus, “I want to be a better offer and really work on myself to get this role next time.” And here is the rub: recruiters do not know the person, so they do not know if they have permission to give real feedback. And the person does not know if the recruiter truly cares about them, which is required before someone can hear and care about the feedback from another person.

So, at the moment, we are stuck in an interesting system. How do you break this cycle and care for people and still be able to be productive in a way that allows for recruiters to earn a living? I believe we could do this very differently and care for people in a deeper and more meaningful way if they allowed us to, but that work does not produce income (at least in the short term) for a company or a recruiter. Real conversations cannot be rushed and take time. 

This article is not about answers, unfortunately, but a problem we continue to try and work on as a company and a tension we want to get better at over time. We would love to hear your thoughts and start a conversation. 

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Care Is a Present

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Present is such a cool word. It could mean a gift or what you yell in school when someone calls your name, or it could mean being in a particular place or the time period now occurring. It can also mean being mentally in the moment where you are now and whom you are with now. So your presence and your being present are gifts to others (see what I did there!).

What does this have to do with recruiting? A LOT. I believe it is rare to find professionals who—in this world of go fast, make things happen, 30-second sound bytes, hold 10+ meetings a day—are fully present when you are engaging with them.   

Care is another cool word with a ton of meanings. When someone cares about you, I suggest one of the ways they show it is to be present. If someone is not present with you, then it is a clear sign they do not care about you.

We desire to be present and care for our client partners. We desire to tour your workspaces (be physically present) so as to learn about the working environment and pick up small but important things that could make all the difference in caring for a candidate’s career and your needs and goals. 

For one of our recent projects, we asked the client if we could shadow folks completing the job before recruiting those positions. They allowed it and we found something very interesting. While it was an inspection position, it had a small element of sales to it. Ensuring candidates had and understood that piece, had the capability, and possessed the behavioral traits equated to a 24% increase in production over employees who were not recruited and screened in that manner. 

We look forward to listening, caring and being present with our partners and our candidates. It can also mean being mentally in the moment where you are now with whom you are with now. 

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Elevating Recruitment: Succeed with CEG Recruiting as Your Talent Partner

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Discover the transformative power of CEG Recruiting’s talent acquisition partnership approach, where candidates are recognized beyond their resumes. Join us as we explore the intricate process of aligning candidate aspirations with client needs, fostering long-term career success and organizational growth. Our comprehensive strategy emphasizes a deep understanding of each candidate’s unique strengths and potential, ensuring that every placement enriches both the individual and the company.

By focusing on thorough candidate-client alignment, we cultivate environments where professional growth and business objectives meet, leading to sustained success and mutual satisfaction. Experience the difference with CEG Recruiting, where we turn career possibilities into realities.

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Integrity & Transparency: The Key to Building Trust in the Workplace

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Discover how we at CEG Recruiting cultivate an environment where your voice is heard and genuinely valued. With integrity and transparency at the heart of our recruitment process, we strive to create matches that mutually benefit both the candidates and the organizations. To do this, we delve into the aspirations and capabilities of each candidate and align them with the unique culture and specific needs of each organization.

Our meticulous and thoughtful approach centers around integrity and transparency because these values enable us to foster robust connections and trust, paving the way for successful, long-term placements.

At CEG Recruiting, we are dedicated to building genuine relationships and conducting detailed assessments that ensure the right fit. Learn how our commitment to personalized attention and strategic alignment enhances career trajectories, boosts organizational success and sets a new standard in recruitment excellence.

 

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The Care Factor: Choosing a Recruiter Who Truly Serves

Recently I had a conversation with someone who said they could throw a rock and hit 4 recruiters—they are just that plentiful. Low employment, changing tech, Covid (and all the employee changes associated with it), the difference in generations and colleges not changing fast enough to teach the soft skills needed in management in the workplace. I could go on and on. These things have created a need for recruiters and a guide to help with recruiting. So many new firms have popped up and many new people have started calling on potential clients to help them recruit. 

So with all these recruiters calling you—how do you discern how to pick?  

