Start Date Protocol

Full Time Recruiters, what do you do to ensure that your candidate has arrived at their destination on their first day?

Do you:

1. Pick them up and drive them there?

2. Call the hiring manager half hour after start time?

3. Call the candidate half hour after start time?

4. Do nothing and figure someone will call if there's a problem?

Interested in your protocol.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on June 4, 2012 at 3:42pm

I check in with them every other day by phone or email during the notice period just to be sure they don't go nuts with new job jitters. The thurs. or Fri. Before they are to start the following Monday I send a "wishing you well as you start your new career on Monday " note. I check in with either HR or hiring manager no later than noon the day they are to start to be sure they got there. I only had one who was MIA the morning he was to start. Everybody was in a panic but found him stuck in an airport with his cell service not working. Connecting flight had been cancelled on Sunday night. He had called the hiring manager left a message but hiring manager had not checked his cell voice mail. He was found and got there just after lunch.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on June 4, 2012 at 4:39pm

Thanks, Sandra. When I was in temp staffing, it was common place to do morning calls for each new start. heck, we even offered wake up calls. But when you are dealing with VP's and execs, it seems a little out of place. I usually do what you do, minus the HR. (Mostly because 99% of my clients don't have HR- and in this case, I'm placing the HR director).

But I also have a candidate who needs the constant hand holding through the resignation process. My lady is ready to wring his neck because he called 4 times this weekend. And each call is a soap opera. I won't be smoking cigar on that one for a while.