Lunchtimes may never be the same again in FMC Towers. Around the dinner table in our kitchen the topic of Tinder is a regular theme. A significant number of 20 somethings are embracing technology in the search for love, however short term that maybe! Recently the older and more settled members of the team have been getting in on the action, offering their ‘wisdom’ in helping the youngsters to find a suitable partner. There have been some rather awkward moments when the ‘super whoosh’ has been employed on behalf of a friend, to what turns out to be a wholly unsuitable match.

Why on earth would you let someone else choose your potential match?!

However, in the world of corporate recruitment this is a dynamic that is becoming increasingly common. The role of HR in the recruitment process is on the increase, with a view to more consistent management and cost control. This is nothing but a positive and certainly many hiring managers would admit to having a somewhat haphazard approach to suppliers in the recruitment arena.

The danger comes when as part of the desire to manage and control the process, HR prevent communication between recruitment agents and line managers. This is a risky business and the implications are far worse than some of the appalling dating disasters that have occurred as a result of the FMC lunch break.

To be truly effective a good recruitment agent must seek to gain a sound understanding not only of the role or ideal candidate, but of the personalities and cultures involved. Finding suitable candidates requires extensive searching and screening which cannot be achieved from a job specification alone.

HR provide an invaluable service but their role is to manage and maximise the recruitment process not prevent it. The most effective HR functions are those that understand the need for clear and open dialogue between the supplier and the stakeholder that is experiencing the pain.

Ultimately for hiring managers to genuinely identify the right candidate they need to be the reference point for the search, rather than communicate via third parties.