Troubleshooting Guide: Common Recruitment & Hiring Issues (India)

Issue 1: We Are Getting Too Many Resumes, But None Are Relevant

Symptoms

• High volume of CVs
• Low interview-to-hire ratio
• Hiring managers rejecting most profiles

Likely Causes

• Poorly calibrated job description
• Generic keyword-based sourcing
• No role-specific screening

How to Fix It (Step-by-Step)

1. Revalidate the role with business outcomes, not just skills
2. Narrow experience range and must-have competencies
3. Add pre-screen questions (skills, notice period, CTC)
4. Use targeted sourcing instead of job board flooding

Expert Tip:
Orbit Global audits show that role recalibration alone improves shortlist quality by 30–40%.

Issue 2: Candidates Are Dropping Out After Offer Release

Symptoms

• Accepted offers not joining
• Frequent counteroffer losses
• Delayed joining dates

Likely Causes

• Misaligned compensation expectations
• Poor pre-offer engagement
• No counteroffer risk assessment

How to Fix It

1. Validate candidate motivation before final interview
2. Benchmark compensation to local NCR market reality
3. Discuss counteroffer likelihood openly
4. Maintain engagement during notice period

Prevention Tip:
Agencies that manage offer closure actively see higher joining success.

Issue 3: Hiring Is Taking Too Long in Gurugram / Delhi NCR

Symptoms

• Roles open beyond planned timelines
• Business teams frustrated
• Candidates losing interest mid-process

Likely Causes

• Slow interview feedback loops
• Unrealistic skill expectations
• Limited recruiter market insight

How to Fix It

1. Set interview SLAs (48–72 hours feedback)
2. Prioritize “must-have” vs “good-to-have” skills
3. Use local recruiters with NCR talent visibility

Benchmark:
Mid-level roles in Delhi NCR should close in 3–5 weeks under normal conditions.

Issue 4: New Hires Leave Within 3–6 Months

Symptoms

• Early attrition
• Team disruption
• Repeat hiring for the same role

Likely Causes

• Cultural mismatch
• Misrepresented role expectations
• No retention-risk screening

How to Fix It

1. Add cultural-fit discussions during screening
2. Ensure role reality is communicated clearly
3. Assess career expectations before offer

Insight:
Early attrition is usually a process failure, not a candidate failure.

Issue 5: Hiring Managers Don’t Trust Recruitment Shortlists

Symptoms

• Managers re-screening candidates
• Delayed interviews
• Low confidence in recruiters

Likely Causes

• Resume-only submissions
• No evaluation notes
• Lack of role understanding

How to Fix It

1. Attach screening summaries with each profile
2. Align recruiters closely with hiring managers
3. Use structured evaluation frameworks

Best Practice:
One-page consultant evaluation notes dramatically improve trust.

Issue 6: We Are Unsure If Our Hiring Is Compliant

Symptoms

• Inconsistent offer letters
• Missing documentation
• Audit anxiety

Likely Causes

• Recruitment handled without compliance lens
• No standardized documentation checklist

How to Fix It

1. Standardize offer and joining documentation
2. Validate CTC structures
3. Ensure background verification alignment

🔗 Reference: https://labour.gov.in

Note:
Compliance gaps often surface after hiring—when it’s most costly.

Issue 7: Recruitment Costs Are Increasing, But Results Aren’t

Symptoms

• Multiple agencies used simultaneously
• Repeated hiring fees
• Low ROI on recruitment spend

Likely Causes

• Transactional vendor approach
• No outcome tracking
• Poor agency accountability

How to Fix It

1. Consolidate hiring with fewer strategic partners
2. Track quality-of-hire metrics
3. Use replacement guarantees and SLAs

Outcome:
Strategic recruitment partnerships reduce re-hiring costs significantly.

Issue 8: We Don’t Know Which Hiring Model to Use

Symptoms

• Confusion between contingency and retained models
• Overpaying for simple roles
• Under-investing in leadership hiring

How to Fix It

• Use contingency for mid-level roles
• Use retained search for leadership or confidential roles
• Use hybrid models for ongoing hiring needs

Rule of Thumb:
The more business-critical the role, the more structured the model should be.

Issue 9: Recruitment Agency Feels Like a Vendor, Not a Partner

Symptoms

• Poor communication
• No strategic input
• Resume dumping

How to Fix It

1. Set expectations upfront
2. Demand market insights, not just resumes
3. Review performance monthly

Reality Check:
The best recruitment agency behaves like an extension of your HR team.

When to Escalate or Seek Expert Support

You should seek structured HR consulting support if:

• Hiring failures repeat
• Attrition is rising
• Compliance risks are unclear
• Internal HR bandwidth is stretched

At Orbit Global HR Consultants, troubleshooting hiring problems is often the first step before recruitment execution.

Conclusion

Most hiring problems are systemic, not accidental.
With the right diagnostics, structured processes, and local expertise, recruitment challenges in India—especially in Gurugram and Delhi NCR—are fixable and preventable. Get Direction