The Recruiter's Agenda

James D. Burke, Ph.D., Manager of Doctoral Recruitment at Rohm and Haas Company in Spring house, PA.


IN CHEMISTRY FEBRUARY MARCH 1993
(Reproduced with permission.)

It is possible, perhaps helpful, to compare the role of a corporate recruiter to that of a major-league scout. I see several similarities. A competent major-league scout typically is, or was a successful athlete who understands what it takes to compete successfully. Moreover, he understands his organization and its needs. It is his job to assess the talent of potential professional athletes, identify the ones who could make a positive impact on the team, and motivate his management to pursue the prospects he endorses.

A recruiter for a chemical or technical corporation does comparable things. He or she is generally a scientist or engineer or technical manger--rarely someone from Personnel. He or she understands the immediate and longer-range technical needs of the organization. The organization trains the recruiters to recognize the many elements of talent and potential in scientists and engineers, both experienced and those just completing degree programs. Recruiters are also trained to conduct interviews.

By using effective interviewing skills and other reliable sources for generating useful inforrnation, a skillful recruiter can estimate a candidate's abilities and determine how that person may best fit into the organization. A seasoned recruiter can predict with some accuracy, how far that person will progress in his or her career. The recruiter may even confidently postulate the career paths or sequences of increasing responsibilities that could maximize the candidate's achievements in the organization. Finally, a conscientious recruiter will speak up for good candidates and promote on-site interviews for them.

Recruiters provide an essential service to their organizations. My purpose here however, is not to glorify the recruiter's role in any particular way. Rather, I have bnefly explained where recruiters come from in their organizations and what they do, so that you may more readily appreciate their intentions and their viewpoint. Now I shall discuss what technical recruiters may be looking for when they interview you.

In general terms, we are looking for scientists and engineers who will someday lead our organizations as top researchers or excellent managers. We need both kinds of talent. Without leading-edge career research scientists, how can we strengthen our present or ensure our future? If we lack gifted managers, how can our technology be properly directed and commercialized? All of us are trying to hire the best available people. In operational terms, we hope that at least half of the scientists and engineers we hire will be able to advance to the first level of management or to its equivalent on the research fellow track.

The outline depicts the two career paths in research that are available in many chemical, petrochemical. and pharmaceutical companies. These are referred to as the administrative and research ladders. 
			Vice President for Research

	Research Director 			Corporate Research Fellow

	Department Manager 			Senior Research Fellow

	Section Manager 			Research Fellow

			Senior Scientist/Engineer

				Scientist
A Section Manager and a Research Fellow are comparable in level and compensation although their responsibilities differ greatly. The same comparisons apply to Department Manager and Senior Research Fellow, and to Director and Corporate Research Fellow. Sometimes, there is also opportunity to move back and forth between the two paths.

In terms of priority. technical recruiters look for technical talent first. Nothing can compensate for its absence. Technically mediocre, though otherwise talented, people cannot advance to positions of technical leadership. Expert scientists and engineers will not readily follow the lead of those whose technical ability they do not respect.

After technical ability, there are other key dimensions that recruiters attempt to measure. In fact, we try to look at many personal qualities in candidates. Most of us want to hire persons, not skills. Sometimes, however, our personal bias, our corporate culture, or the demands of the job itself may impose a priority of importance on these qualities.

Let me offer two examples of what I mean. First. I might value imagination more than communicating skills, while a second recruiter might consider communicating skills more important. Our bias will result in each of us rating the same candidate differently if he or she is strong in one area and weak in the other. Secondly, different jobs may require different abilities. Suppose we had an urgent need for a physical chemist to manage a product development group. If our two finalists included a brilliant but abrasive chemist and a competent chemist with common sense and respect for the opinions of others, we would choose the latter one--less talented technically but, we believe the more effective one.

This is a partial list of personal traits that contribute to the professional productivity and advancement of a scientist. How do we measure these qualities? How can one tell if a person has intelligence or drive or imagination? Let's take imagination, which is essential for innovation. How would you measure imagination? First, we need to agree on the elements of imagination, and then we must identify behaviors that manifest its presence. The following outline illustrates what some of our recruiters came up with for "imagination."

