In Recruiting, Reputation is Everything

by Liz Carey

In a recruitment network, reputation is everything.  It’s important to build relationships and put in the work that your trading partner expects.  If you fling resumes at partners hoping that one sticks, or if you send a candidate for a partner’s job that is completely off-track, or if you send a partner a candidate that you’ve never had a conversation with… chances are you are going to get a bad reputation. And bad reputations stick.  There can be hundreds of trading partners to choose from and work with, so if you want someone to work with you, make sure you are only sending on-target candidates that you have a relationship with. Make sure you present them in a way that you contribute a ‘value add’, not just a LinkedIn profile link or resume.

Here’s some tips on how to submit candidates to a trading partner and build a good relationship in a recruitment network.

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Working with Other Independent Recruiters to Improve Results

by Veronica Blatt

Today’s post is courtesy of guest blogger Kimberley Chesney. Kimberley is the owner of Prime Management Group in Canada, with offices in London and Kitchener (Ontario) and Victoria (British Columbia). Kimberley is a long-time volunteer for NPA, currently serving as Chair of the NPA Board of Directors.

Working as independent recruiters can be difficult.  We want to produce excellent results for our clients without the normal resources of large, international firms.  We know, all too well, that our individual reputation depends on the results we can achieve for our clients.  With the advent of social media, we are constantly challenged in differentiating ourselves from our competition.

How are we able to deliver excellent results and earn a respectable fee?

Understanding the complex needs of our clients is key to producing the outcomes that they are expecting from us.  Taking the time to meet with our clients (either face-to-face or online) will be essential if we truly want to put ourselves in their shoes.

Working through the process of recruiting, rather than seeing it as a transaction, is very important.  Aligning ourselves with other independent recruiters who value the personal nature of our role can be extremely helpful. It is essential to use every tool available in order to produce the results we are expected to deliver.

Often, we focus entirely on the “client” part of the placement and virtually ignore the needs of the candidates we are presenting.  If we would only stop and remember that we are in the “people” business and that both parties have special needs of their own.  Learning what your candidates are looking for as a package is much more than hearing about their salary expectations.  Often there are many other factors which affect the candidate’s desire and ability to say “yes” to an offer and yet we don’t take the time to really learn what is important to them.

If we are fortunate to have other independent recruiters as partners who want to assist us, we can better navigate through this complex business relationship.  If they have an existing relationship with the client or candidate, it increases the odds that you will be able to close the placement.  They may have some information concerning the client or candidate which provides the basis on which you can close the placement.  Imagine the power of knowledge gained in working in a cooperative placement process where your partner helps you with the entire recruitment journey!  Imagine if they have access to excellent candidates who provide exactly what your client is looking for.  You would be more than happy to share the fee and ensure you are serving your clients so they come back to you over and over again.

Being an independent recruiter can have its advantages, but networking with other recruiters who are like minded provides for excellent scope and results and keeps not only your clients happy, but your pocketbook too!

Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


How a Recruiter Networking Group Can Help You Change Your Specialty

by Veronica Blatt

Have you ever thought about changing your specialty? Or adding a new desk to your existing business? It seems like shifting to a new specialty should be fairly straightforward, but it’s often harder than it seems. Here are three ways a recruiter networking group can help you make the transition:

Peer coaching and industry knowledge. A recruiter networking group consists of trading partners who are already experts in your new field. They will likely be willing to share information and ideas about how to make the transition into a new specialty. This valuable insight can save countless hours, and money, so that you can quickly start making more placements.

Provide candidates and/or positions during the transition. A recruiter networking group consists of trading partners that you can make split placements with. If they have open job orders, you can source candidates in the new specialty. If you have access to candidates in a desired specialty, seek out trading partners with suitable job openings. Split placements can be an extremely effective way to build a new specialty.

Reduce overhead associated with change or expansion. It can be expensive to add a new specialty, or to change your existing business focus. Not only do you have to factor in your valuable time, you may need to purchase new resources, tools, lists, etc. A recruiter networking group can help offset some of those expenses by carrying them for you. You don’t have to pay your trading partner unless you make a split placement. You’re not paying for your partner’s benefits. You don’t have to purchase equipment or invest in training. It’s a “pay-as-you-go” situation that has no, or limited, ongoing fixed costs.

If you’re seriously considering a new recruiting specialty, and you’re NOT part of a recruiter networking group, you may wish to consider joining one. Your existing informal networks are probably made up of recruiters, job seekers, and clients based on your existing specialty. It takes time to cultivate new contacts, and it will be harder to start something new until those contacts are established. Joining a formal recruiter networking group can be a wise decision that will allow you to shift into a new market area more quickly and cost-effectively.


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