Developing recruitment partnerships

By NEHRA, 1/09/2006

It was only yesterday that your company had just four job openings. The HR staff was able to fill these positions with ease. In fact, some days you wondered if you had one too many recruiters on board.

Over the past six months, though, business has picked up. You can't keep up with the demand. You've approved ten new requisitions for staff while your internal HR team works on replacing five key employees that left for the competition.

The job openings are listed with a number of contingency recruitment firms, who only get paid if they make successful placements. But it's been weeks and you have yet to see results.

If this sounds familiar then it's time to analyze your relationship with your recruitment vendors. Consider the following:

Remember, relationships matter - Think about it. How hard would you work on an RFP if you knew the potential client sent the specs out to 20 other companies? The same goes for contingency recruiting. If you've placed your job openings with a number of firms you are only hurting yourself. Instead, find several agencies that share a similar business philosophy to yours. You'll soon see dramatic results. In this business, it's all about the relationship.

Pay full freight - Congratulations. You've whittled the fee down from 30 percent to 20 percent. Yet you seem to be interviewing only "B" candidates. In life you get what you pay for, and this is particularly true when working with recruitment agencies. Remember those "A" candidates you were hoping to attract? Well, they are going over to those "A" clients who are paying the full fee. Are you still feeling proud? Put your pride aside and offer your contingency firm a bonus for filling your positions with top quality candidates. You'll more than make it up on the back end.

Partner with your recruiters - Hiring managers often believe that it's the recruiter's job to land the talent. This couldn't be further from the truth. Seasoned managers know that it's a partnership. Recruiters and hiring managers must work side-by-side. When a qualified candidate is presented, clear your calendar and meet with that person. If you don't, they may wind up meeting with your competitor.

Communicate directly - It takes a while for recruiters to find the sweet spot. Direct feedback can minimize the ramp up time. Share as much information as possible. For example, if one of your competitors is going through a merger or you have heard that employees are disgruntled at a particular company, let the recruiter know. Help them improve their game by telling them where they are missing the mark. Before long, you'll have enough top-rated players to compete in the World Series.

Consider your options - When it comes to recruiting, one size does not fit all. For example, when hiring key personnel, executive search firms are most effective. Search firm professionals act like senior advisors. On the other hand, contract recruiters, who are usually paid on an hourly basis, can be cost-effective if you are looking to staff a considerable number of openings in your organization. This approach is particularly appealing to companies with cyclical hiring needs.

The employment market has its ups and downs. But one thing that never seems to change is the need to develop solid relationships with outside recruiters who can help you through the good times and the bad.

Roberta Chinsky Matuson is the principal of Human Resource Solutions and is also a NEHRA member. She can be reached at (617) 566-8978 or .

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