Pacific Innovation & Leadership

From NPAWorldwide by Veronica Scrimshaw

Many employers believe they’ll get a better result and widen the pool of candidates by briefing more than one recruiter.

But that’s simply not true for so many reasons.

I know what you’re thinking, of course he’d say that. He wants the commission all to himself!

But forget about trying to find any ulterior motive: using an exclusive recruiter is better for businesses. Here’s why.


5 reasons using multiple recruiters is bad for businesses

1. Your recruiters will do less work.

Recruiters usually get paid on commissions. On contingent assignments, if they don’t make a placement they’re paid nothing. They’re also usually very busy – at least if they’re any good. Put these two factors together and you can be sure that when you brief multiple recruiters each will spend less time and effort – not more – on filling your position than if they get the job exclusively. After all, no one likes wasting time on work they’re unlikely to be paid for. Many recruiters also end up tripping over candidates who have already been interviewed for other roles so it wastes the candidate’s and the recruiter’s time and reflects poorly on the hiring company.

2. You won’t see the best candidates.

If a recruiter has “rockstar” candidates they will reserve them as a reward for their loyal clients who have engaged them exclusively in order to cement the relationship and get ongoing exclusive briefs. Furthermore, if a candidate is uncovered during an exclusive brief, the recruiter will hold them for that client whereas for non-exclusive briefs, the candidate may be “shopped around” to several firms so bidding wars and delays become inevitable.

3. The focus will shift from quality to speed.

While we’re still on the subject, a non-exclusive recruiter’s focus generally shifts from submitting quality candidates to getting things done fast. Many will aim to get their candidates’ CVs registered first so they can lock it in, irrespective of whether their candidates are suitable. This results in more CVs for the hiring manager to review and undermines the value of the recruitment process itself, which is to screen the candidates first. In fact, some less scrupulous recruiters even send CVs without even having interviewed or spoken to the candidate – just so they can log their name first.

4. It’s bad for your reputation.

Using multiple recruiters can also be bad for an employer’s brand reputation. If candidates hear of the same job from multiple sources it reflects badly on the business, making them seem disorganised or, worse still, desperate and no one wants to work for an employer like that. In the current market, where there is a shift of bargaining power in favour of the good candidates, employers can shoot themselves in the foot and miss out on the top talent.

5. You’ll eat up a lot more time in admin.

There’s a lot of double handling involved when employers brief multiple recruiters for the same job vacancy. You are better investing time in one recruiter who understands your firm, the culture and what makes a successful candidate. Who needs more paperwork, which just adds time and costs? You will also invariably be dragged in to adjudicate over multiple recruiters claiming to represent the same candidate. This never ends well, with double invoices or, worse still, litigation. The easiest solution can be to pass over the candidate altogether and choose someone else.

The Key Point …

To use an analogy from the legal world, using multiple recruiters is the equivalent of going to five lawyers to draft a shareholders’ agreement and only paying the one you like first.

From NPAWorldwide by Veronica Scrimshaw

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

This can be applied to your role as a recruiter and also emulated to your clients and candidates.

1. The Law of Navigation – “Anyone can steer a ship but it takes a leader to chart the course”

Leaders see the whole trip in their minds before they leave the dock. They have a vision for getting to their destination, they understand what it will take to get there, they know who they’ll need on their team to be successful, and they recognize the obstacles long before they appear on the horizon.

2. The Law of Solid Ground – “Trust is the foundation of leadership”

How does a leader build trust? By consistently exemplifying competence, connection, and character.

3. The Law of Victory – “Leaders find a way for the team to win”

Victorious leaders have one thing in common: they share an unwillingness to accept defeat. The alternative to ‘winner’ is totally unacceptable to them. As a result, they figure out what must be done to achieve victory.

4. The Law of Priorities – ‘Leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment”

Leaders never advance to a point where they no longer need to prioritize. It’s something that good leaders keep doing no matter the task. Think of the 3 R’s: What is required?, What gives the greatest return?, What brings the greatest reward?

5. The Law of Timing – “When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go”

Good leaders recognize that when to lead is as important as what to do and where to go. Timing is often the difference between success and failure in an endeavor.

From NPA Worldwide, Veronica Scrimshaw:

In New England, a favorite summer activity for many is fishing. I saw some folks fishing off a local bridge last weekend and it got me thinking – recruitment is a lot like fishing (minus the cargo shorts and cold beer, maybe). You must first have the knowledge, insight and patience to understand exactly what your client is looking for in a perfect fish (candidate), and then find the right fishing spot and dangle the right bait (an attractive job order) to reel in that perfect person.

