Selling yourself

Judging by the success of Pop Idol and Big Brother, people will do anything in public to get their 15 minutes of fame and seems that the ritual humiliation that ‘reality television’ hopefuls face in the selection process is now influencing the graduate recruitment process.

Advertising agency TBWA recently held a Pop Idol style audition - Adstars - in an attempt to revolutionise graduate recruitment. The 160 graduates that waited for hours for their turn had to talk for three minutes on a subject they’re passionate about. When they had run out of time in front of the panel, in true made-for-TV style, each ‘contestant’ received an envelope that told them whether they had failed or got through to the interview stage.

This dramatic way of recruiting may be grabbing headlines, but it’s not a new concept. The pressure to secure the best candidates for the job is making employers think carefully about their recruitment methods. Due to the significant costs associated with the recruitment process, employers feel the need to get it right while spending as little as they can.

Many employers are opting for a selection process that involves initial application, interviews and, in some cases, a series of assessment centre tests. Assessment centres are one of the most popular selection methods used by employers; they involve psychometric tests to determine ability and personality, a group problem-solving meeting, an interview and a presentation.

To spot potential at an even earlier stage, getting would-be employees in a group like Adstars is an increasingly common form of recruitment. Group tests are an efficient way to save time on the recruitment process and it also gives an employer a chance to see how you candidates in a group. Observers monitor the process to see if individuals help or hinder the group reach its objectives and how they take criticism.

Criticism is a vital part of John Caudwell’s search for aggressive sales managers, as portrayed on BBC2’s Trouble at the Top series. Caudwell, founder and owner of mobile phone company Singlepoint asked a candidate about her ability to stab people in the back to get what she wants. After admitting she was ruthless enough to do this, she ruined her pitch when she confessed that she wanted to be liked. The pressure put upon these graduates during the Caudwell Group’s recruitment process was added to by knowing that their potential MD had stated that ‘failure is not something I can tolerate’.

The recruitment methods of The Caudwell Group were obviously designed to attract their target group of ‘aggressive graduates’ and weed out any candidates who could not take the pressure that the £50k a year job would entail.

Lesley Knaggs, outgoing president of the careers services’ association, AGCAS, and director of the careers service at the University of Lancaster, thinks that the pressure of such recruitment processes could scare off potentially brilliant candidates.

‘If a graduate is in their first job interview and this is the experience they face, it may destroy their self-confidence and I don’t think that’s in the candidate’s best interest. Public humiliation at work on your first go is terrible and I can’t condone it.’

Lesley thinks that being aware of the intensity of some recruitment processes could be valuable knowledge: ‘If you’ve been warned about the possibility of public rejection and any humiliation you may face, then you can’t complain. The intensive process that Adstars has used may appear like hard work, but candidates in creative areas have always had to compete. This has just been given a topical, harsher spin, but if you survive the process, it could make you a better person and secure you a job.’

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