Care—unselfish service. If you engage with a recruiter, wouldn’t you want to interview them? And if you are interviewing them, what are you looking for? I suggest care and unselfish service. To care, a recruiter has to do a very difficult thing, which we work hard to hire for and teach all of our people at CEG. Your recruiter has to take a project (working on a position) where the recruiter (or recruiting firm) only gets paid if you hire someone. Imagine how difficult that would be to completely ignore Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (the need to support one’s family), serve you and serve the candidate in an unselfish way. If a recruiter can do this successfully, this is one of the elements required to move them from recruiter to consultant/trusted partner.

Here is an example of what I mean. The recruiter interviews a candidate and something in their interview doesn’t feel right, but they don’t dig anymore because on paper, the candidate looks perfect and they feel like the candidate will get hired. They don’t transmit any negative or con type of information at all. Malcolm Gladwell talks about 10,000 hours to be an expert at something and recruiters who have this experience can often pick up on body language, tone, a few words, etc. that can be an important clue to uncover what is in your best interest as a client and in the candidate‘s best interest long term. 

In our experience, it is rare or just does not exist for a recruiting firm to think, hire or train in this way. We believe there are people out there who can bring in more candidates, or have tricks or technology we do not have. If we are truly looking out for our clients’ best interest, we are trying to always figure out how to contract with those people and remain in your consultant/guide seat so that the deepest, more important parts of your service remain consistent.

Ask yourself—what will my firm still need in 100 years? I would suggest it will still be the need to help discover people’s calling. What about them is special? Align that with people and roles who can bring out the best in that person and help them flourish and grow because then you will help an organization flourish and grow. And align managers with people who they want to do work and life with—people who give them energy, not take energy away. The values associated with this work will never change, which is where CEG will work diligently to be experts. The technology, tools and methods will change which is where CEG will partner with others who are experts on your behalf.

Trust—this is your part as a client. Many of you amazing business leaders reading this are going to say that we will go out of business financially operating like this on a contingent basis. Perhaps you are correct. It is our belief, however, that we must interview our clients just as they interview us. We must know we can trust that when they engage with us, they will hire from us. We must know that they have a level of care for us and our success. And ultimately, we want to be their consultant, guide and valued partner. This is what gives our team fulfillment. If this is not what a client is looking for, we will not be a fit for them long term. We are not looking to do business with every client, and we suspect we will go through 1000 clients to find the 100 that fit this level of service. So, care has to work both ways to create trust and this then creates an alignment of rocket fuel for hiring A players.  

Most contingent recruiting firms will take nearly any opening and the dirty secret in recruiting is that does not mean they actually work on those openings. They are going to prioritize your opening and if they do not deem it to be the most profitable piece of business that day, week, month or quarter, they will not devote resources to that opening. So the challenge companies face is a million recruiters calling on them who have amazing sales people. Most often, it is the best salesperson who gets the business, not necessarily the best company to service your needs. This is why having clear standards and investing your time interviewing recruiting firms and only engaging with those who can rise to your standards is so important. If your standards are such that you want a firm that is a trusted partner, consultant, guide and focuses their blood, sweat and treasure on making themselves the best in the world at the processes, screenings, trainings, hiring, tools, techniquest, partnerships and associated with helping to bring people to a better place (people in this case meaning our clients, our candidates and ourselves) then we would love to serve you and start your interview of us.

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Redefining Company Culture With the Power of Will

Culture sounds like something on a petri dish—meet Will. Years ago, we had the opportunity as a leadership group to go to Gettysburg and learn for a day at the Army War College where Generals are taught. Walking the fields and recounting the decisions made and the business principles associated with those decisions was so powerful—especially when it was life and death and the fate of a nation on the line. Will is motivation. Will is a want to or an eager energy. If you want to win at anything, the formula is so simple. Means times Will equals outcome.

I can’t seem to get that big rock moved from point A to point B—very simple. I need enough people motivated to move it (Will) or enough money (means) to purchase the equipment or a combination (means times Will) to achieve that outcome. 

