The recruiting world to some is a “dog eat dog” or “every man for himself” arena. But another recruiter who works the same niche as you, or works in the same geographic area as you, should be seen as a valuable asset – someone who you can glean insight from, bounce ideas off of, and talk through obstacles with. This is one of the biggest perks of joining a split placement network, but is often overlooked as many see the main goal of joining would be to add income to your bottom line through split placements.
It’s not uncommon to have members of a split placement network who don’t actually do splits, but choose to stay in the network for the camaraderie / relationships and knowledge they get in return.
In fact, two longtime NPA members have been friends for 20 years, but have never made a split together. But their trading partnership is still valuable because they talk to each other constantly about business, ideas, and NPA.
“It could be needing an opinion, learning how they do something, or finding out about a new technology they’re using. Being able to pick up the phone and call someone, whether they’re in the next state or country… Everyone has different information they can share, and that is very valuable. Especially if you’re a solo recruiter or in a small office,” one of the recruiters said.
To this end, NPAworldwide offers its members a peer coach program. In this program, a new member is paired up with a successful member, who offers guidance/support during their on-boarding period, explains how they found success in the network, and helps answer questions (like: How do I plan to integrate NPA with my current workflow/day? or, How will my staff make use of it?).
One of the things NPA members find most valuable is attending the annual global conference, where meeting your trading partners face-to-face can solidify existing relationships, and start new relationships. In addition, they learn from speakers who are leaders in the recruitment industry, as well as from their peers during round-table discussions and breakouts. Similarly, on monthly NPA practice group calls (which are held for various practice groups and regional areas), participants will often discuss topics like industry trends and recruiting tools they find useful, or even asking for advice about candidates who ‘ghost’, or clients who have a slow hiring process.
Another tool that NPA members use to leverage the expertise of their peers is NPA’s forums, which members use to ask questions about technology and tools that people are using (from video interviewing to ATS systems to sourcing tools), or how they handle candidate visa situations, or requesting others’ contracts/fee agreements for examples), etc.
Yes, a recruiter working in the same niche or geographic area may be initially seen as a ‘competitor,’ but they don’t have to be. Working together to leverage your industry knowledge may end up in a great business relationship… and who knows, maybe even a split or two!
In today’s world, business keeps moving faster and faster. Staying current with technology is a challenge in and of itself. So, who has time to analyze the past?