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HOW
TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM |
"The Inside Story"
Tips and Insights into the world of
recruiting.
How you can Improve the Quality of
the Candidates you interview.
Tips for Finding The Best Candidates
1. Offer your recruiter
exclusivity in your search
Dont make recruiters compete with your HR department or other recruiting
firms. It causes the process to become a " horse race" to see who can send you
the most resumes in the shortest amount of time. This reduces the quality of the
candidates and the process. Work with a reputable firm and give them time to pre-screen,
qualify and interview the candidates before you do. This will save you time and money.
Exclusivity allows a recruiter to advertise your company and the opportunities you
offer without the worry of competing recruiters or outside candidates using this
information to present themselves to you. This advertising can increase awareness of your
company and allow the recruiter to reach more prospects in a shorter amount of time.
Lack of exclusivity turns recruiters into flesh peddlers who rely on the numbers of
resumes they can send rather than the quality of the candidate.
Show a recruiter that you are committed to the recruiting process by building a
partnership that will last for years and produce long term quality results. Make the
recruiters a part of your team.
Exclusivity allows the recruiter to become a consultant rather than a vendor.
Knowing that you will only hire from the candidates that he/she presents to you increases
product quality and eliminates candidates that are less qualified but immediately
available.
2. The benefits of single
sourcing
Working with one recruiting firm reduces interruptions in your workday and saves
you lost time and money.
Single sourcing means you only have to train one recruiter to understand your
company and its culture.
One designated recruiting firm can dedicate itself to learning about the culture of
your company and look beyond the "one time hire". Instead the recruiter becomes
familiar with all the levels of your company, the players and the long-term goals each
department may have, i.e.: "The Big Picture."
Single sourcing your recruiting needs also enhances the recruiters loyalty
and commitment to you. The possibility of repeat business allows the recruiter to spend
quality time working on your projects instead of searching for new accounts.
Your commitment allows a recruiter to keep candidates exclusive to your search
instead of trying to increase the odds of hire by sharing candidates amongst many
projects. This helps avoid the inevitable bidding battle between employers for the best
candidates.
Get to know your recruiter on a one-to-one basis and build a relationship that will
create a common interest in the success of your company.
3. You get what you pay for
Recruiters present their best candidates to employers who are willing to pay for
quality and professionalism.
When top-notch candidates are found, a recruiter will call his most loyal clients
first, i.e.: (those that offer exclusivity and have committed to a long-term partnership.)
Paying flat or low fees may make you feel good about your negotiating abilities,
but this practice does not give a recruiter any incentive to work hard for you or present
you with the best candidates available. A recruiter will naturally present the best
candidates to the companies that pay for quality.
Recruiters work hard convincing top performers to consider making a career change.
Finding quality candidates is tough and once found, they are not introduced to companies
that may reduce the recruiters earning potential.
Corporate growth may be stunted by mediocre employees. The costs are high when you
hire less than the best.
There are many recruiters that will work for discounted fees; the only drawback is
that they will only show you discounted candidates.
If you are disappointed with high turnover or poor performance from your staff,
examine your policies concerning recruiters and modify them where needed.
If recruiters consistently present you with less than qualified candidates and do
not seem to be paying attention when you express your needs, examine the incentives you
are offering the recruiter.
How To Get The Most For Your Money
- Offer the recruiting firm exclusivity for your search.
- Be fair with the fee and agree to pay for the quality you desire.
- Provide all the information the recruiter requests.
- Make the recruiter a part of your team.
- Promptly return all of the recruiters phone calls.
- Set up a regular schedule for talking to the recruiter and getting progress
reports.
- Exchange home phone numbers for emergency situations.
- Require performance and professionalism from the recruiter.
- Report the results of all interviews as soon as possible.
- Pre-set interview schedules and make them goals to fulfill.
- Refer all direct inquiries for employment to the recruiter.
- Require the recruiter to pre-screen, qualify and interview candidates according to
your requirements.
A Mirror Image
The level of your commitment to the recruiting process mirrors the quality of the results
received!
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