In our last blog we talked about the impact of the coronavirus on consultancy. In this blog we will discuss five pitfalls when hiring consultants and how to avoid them. Organizations are continually hiring IT consultants. To collaborate on projects and to manage existing IT landscapes. The hiring manager’s challenge is to select the right consultant for the job. That’s not as easy as it seems.
1. Poor qualifications issue
The demand for a consultant often comes from the business operations side. The request therefore ends up at the tactical level. This leads to a situation where there has been inadequate internal agreement on where the problem actually lies. The hiring manager is then given the task of finding a consultant, but he or she will often not have the time to identify the issue behind the request.
Tip: Make sure there is internal agreement on the issue to avoid problems in the process further down the road.
2. Lack of close relationships with suppliers
Do you not have a good relationship with your consultancy partners? This may mean that they do not really understand which candidate you need. This in turn means they will offer you a lot of unsuitable candidates, and everyone involved in the process becomes frustrated. The ultimate result is an even worse relationship with your supplier.
Tip: Invest in a close relationship with two or three partners who can help you when you need it.
3. Too many run-of-the-mill suppliers
The more choice, the greater the chance of finding the best candidates. Some organisations have this questionable conviction. They sometimes invite between five and ten suppliers to help in hiring a consultant. Organisations will sometimes opt for this strategy even when the HR department is driving the process. It by no means ensures success every time. The better suppliers, in particular, are quick to disengage, as they prefer to spend their time with customers where they are not competing with the whole world. As a result, the less able suppliers remain.
Tip: As before, for this reason you want to invest in two or three capable partners.
4. Starting too late
Often hiring managers hold off starting the hiring process until they are 100% sure the organisation needs a consultant. As a result, deadlines become too tight and they need a consultant who is able to start in three to five days. This often increases the stress of the hiring process unnecessarily. The supplier needs to come up with a candidate quickly, and the organisation has to assess all the candidates in a rush. Once a candidate has been chosen, the rest of the organisation must instantly ensure that the consultant can get straight to work.
Tip: A tight process is good, but don’t go to extremes. Expect a process of two to three weeks, from sending out the request to the day the consultant actually starts.
5. Judging only by their CV
A candidate is so much more than just a curriculum vitae. They can’t include everything in a CV, things like soft skills, their exact role in projects and the way someone acts in teams. The person presenting the candidates to you will often have this information.
Tip: Spend fifteen minutes going through the profiles together. This makes the choice easier. In this way, you can sift out the pearls and avoid taking on less appealing candidates.
From a quantitative process to qualitative cooperation
A well-organised hiring process avoids errors and reduces your stress level when it comes to hiring a consultant. So make sure you have a well-qualified issue, maintain a relationship with expert suppliers and involve the right people in the process. By chewing over the information about the candidates with these parties, you replace a quantitative process with a qualitative collaboration. Success guaranteed!
Are you stuck on any one of these steps? Or would you like to discuss how you can improve the effectiveness of your hiring process? Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to share our knowledge on this subject with you.
Our next blog is about why a SAP Sourcing Partner is essential for a succesfull resourcing.
