The Challenge
Abbey (Abbey National) is one of the UK's largest financial services groups and as an employer of choice is committed to ensuring its recruitment process continues to achieve maximum effectiveness. The company has a large, dedicated recruitment team which is responsible for employing hundreds of new team members throughout the UK every month.
Abbey committed to launching a new product, which meant recruiting 350 staff within 3 months - in addition to its everyday operations. To employ this number of people the company was potentially looking at interviewing 600-700 people and screening in the region of 1000.
The Solution
In looking at its options for achieving this goal, Abbey (Abbey National) contacted us for support. Following discussions about the alternatives in achieving the seemingly impossible and agreeing the best solution, Leading Legends, working in very close liaison with Abbey, designed a telephone script for the initial screening and were ready to take the first screening calls within two weeks of the initial meeting with Abbey.
For a three-month period we managed the complete screening process on behalf of Abbey, so that everything was completely seamless to the candidate. An immediate decision was made, and the candidate informed as to whether they would be forwarded to the next stage, minimising further work and administration. Not only did we take the calls but we also arranged all the second stage interviews over the phone and handled the administration, including sending confirmation letters with maps. All the timetables for candidate interviews were forwarded to the Abbey team, along with spreadsheets of details of all the applicants. This meant that the Abbey team could focus on conducting the interviews themselves.
During the middle of the project we were asked to help out with some additional screening for another role, where candidates had applied online. And when the Abbey team found itself without an assessor for the interviews, we provided that additional service.
The Success
At the end of the project Abbey had in place all the people it required and attributes a good part of that success to the way in which our two companies worked together. Our flexibility and can-do approach was key to the team achieving its goal, particularly important due to the extremely short notice and sudden needs of the business.
For further information on how you and your team can receive the same benefits, service and support contact us on +44 (0)1908 393283.