Will is company culture. Culture has become such a cliché word that I so much prefer WILL now. If I have the true Will to do something at the end of the day, I’m energized from doing it. Think about the tasks that give you energy and take energy away. You know if you do more of what gives you energy, then you can do even more of it and enjoy it and love it. People who love scuba diving don’t get tired of scuba diving! This is a true win–win productivity for employees and employers together. Hitler understood the power of will and used that power for unspeakable evil. Governments and businesses are similar in that they both are organizations that rely on people to accomplish things. How people use the power of Will determines the outcome. 

The Will of the people is powerful. Governments are overthrown by the Will of the people. Businesses are too, but rarely does anyone talk about or write books about those cases. It’s not as dramatic. It doesn’t happen quickly, but when your most motivated people leave, they do so one at a time. It takes years. By the time it happens, you are left with mostly only people who understand how to manage spreadsheets (Means) and a minority of people suffering who remember and are clinging to the Will that used to exist around them.

These companies find themselves paying more for things and not understanding why. Who do you get a better price from? The vendor you have treated with respect and dignity and now has the Will to want to work for you or the one who is only there because of your means? And yet, when I went to business college—business psychology was not taught—it was not a thing. You may be saying to yourself, “This sounds like employee manipulation.“ And I say to you, “YES!“ 

Please, someone manipulate me to change my Will and mindset around cleaning my gutters—even just a little bit (maybe tell me to whistle some tunes while I’m doing it – or my wife flash me and make me smile!) and I will enjoy life a little more that day and have better family relationships and get more done that day.

One more. If you have ever had a five-year-old – what does the day feel like at the end of the day when you have to spend the day doing things that a 5-year-old hates? How much energy (Will) do you have left at the end of that day? What about a day at Disney World? On the day the 5–year–old hates—let’s say you have to bring him to your work that day because you don’t have a choice. Do you try to find ways to make that day more fun for him? Why do you do this? Why do we not do the same for each other and the people in our care? It doesn’t have to make it fun for adults (although adults need more of that!) – it can make it purposeful – meaningful – playful- fellowship.

Why do underfunded small businesses succeed? Why do people want to work for companies where they are not compensated to market standards? Why do companies still fail at things that have all the capital they could ever need? Meet my friend WILL.

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Bridging the Divide Between Employers and Candidates

The process of hiring can sometimes feel like a high-stakes game for both employers and candidates. With each party driven by their own pressing needs and aspirations, creating authentic connections amidst the whirlwind of expectations can seem daunting. At CEG, we understand the delicate balance required to navigate this journey with empathy, transparency and genuine care.

Understanding the Urgency

For employers, the urgency in hiring stems from the critical need to fill key positions within their organizations swiftly and effectively. Whether it’s due to rapid growth, project deadlines or unforeseen departures, the pressure to secure top talent can be intense. However, in this urgency, it’s essential to remember that candidates are not just pieces to fit into a puzzle but individuals with their own goals, concerns and timelines.

Similarly, candidates often find themselves navigating the job market under the weight of urgency. Whether they’re seeking employment due to career advancement, financial stability or personal circumstances, the need to secure a job can create stress and anxiety. Yet, among these pressures, candidates crave authenticity and a sense of connection with prospective employers.

Fostering Authentic Connections

At CEG, we recognize that authentic connections are the foundation of successful recruitment. This begins by understanding that each party brings unique perspectives, experiences and needs to the table. 

For employers, this means that rather than viewing candidates solely through the lens of skills and qualifications, employers should strive to understand the individual behind the resume. By asking meaningful questions and actively listening, employers can create an environment where candidates feel valued and respected.

Likewise, candidates should be honest about their skills and experiences while also expressing any concerns or questions they may have about the role or the company. By fostering open and honest communication, candidates can ensure that the job opportunity aligns with their values and goals.

Transparency and Trust

Transparency is so important in building trust between employers and candidates. At CEG, we believe in providing clear and honest communication throughout the hiring process, from initial interviews to offer negotiations. 

By being transparent about the opportunities and challenges inherent in the role, employers can set realistic expectations for candidates and foster trust from the outset. Likewise, candidates should feel comfortable asking questions and seeking clarification on any aspect of the job or the company.

