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What is the Difference Between Corporate and Independent Recruiters?

by Veronica Blatt

Depending on whom you talk to and their experience as corporate or independent recruiters, you will probably get a different answer to this question. The truth is there are tons of differences between the corporate and independent recruiting world. Below are some of the key differences that set these two professions farther apart than you might think.

Independent recruiters must build relationships with both clients and candidates in order to maintain their business. Their livelihood (and paycheck) depend upon their ability to market and sell themselves and their firm. On the flip-side, corporate recruiters have a steady paycheck from week to week and are assigned positions they must fill. They don’t typically have to develop new business accounts. Corporate recruiters may be more specialized since they only have to know about ONE company’s culture, products, or services. Third-party recruiters are more likely to have broad knowledge of companies, industries, and product lines as well as the functional roles for which they recruit talent.

Sourcing for independent recruiters and corporate recruiters can be quite different. Independent recruiters use selling techniques to connect with passive candidates who are not interested in leaving their current position. The independent recruiter must gain the trust of the candidate through a cold-call and a carefully tailored sales message. For the most part, corporate recruiters don’t use cold calling skills to recruit passive candidates. They may hire an independent recruiter to work for them, or use job boards and post advertisements to find candidates.

Independent recruiters need to be business savvy as for the most part, they will end up running their own business one day. The skills needed to run their own desk as well as manage other recruiters and the back-end of a business may be equally, if not more important than the skills required to successfully place candidates. Corporate recruiters may do much more than recruit. If they are functioning in an HR role, they may also be responsible for insurance, benefits, company policies, disputes and complaints, etc.

Having an independent recruiter or corporate recruiter skill set doesn’t make you any more or less successful. However, it’s important to note that there are definite differences between the two.

What are your thoughts about the differences between independent recruiters and corporate recruiters? Does a corporate background provide recruiters with the experience necessary to be successful in independent recruiting?

Posted in: Recruiting Resources

4 Replies to “What is the Difference Between Corporate and Independent Recruiters?”

  • Ron Levis says:
    17-July-2012 at 4:15 PM

    So many differences …
    I worked “in-house” for 15 years before returning to the independent world and starting my own agency.

    Corporate recruiters don’t get to choose their clients.

    Corporate recruiters typically are required to achieve an approval to open a requisition and then get justification again to extend an offer. With some firms this is simple while at others this is an exhaustive process producing heaps of documentation and e-mail trail with detailed justifications for why this candidate, this pay rate, EEOC considerations, etc.

    Corporate recruiters typically need to have thorough understanding of employment law and will often be required to guide or even instruct hiring managers as an SME on the subject.

    Corporate recruiters get the benefit of meeting directly and frequently with the hiring manager to determine actual requirements.

    Independent recruiters get to choose their clients.

    Since we’re not writing justifications or attending meetings or working on 40+ jobs at one time, we have a lot more time to dig for talent, deeper than corporate recruiters. We have time to network, cold call, scan and review resumes from many more resources, troll LinkedIn and market to prospects, and reach out to affiliates to get help finding the perfect candidate.

    As an agency recruiter, I’ve discovered my 10 years in-house at Raytheon has provided an excellent bridge, common ground, to corporate recruiters. They typically really appreciate that I understand what they need to get done in their very full day.

  • Annie Franz says:
    17-July-2012 at 4:22 PM

    Excellence information, Ron! Thanks for your insight.

  • Rick Corey says:
    17-July-2012 at 6:38 PM

    I’ve worked on both sides of the fence. When I was in corporate recruiting, I came to realize there were major differences in the independent recruiters… some were like a partner, working with me and understanding our needs/culture. Others were just pushing candidates without any understanding of what we needed. When I became an Independent Recruiter, I knew which model I wanted to follow, and my clients and affiliates respect me for it.

  • Ravi Revuri says:
    19-March-2013 at 12:02 PM

    Excellent information Ron!! Thanks for the inputs.

Comments are closed.

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