Recruiter Chicks

We are at war with our processes and formality that slows down the recruiting process.  This is a tricky time in the economy when the scales are tipping to one side or the other based on the job, the specs and the industry in which they lie.  I know many of you are saying this is a constant.  Well, I beg to differ…right now finding key talent for opportunities is a fair game, however companies continue to move slowly and are overly process driven with each and every requisition.

I challenge you to make your process more efficient. Really!

Thankfully I work with great clients who know that our firm has the pulse firmly on the market and we provide a more consultative approach to search.  With that said, many companies are listening to and consulting with partners that work in their space daily to get an idea of how they should go to market for a challenging position. My question is, are the majority taking this approach?  Truthfully, most consult with their compensation analyst or provider on salary range or structure and that’s about it.

Herein lies the problem.  Off they go to market to recruit and the recruiter identifies a few candidates that fit the specs. Now the ball is in their court and the competition begins OR slows to a crawl.

How do we prepare our hiring managers for the competition when recruiting for a hard-to-fill position or one where you know they may need to move quickly when they see the ideal candidate?  I have outlined a seven point checklist that can help everyone involved.

1. Contact respected leaders in your space or your company to ask general questions about the market.  Share this information with the hiring manager.

2. Ask if they are prepared to go to the top of the salary range for a “ready now.”  And ask if there is any flexibility to go above the range if you presented someone very strong who is already at the top of the range.

3. Ask if they are open to an “almost ready” candidate with strong potential or if they must have a “ready now” candidate.

4. Outline the interview process and work with them ahead of time to identify inefficiencies and ways to better utilize everyone’s time.

6. Ask if they have anyone who is sharp on their team that could or would have an interest in moving into the role.

7. Ask if they are willing to rearrange their calendar if you identified someone who is top shelf and considering other roles.

The competition is not a game in this market!  I realize that every company has a process, however I believe that we can help speed things up a bit so we don’t lose a strong candidate to the competition solely because your process took too long or the hiring manager wants to see every single person on the market.

It’s all about working together for the overall success of the hiring manager, the candidate and the company.  It’s about winning!

Share