Our Commitment to Authenticity

At CEG, we understand that the hiring process can be stressful for both parties, which is why we prioritize creating an environment where everyone feels heard, valued and respected. By approaching recruitment with a genuine desire to understand the needs and aspirations of both employers and candidates, we can facilitate meaningful connections that lead to long-term success. Together, we can ensure that the right people find the right opportunities at the right time.

Want to get started? Contact us today so you can get the right hire for the right job!

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The Key to Recruitment: Asking the Right Questions

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Recruitment is all about using facts and information to find the perfect candidate for a specific job. Consider this quote from Julio Olalla, “Wisdom is a love affair with questions. Knowledge is a love affair with answers.” This statement perfectly sums up what makes a recruiter truly effective: the blend of seeking (wisdom) and finding (knowledge).

Wisdom’s Role in Recruitment

For recruitment to be successful, you must first have the wisdom of asking the right questions. By doing this, you’ll then have the knowledge to make the right and educated decisions. Take, for instance, our Applying Home Buying Approaches to Recruitment blog. Here, you’ll read about how our home-buying journey was centered around asking the right questions. It’s just the same in recruitment, where wisdom is the result of curiosity pushing us to reach a higher level of thinking and understanding. 

It’s about going beyond the resume, the job description and the position requirements. When we asked our friend for a new realtor, it wasn’t just about finding someone with a list of properties – it was about finding someone who listened, understood our unique situation and was willing to ask us what we truly needed, not just what was on our checklist.

In recruitment, this wisdom translates to understanding the cultural fit, the unspoken aspirations of a candidate and the vision of the company. It’s about asking questions that reveal not just competencies but also character, motivation and potential. This process is not about filling a position. Instead, it’s about building a future, much like choosing a home where you will build your life.

The Role of Knowledge in Recruitment

On the flip side, the answers we find result in the knowledge we hold. Similarly, in recruitment, each answer to our well-crafted questions brings clarity and direction. These answers act as our guiding light to finding the best match between a candidate and a company. 

How These Roles Work Together

The true magic of recruitment unfolds when wisdom and knowledge intertwine seamlessly. It’s about asking the right questions to unearth profound insights and using these insights to steer our decisions. This delicate balance ensures that we aren’t just filling positions, but we’re forging meaningful connections and shaping futures.

During the recruitment process, we keep Julio Olalla’s words in mind. The questions that we ask grant us wisdom. While the answers that we receive grant us knowledge. With these two aspects of the recruitment process, we are given the necessary tools to align the right individuals with the right roles. Together, we use wisdom and knowledge to help businesses grow and take advantage of more exciting opportunities without having to compromise.

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Providing Effective Recruitment Services to SITECH

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SITECH Louisiana, a certified Trimble dealership providing construction technology, drone solutions and consulting and support services, needed recruitment solutions to attract top-tier sales talent for their consultative sales approach.

The Challenge

Dedicated to delivering exceptional service, SITECH Louisiana has earned the trust of construction contractors across the state as their partner in building a better Louisiana. On a mission to expand its sales team, SITECH Louisiana needed qualified candidates who aligned with its company culture and could provide high-quality consultative solutions tailored to construction contractors’ needs. To source culturally and professionally fit candidates, SITECH Louisiana partnered with CEG Recruiting for tailored solutions and comprehensive service.

The Solution

To effectively address SITECH Louisiana’s challenges and needs, CEG gained a comprehensive understanding of the business’s culture, goals and pains, as well as the specific requirements and skills needed for the positions. Using this information, CEG sourced behaviorally qualified candidates in the market space who were not only technically qualified for the position but also aligned with SITECH Louisiana’s company culture.

Once CEG sourced qualified candidates, it combined its proven screening practices with SITECH’s unique recruitment process to provide a white-glove, tailored approach. Through this in-depth screening process and thorough understanding of SITECH Louisiana’s needs and goals, as well as the characteristics and skills of its ideal candidates, CEG acted as a seamless extension of the company and narrowed the recruitment funnel. This approach streamlined the recruitment process, pinpointing the most qualified candidates poised to elevate and strengthen SITECH Louisiana’s sales team.

