A good recruiter/head-hunter can be an invaluable asset to any HR Manager or Hiring Manager. If you have not yet experienced success with a recruiter then perhaps you dealing with their approaches in the wrong way?
Here are 5 tips for a successful business relationship with a recruitment consultant:
1. Choosing the right recruiter. Don’t just settle for the first one that calls you and promises the world instead, choose a niche recruiter. You need to feel comfortable with his or her approach and not feel at all pressured, pick a consultant who specialises in your sector and check out their profile on the social networks. Most good recruiters will check you out before deciding to call so they already feel you would be a suitable client for them! There are niche recruiters available for every sector e.g. mining, careers in power, technical and senior appointments etc. Use one who is connected with your industry and can recruit for the country where you need staff. You could be an Australian mining company with operations in Asia and Africa or an American owned company needing German speaking staff. You need an international recruiter with an appropriate database, language skills, track record and network of candidates.
2. Be honest and comprehensive with your answers when asked questions. It should go without saying that the most important part of a recruiter client relationship is open and frank communication. If you have specific requirements, tell them straight away and if you have concerns about how they are proposing to recruit for you then say so. For example, you may know that in certain countries where you hire, particular nationalities work well together and others do not so tell your recruiter exactly who you want. Tell them your interview procedure; visa process, normal timescales, rotation, shift pattern, salary range, required skill-sets etc. An experienced recruiter relishes a challenge and prefers to be prepared prior to negotiations with candidates rather than being given new information at offer stage. Whatever you do, do not withhold information and if you do not know the answer then get it as soon as you can!
3. Request and reward. Offer your recruiter exclusivity and do not try and negotiate the fee to rock bottom as it will have a negative effect. Recruiters are human, have bills to pay and choose their clients carefully. If you want a mediocre service then refusing to pay more than 50% of the recruiter’s suggested fee may get you exactly that or a straight refusal. Often recruiters will ask how many others are engaged, good consultants will not be interested in working with clients who use multiple recruiters because the only thing they are doing is complicating matters. You will be able to get the attention of a seasoned, effective recruiter by responding promptly to their calls, emails and requests for feedback. Loyalty ensues and you will be able to cultivate a bond with a recruiter who knows you are counting on them to fill that important vacancy!
4. Listen and inform. Engaging the help of a recruiter will help you fill existing vacancies and those that come up in the future. Once a recruiter learns about your particular needs they will always be on the lookout for candidates you may want to hire. They read hundreds of CVs, register candidates daily, expand their candidate pool through social networks, offer referral fees to senior candidates and work hard attracting passive job seekers. Respond to your recruiter’s enquiries well then the CV’s will arrive in your inbox and the quality of the candidates will be excellent.
Investing the time talking to a “compatible” recruiter will really help you fill your vacancies quickly and cost effectively.
