Evaluating Prospective Recruitment Clients

If you haven’t read the latest post from Greg Savage, it’s worth your time. In a nutshell, he posits that candidates are both scarce *and* have wildly different priorities than they did pre-pandemic. And that big companies, which have been fertile ground for third-party recruiters, are perhaps not the best recruitment clients that they may have been previously.

He points out a few obvious reasons for this: big, shiny office complexes aren’t seen as a benefit right now as many candidates are seeking remote roles or other flexibility in when/how they work. Another huge reason is the cumbersome hiring process that so many large organizations embrace.  Third-party recruiters may, in fact, actually see more successful hiring with smaller clients. At NPAworldwide, we have been of a mindset for several years (even pre-pandemic) that the best opportunities for third-party recruiters are within small-to-medium sized employers.

Small-to-medium recruitment clients are less likely to have an in-house recruiting department. They typically have fewer layers of bureaucracy, so you might find it easier to work directly with the hiring manager. Or to get offers more quickly. You may be able to develop a long-term, strategic relationship with the owner/founder, allowing you to serve in a trusted advisor capacity.

Smaller recruitment clients may be able to adapt and make changes more quickly as well. Recently, friends and acquaintances at large organizations have had the least flexibility in terms of working remotely or adjusting their schedules. Others have unusual barriers to technology due to the security protocols and issues that can arise in a large corporate environment.

If you’re currently working with large clients and having success in the model, terrific! If you’re not seeing the same levels of success as you have previously, or you’d like to diversify your client list, consider prospecting at small-to-medium sized companies. After all, a client with a great track record of hiring and retaining the workers is attractive to everyone.