The chemical process industry (oil/gas/refinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, foods, pulp & paper) is hot, hot, hot in NPA. Split placements in this area are up 50% over the same period last year. And still, our chemical process recruiters are leaving business on the table because they can’t find enough qualified candidates. Whether you recruit in the chemical process industry or some other sector, you probably have “leftover” candidates – the ones your client did NOT hire. What recruiting ideas do you employ after the job is filled?
The easy answer is to leave them in your database until a future opportunity arises. Another option is to pitch one of these great candidates to a prospective client as a way to solicit new business. In today’s market, great candidates have a very short shelf-life. Both of these options decrease the likelihood that you’ll be able to quickly turn these assets into revenue for your recruiting business.
Another recruiting idea to consider: use those leftover candidates on a split placement basis with other recruiters. Contact other recruiters you know who work in the same specialty to see if THEY have a current need for your hot process engineer. If you’re not part of a formal recruiting network, make sure you have a signed split fee agreement in place with your recruiting partner (click here for a free template). If you don’t already have some split placement partners, you can certainly look for a group on LinkedIn; lately, I have been seeing lots of posts from independent recruiters looking for split opportunities. Or, you can seek out a formal (or quasi-formal) split placement network. There are relationship-based networks like NPA as well as transactional networks; pick one that matches your business style.
Reports we are reading and seeing indicate that hiring demand is strong in many sectors, although actual hiring may be slower than expected due in part to the extreme shortage of top-level talent. As an independent recruiter, you likely have plenty of great recruiting ideas to ensure satisfied clients and robust business. Split placements should be considered a strategic part of your business mix.
