In our last blog we discussed being “All things to all people”, where it pertained to Human Resources and how a Recruiting Agency can fit into that relationship (you can reference that post here). But once the decision is made to go the Agency route…what does that look like for the client and candidate? Let’s pull back the covers and take a peak.
You, the Client: “I understand” The only answer your recruiter should respond with when you’re sharing the details of the role you’re struggling to fill. To truly understand what your business requires is a massive component of what we do for a living and ensures we’re doing what we’re being engaged to do.
It guides us as we buckle down, as we do the homework, as we research, connect, reach out and as we converse with those ideal candidates that the next step in their career ladder has them landing on your doorstep. To understand your business, your culture, your goals and your focus isn’t easy, but it’s what we aim to do in 100% of our client to recruiter interactions.
This isn’t to say that it’s always cut and dry. Often there are times when your recruiter will need to correct course and adjust their search parameters, and that may mean looking farther afield or towards alternate industries.
In fact, your recruiter may spend a lot of time digging down into a candidates experience for those skills that are transferable, because your next shining star may not come from the same industry you’re in. He or she may come from something else entirely, but being able to identify those transferable skills and being open to that possibility will get you out of the shallow end of your talent pool.
You, the Candidate: “This is a safe place” It’s my opening statement when sitting across the desk from any Candidate. It’s important for you to know that, if I’m your recruiter I’m in your corner. However, while I am on your team right to the bitter end, it’s NOT at the expense of the client. You see, juggling the relationship between client and candidate is tricky and what makes running a 360-desk challenging and exciting. The best of us do it effortlessly, or at least they make it look that way. I’m man enough to admit that while I strive for that balance…there are times when I could be better.
My problem, you see, is that I care. I really do. I care about doing right by my candidate and putting him or her in the best possible position to move forward with a potential opportunity. But I also care about my client.
In fact, when I recruit for a client, I’m all in. I buy into the message they’re trying to convey, the mission of the company and the passion and culture of the people who drive the business. I, in my mind at least, become part of the team and buy into them whole heartedly. I understand.
So how does this impact you as a client or candidate? Well, it’s kind of like being a duck, which is to say…it shouldn’t. On the surface it’s all calm water and a stoic bird while under the surface those webbed feet are moving a hundred miles an hour. That being said, a recruiter/client or recruiter/candidate relationship requires a level of trust.
Trust that the information you’ve provided is accurate and honest and that you understand that I will work in your best interest regardless of whether you’re a hiring manager or candidate.
If I’ve done my job correctly, the candidate has been sourced against the requirements of a detailed job description and business/cultural assessment. So to get the best out of your recruiter relationship is to remember one most important thing. Honesty is everything.
As a client, be honest in the requirements of the role. What you want in real life versus what you want on paper can sometimes come to loggerheads. If it’s a challenging role with high turn-over and potential for burn-out, it’s best to share that with your recruiter. Let us interview against it. Let us find that dedicated workaholic who takes pride in their work. It’s what we’re paid to do after-all.
On the other end of that same spectrum, as a candidate, honesty in your application is of utmost importance. We get it, you’re amazing and being prideful is ok, but not at the cost of the truth. It’s going to take all of 5 seconds for a skilled recruiter to identify that you’ve bounced around or had some career transitions that don’t make sense. If it was because you decided to take a risk and it backfired, that’s ok. If it’s because you had challenges with a previous employer, that’s ok too. There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t have a spot on their resume that makes their eye twitch when they think about it.
Where does that leave us: Your recruiter is your partner. If you’ve engaged them, you’ll need to trust them. If you don’t trust them, either don’t engage them or let them prove you wrong. As a recruiter, we need to trust that you will:
• Candidate: Represent yourself and our firm well.
• Client: Represent your company and our firm well.
And that’s it in a nutshell. If this was a campfire drummers circle, we’d each be beating the other persons drum and ultimately, this is what your recruiter is to you.
Written by Geoff Simpson, Business Development / Recruiting Consultant – Northern BC