By taking these quality control measures, CEG ensured candidates were not only technically qualified for the position but also aligned with the company’s values and culture before connecting them to SITECH Louisiana.

The Results

Of the candidates sourced by CEG, 70% were interviewed, and 25% were hired.

We needed great people who were coachable, humble and fit the high standards we set for ourselves, and CEG understood those needs,” said Jay Thompson, CEO of SITECH Louisiana.

CEG’s personalized approach allowed SITECH Louisiana to hire smarter with a more effective recruiting process, connecting the business with top-tier candidates who align with its culture and values uniquely qualified to grow and enhance its sales team.

“Working with CEG has not only allowed us to grow our team but also strengthen the quality and culture of our business as a whole,” Thompson said.

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Applying Home Buying Approaches to Recruitment


Throughout our 23 years of marriage, my wife and I have purchased 10 homes. We’ve resided in five of them, while the remaining five served as investments. The most nerve-wracking home purchase we ever made was in 2003 in Jacksonville, FL. At that point, we listed our home for sale, and within a mere 72 hours, it was already under contract with a full-price cash offer. This meant we had just 30 days to pack up our lives and move 8 hours away, back to our family and friends in Baton Rouge, LA. We had not informed anyone at work about our impending departure, but we had an ailing family member in Baton Rouge, and we knew God was calling us to move back home. 

After work on a Friday afternoon, we drove into Baton Rouge – my uncle gave us the name of a realtor, and we had done our research on what homes we wanted to see. We had 36 hours to pick a house before we had to make the 8-hour drive back and be at work on Monday morning. There we were with our printed MLS sheets in the back of an Oldsmobile with a realtor I could only describe as a typical Grandmother – if your Grandmother had a turkey neck, blue hair, crazy ambition, and a vision for how you should live your life and didn’t listen to you. She took us to every house she wanted to sell and very few of the ones we wanted to see. We were running out of time. We called a friend from the back of that Oldsmobile for another referral. We chaotically shared our plight with Mel Landry, and Mel told us to ask the nice lady to leave us on the side of the road. In no time at all, Mel came in on his brown Nissan Pathfinder horse to save the day. Mel showed us two houses that we wanted to see, and we purchased the first house. Mel and his wife Denise became very close friends, and we purchased five more properties with Mel over the years.

So, what does that crazy story have to do with recruiting?  

  1. Everyone writes a job description when they need to hire (well, most of us anyway!). But just as important as the technical details is to know how quickly you need to make that hire. Are you in need of hiring the best person who is looking in the next two weeks, or would you prefer to wait until the perfect person comes on the market? In our most recent move, Sarah and I didn’t have to move. We were simply passively looking for years until something close to perfect came along. Be crystal clear with your team who is helping find your folks on how urgent your need is. 
  2. Ensure your recruiters are listening and understanding what you are looking for and not their own beliefs/opinions about what you should be looking for. Usually, this is a process over time as you work with your team, but often, you can tell right away if something is amiss. Bias and unconscious bias in recruiting will be a future blog (Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink should be required reading for anyone interviewing and hiring).
  3. Move quickly. But do not misunderstand – it’s important that you DO NOT skip the steps in your hiring process to ensure you have the right person in the right seat. So often, we see clients lose the best candidate because the hiring process took too long. You must be able to decide on a person in one week or less in most cases. The longer that person is looking, the less of a chance they will accept your job or your offer. Just like you are hunting for a new employee, they are hunting for a new home, and you have no idea what their timeline is. Are they going to accept the first thing, or are they going to shop for a year? The longer you take, the less chance they accept your offer, or the bigger chance they counter because they have another offer, or you spend a ton of time on a candidate that turns you down to get a better deal at their current job and wastes you and your team’s valuable time. Even if you are passively looking – you must have the discipline to push your hiring process forward in one week (note: this fits 80% of positions but not all).

Thank you for reading – I believe God put me on this earth to help bring people to a better place, so I am always trying to explore and learn. If you have ideas or stories for a blog – or a topic you would like to see more about, please let me know, as I would love to connect and learn together.

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