Search and Selection Methods

Ideal Candidate Profile

Our recruitment approach is proactive at every stage of the process. So also what comes to candidate requirements. We do not merely note down the expressed requirements, rather we monitor the expressed requirements against the identified challenges and opportunities and advise the client on the ideal candidate profile based on our unique knowledge of the Russian market. This way we identify the key competencies, the unique combination of proven skills, knowledge, abilities and attitudes required for the position.

This will result in a documented Ideal Candidate Profile which we submit to the principal for approval. It contains a specification of the position and requirements. The document describes in detail the company, the role, responsibilities, goals and key challenges of the position. It also summarizes the experience, qualifications and competencies required for success.

Active Search

Based on the market analysis and the approved Ideal Candidate Profile we initiate the active search through all of our channels of intelligence. We will actively contact any person that we have identified as being able to provide valuable intelligence to aid our search.

We attract both active and passive candidates in the market in order to find the best match to our customer’s requirements and corporate culture.

Finding Passive Candidates

We apply headhunting methods to each recruitment assignment. In practice this means that we start the recruitment assignment by carrying out market research in order to find companies (and candidates) in the market from which we can headhunt the best possible candidates. We then contact these identified people and ask about their interest in the position, or if they are not interested, we ask for leads.

We also use highly targeted social media ads to attract passive candidates for the position. Social media plays a very important part in the recruitment process in Russia, as Russians are spending twice as much time on average in social networks than, for example, Americans. Our company has been in the market for more than 15 years and we are extremely well-networked among the business community, business associations, interest groups and industry associations. This is very useful in identifying headhunting targets from our network, personal meetings, leads and for obtaining recommendations for an ideal candidate.

Finding Active Candidates

We have the largest pool of candidates in terms of quality and quantity, and our speed of candidate placement is unequalled. Awara is a leading social media and Internet recruitment company in Russia, having nearly ten thousand followers in social media. This means that for each vacancy we publish in our social media networks, we receive an average of at least 200 applications from applicants with relevant background and qualifications.

Many recruitment companies use their internal CV database for presenting candidates for the customer. We at Awara use social media networks as the CV database, as about 90% of Russians online population have at least one social media profile. This means basically that our database covers the majority of Russians.

The full list of our methods includes headhunting / direct search, networking with stakeholders, searching our existing contact and partnership network, our internal CV database, using social media networks as a database, highly targeted social media ads, job announcement in job portals, and other online resources.

This activity will bring up candidate leads (long-list).

Short-list and Screening

By analyzing the candidate leads we will be able to compile a short-list of potential candidates.

The compilation of the short-list involves direct discussions with the identified candidates. Usually this is a discussion over the phone with the potential candidate in order to assess the candidate’s suitability for the position and willingness to make a carrier move. Sometimes we will involve a middleman for initially touching bases with a candidate.

Once the candidate has been identified as a real potential we go over to a more candid discussion (always face-to-face) with her/him. In this stage we will disclose as much about the position as our principal has authorized us to do and engage in a professional discussion with the candidate. These discussions will also serve as a basis for assessing the candidate’s suitability against the Ideal Candidate Profile. Often this means a series of conversations in different settings and involving different consultants.

At this stage we also obtain more detailed informal external views on each selected candidate in order to verify the candidate’s competencies, achievements, and track record. In this connection we will identify what part of past success has been delivered by the candidate as opposed to the candidate having been a fellow rider on a strong current, with merely some seducing icons on his CV.

Short-list Presentation and further Focusing on the Candidates

We will present the short-list of candidates to our principal in order to get feedback on the potential candidates. This will include our assessment of the candidate mirrored against the Ideal Candidate Profile.

We will then approach the selected candidates in order to finally determine their suitability and availability and willingness to go forward to meet with the prospective employer. At this stage we will also address any concerns and additional queries that our principal has raised about the candidate.

Selection

Upon completion of the further focusing on the candidate we report back to the principal on the new findings. After this the principal is ready for choosing his preferred candidate and make a formal job offer. Sometimes the client may instruct us to conduct further research on the preferred candidate before the job offer.

We are available for assisting with the formulation of the job offer, and in any case we would ask for an opportunity to comment on it before sending in order to ensure that it reflects what has earlier been communicated to the candidate. We will also be available to participate in the negotiations on the job terms.