Imaginaton Indicators Associated Behaviors By posing well-designed open-ended questions. allowing the candidate to talk at ease, and listening attentively, the recruiter can gauge whether imagination is present in abundance, in scarcity, or somewhere between. The same approach can probe any other trait needing assessment.

I want to comment briefly about interviews. Every interview should be a conversation with a purpose--never an interrogation. Ideally, it should be a forum for exchanging inforrnation about professional abilities, accomplishments, and opportunities.

The recruiter needs enough information to estimate whether the candidate has the talent and motivation to succeed in the organization, and how the person would best fit in. The candidate also needs information. Does this organization offer opportunities and rewards consistent with his or her goals and values? Can he or she succeed and be happy there?

To obtain the necessary information, the recruiter and the candidate must ask for it by appropriate questions. Standard protocol has the interviewer going first. Because time is limited, each party must come prepared. To the extent possible, both should have their questions AND answers ready beforehand. Each should come with a plan.

Most interviews have negative outcomes. Generally, you are told that there is no suitable job for vou--at least, not now. If that is the true reason, you should accept the result graciously because the factors were outside your control. If you remain interested, ask to be kept in mind for future openings. Many candidates, however, disqualiy themselves by their behavior. In the course of our campus interviews, we see considerablv more competent candidates than we could ever possibly hire. Hence, there is reason for us to screen out candidates rather than to screen them in. Here are common reasons for screening out:

Knockout Factors Again, it is necessary to come to the interview prepared. Among other things, Ph.D.s should come with a polished 7-10-minute seminar on their work.

In the screening interview. which is what a campus interview amounts to, a key document is your resume; it often serves as a guide to the discussion. When there is no screening interview your resume must stand on its own. College placement offices ordinarily offer useful guidance on preparing resumes, and so I won't address that topic here. However, I want to make two points.

First, remember that the purpose of your resume is not to get you a job. People are almost never hired, sight unseen, on the basis of a great resume. Its purpose, and that of the screening interview, is to obtain a site interview. That interview in the workplace is your opportunity to win the job for yourself.

Second, understand that your resume is your personal advertisement. The purpose of any advertisement is to awaken a need, present a satisfaction for it, and evoke a favorable decision. Your resume should have the characteristics of a good advertisement. In other words, it must have:

Characteristics of a Good Resume A resume that is dull, vague, or hard to follow is dead in the water.

The recruiting agenda changes somewhat for the on-site interview. For things to go your way, you must understand why everyone is there. Your objective in the site interview is to obtain an offer of employment. For this to happen, you must persuade the group that they want your talents at work for them and that you are a likable colleague.

As in your screening interview, everyone present has a need to obtain and to present key information. Your first goal is to present yourself so positively, yet authentically, that the group will want you as a co-worker. Your second goal is to learn enough about the group and its operations that you will decide correctly whether to accept its offer of employment.

Often, you will he required to present a technical seminar. In my company, we make it mandatory for our Ph.D. applicants. Handling your seminar in a professional and persuasive manner is essential to achieving your first goal. If your seminar is mediocre, it will be difficult to salvage your candidacy. During the remainder of your visit, you complete your objective of presenting yourself as a valuable potential colleague by answering questions thoughtfully and honestly, and by asking insightful questions and listening receptively.

You meet your second goal, to obtain the information you need, by coming in with an understanding of your values and goals and then asking the right questions. Be aware of how much control you have. You control your behavior, the content and delivery of your seminar, your questions, and your answers to questions. Also, by being cordial and sincere throughout your visit, you can predispose the group to share with you the information you need for determining whether their organization can satisfy your needs and aspirations.

As for the group's agenda, its members need information to determine whether you would improve their group and become a valued associate. All of these experiences of the interview day - the seminar, individual discussions, and social events - will provide the conceptual and behavioral information they need. Generally, by the end of your visit, they will know enough about you to make an intelligent decision. These are factors that the group will attempt to estimate in you.

Personal Traits Evaluated during a Site Visit To summarize, I have explained the role of the recruiter, the successive stages of the recruiting process, and, basically, the rules of the game. I hope you find this perspective informative and helpful in advancing your careers.