Job seekers are the fish, swimming around, looking for the best possible bait – a role with a great employer to provide them with money, security, training, leadership and opportunity. There are plenty of fish in the sea, but in regards to talent, you’re bound to have some bottom-feeders, as well as a few prized fish like tuna and salmon.

Like a fisherman trying to catch the right fish, if you are a recruiter, you are looking to reel in the perfect employee to provide your client with the skills, knowledge, and cultural fit they’re looking for. So you have to know where to go. Kind of like how fishermen anticipate migration routes, you have to stay upstream of market trends to stay afloat. Maybe you have to travel away from your regular fishing pond for some variety. If you haven’t gotten any bites and don’t have the right candidate in your database, maybe talk to some trading partners to see if they have a candidate who wants to relocate to your client’s area. Fish actively.

When you fish, you must make sure you have the right tools and bait to catch the kind of fish you want. Similarly, recruiters have to make sure they have the right “bait” to attract the kind of candidates they want, because others will likely be fishing in the same spot, too. When you post your jobs online, you can’t throw out a broad net, because you’ll only be scooping up the bottom-feeders; you need the right bait (a clear, concise and specific job posting) to attract those select healthy fish in the candidate pool. Choose the type of fish you want to catch before you choose your bait and tools, and tailor your job posting to that exact candidate.

Once you’ve found a suitable candidate and dangle the bait (their CV) in front of your client, keep a finger on the line so you know when there’s a bite. Just how most fish escape because the fishing line is taken slack, recruitment is no different – make sure to follow up and give feedback often. No one wants to harp on ‘the one that got away.’

While fishing is a leisure activity for many, it takes years of experience to become a great fisherman. If you know the best places to “fish,” have other “fishermen” to bounce new ideas off of, and the right tools, you’re well on your way to landing that big catch.

From NPAWorldwide, Veronica Scrimshaw

Whether you’re an employer with ongoing hiring needs or have a one-off role to fill, using a recruitment agency is definitely an option worth considering. There are many traits and characteristics to consider when you are evaluating recruitment agencies. If you’re unsure how to select a recruitment agency, here are some pointers worth evaluating:

Relational or Transactional

Broadly, a transactional recruiter will approach your needs as a transaction. A relational recruiter will take time to develop a thorough understanding of your business and culture, and will want to partner with you in a strategic manner for the long term. There is nothing wrong a transactional approach; for certain roles, it may even be desired. What’s most important is to think about how YOU want to work. If you have a transactional mindset and the recruiter has a relational approach, neither side is likely to be satisfied with the working arrangement. In general, however, I think recruiters are more successful when they develop those strong, deep client relationships. They’re more effective at finding good-fit candidates, and understanding your long-term goals can help them work with you on building your team in a strategic way.

Experience

How long has the agency been in business? What about the individual recruiters? What was their pre-recruitment background? Have they worked in your particular industry? It’s also good to know WHO you’ll be working with on your recruitment assignment – a tenured recruiter, or someone who is learning the ropes. Ideally, you’re looking for a firm with a proven track record of success, and that will most likely come from years of experience. Firms that have been in business for a number of years will generally have weathered some economic ups and downs and know how to survive in a slow market.

Specialist or Generalist

Recruitment firms come in all different styles. Some will be “generalist” firms across the board. Others will be made of individual specialists. Others may be micro-specialists, serving a niche-within-a-niche. There’s not necessarily a right or wrong answer to this question; a lot of it will depend on the business you’re in and the kind of hiring you need to do. If you’re a manufacturing facility and generally need the same sorts of engineers, operations professionals, plant managers, etc. on a consistent and ongoing basis, a generalist firm with manufacturing experience might be perfect for your needs. If you’re a law firm or a hospital, it’s probably best to look for a recruitment agency that focuses specifically on lawyers or nurses. In my experience, there aren’t a lot of “generalist” firms that are really equipped to effectively source those types of candidates. If you need a person with a very specific (and rare) skill set, and you already know there are not a lot of those professionals in existence, a micro-specialist is the way to go. These recruiters have deep networks and relationships; if they don’t already know who all the prime candidates are, they’re going to be able to tap their resources to find them.

Methodology

How does the recruitment agency work? What services are they providing? Be sure you understand exactly what you’re buying and how the process is going to work, including a timeline for presenting candidates and obtaining feedback from you. A successful, professional recruiter should be able to document (or at least thoroughly describe) the steps they will take to complete your search from initial discussion all the way to the candidate’s first day on the job (and maybe longer!).

And there is more but most importantly:

Hiring top talent is a major priority for successful, competitive businesses. Make sure you understand how to select a recruitment agency that will help you meet your hiring needs and goals both now and in the future.