Every recruiter needs a break from their desk once in a while. And an off-beat online recruitment survey could be just what’s needed in terms of a brief respite from the rigors of the profession.
Top Echelon’s recruiting network has been around since 1988. Since that time, we’ve conducted hundreds of recruitment feedback surveys of our Network members. Most of the time, these surveys have been benign in nature. In other words, they’ve dealt directly with prominent issues and serious topics with recruiting.
But every once in a while, we’ve thrown in a recruitment experience survey question that’s more “tongue in cheek.” These questions were designed to make recruiters think, but also chuckle if they were so inclined. Because when you’re a recruiter, the last thing you want to do is take yourself too seriously.
With all of this in mind, below are four online recruitment survey results that you must see.
Online recruitment survey #1—“You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
Question: What’s the angriest you’ve ever been about a lost placement in your career?
- “I nearly had a stroke” angry — 16.2%
- “I slammed down/threw the phone” angry — 12.2%
- “It almost ruined my day” angry — 31.1%
- “It briefly raised my blood pressure” angry — 31.1%
- I have never been angry about a lost placement. — 9.5%
Over 16% of survey participants “nearly had a stroke” while losing a placement once in their career. Another 12.2% did one of four things or a creative combination thereof:
- Slammed down their telephone
- Threw their telephone
- Slammed down their telephone and then threw it
- Threw their telephone, then walked over to it, picked it up, and slammed it down
How about the nearly 10% that claim they have never been angry about a lost placement? Liars all, you say? Here, here!
Online recruitment survey #2—“I put the ‘people’ in ‘people person.’”
Question: You’re a recruiter, but do you consider yourself a “people person”?
- Yes, I’m, the “peoplest person” ever! — 29.7%
- Yes, I’m a standard-issue “people person.” — 32.4%
- I’m neutral, call me Switzerland. — 24.3%
- I was a “people person” before I started recruiting. — 13.5%
- You could call me an “anti-people person.” — 0.0%
- I can barely stand the existence of other human beings. — 0.0%
Three responses were neck-and-neck at the top. The most popular choice: “I’m a standard-issue ‘people person’” with 32.4% of the vote. Right behind that answer was “I’m the ‘peoplest-person’ ever!” at 29.7%. I’m not sure how much you have to love people to be in this category. I’m also not really sure I want to know.
Then there are those who said “Call me Switzerland.” This non-committal bunch commanded 24.3% of the vote. Could it be that these recruiters neither like nor dislike other human beings? That would seem to be the logical conclusion.
And of course, there’s the fun answer of “I was a ‘people person’ before I started recruiting.” That answer was too tempting for 13.5% of survey participants. That just goes to show what recruiting can do to a person.
Online recruitment survey #3—“I’ll take movie titles for $1,000.”
Question: After a six-month search, your client says, “We’ve decided to hire from within.” You say:
- “Hakuna matata.” — 15.0%
- “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” — 13.8%
- “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” — 46.2%
- “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.” — 13.8%
- “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” — 3.8%
- “Stupid is as stupid does.” — 7.5%
Well, what do you know? There are a lot of Cool Hand Luke fans within Top Echelon’s recruiter network! Or, at the very least, those Network members place an emphasis on effective communication. (Which is, after all, one of The Four Pillars of Top Echelon Network.)
No other response was within shouting distance of the winner. Although Disney fans will take heart in knowing that The Lion King was well represented in this recruitment feedback survey. When your client decides to hire from within, you could do worse than to utter “Hakuna matata.” What a wonderful phrase. Sigh.
Online recruitment survey #4—“You’re nothing but a dirty, rotten quitter!”
Question: How close have you come to quitting the recruiting profession?
- I’ve quit at least once and came back. — 10.3%
- Closer than you know. — 17.5%
- I think about it after fall-offs and no-shows. — 15.5%
- Not close, really. — 33.0%
- It has literally never crossed my mind. — 23.7%
Well, a full third of recruitment experience survey respondents have never come close to quitting. How boring. Than another 23.7% claim that it has literally never crossed their mind. (Until they read this survey question, I bet.) More liars? That’s for you, the readers at home, to decide.
Then we have the juicy results! There are those who have already quit and come back (10.3%). A big round of applause for their resiliency. Also, a big shout-out to those who have silently contemplated hanging up their headset (17.5%). And then there’s our favorite group: those who think about quitting after fall-offs and no-shows (15.5%). Many of those same recruiters have probably slammed down and/or thrown a telephone in their professional lives. We salute you.
This concludes this test of the emergency broadcast system, and it also concludes our foray into unusual recruitment survey questionnaires. We hope they served as a playful diversion to the unbridled chaos that is your recruiting desk. Sometimes, you just need some brainless entertainment before jumping back into the fray.
We now return to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress.
Now pick up the phone and make some placements!