Full Cycle Recruiting - Qualifying Good Clients by Kimberly Schenk

Headhunters (or executive recruiters) are trained to complete all facets of a search. For recruiters transitioning from corporate recruiting over to full cycle recruiting obtaining new business can be a stumbling block. Getting new clients or solo searches is not difficult once one knows the basics. Keep these 3 tips in mind as you enter conversations with potential clients.

1. Be selective

The real challenge when finding new business is to make sure the client meets your parameters of what a healthy working relationship entails. It’s important to define what you require and prefer to see in a client. When a job order conversation clearly reveals information that is incongruous with your values and definitions you can kindly reject the assignment. Not all companies are worthy of your time and expertise.

2. Qualify clients

Qualify clients the same way great recruiters qualify candidates and your hiring ratio will steadily increase. It’s easy to find companies with hard-to-fill vacancies. The trick is to find out about their internal decision-making process and management style. If you wouldn’t work for a company how can you place a candidate with them in good conscience?

There are no perfect companies and no perfect employees. Good matches are always a matter of degree. Don’t confuse a client willing to pay your fee with desirable business. Getting agreement on your fee is only one small hurdle. If someone offered you $25k to rob a bank hopefully it would be a no-brainer to turn the deal down. A rational professional would not risk going to prison for a paltry few bucks.

3. Reject sub-par client companies

Don’t feel guilty about backing away from unethical or dysfunctional clients. When a recruiter accepts such an assignment the result is a half-hearted effort or no effort to find such a client candidates. Recruiting requires systematic strategy and intelligent, consistent calling. It’s work! When we accept search assignments from clients we like and respect it’s easy to feel motivated and passionate about the work we perform on behalf of those clients.

As contingency fee recruiters we become our clients’ allies. We route for their success and share their excitement about accomplishing their goals. We become trusted advisors in many cases and establish long lasting, genuine relationships with hiring managers. While we may work behind the scenes headhunters often become an integral part of the hiring team.

Netflix created a no-sound video, which has reportedly accumulated 5 million views. They’ve defined a rare outlook and corporate management philosophy. What’s heartening to see is their ability to skirt meaningless platitudes and articulate both their values and how they implement those strategies. In my experience few companies have the capacity for this kind of clarity. While recruiters cannot expect most clients, even good clients to match this level of definition, the video provides a framework for which a recruiter can create  questions of potential hiring managers.

When we interview candidates we gain a sixth sense of where to dig deeper into a candidate’s background. Headhunters are not fooled by generalizations and quickly see discrepancies between answers to similar questions. Take time to understand what potential clients will be like to work with and what the environment has in store for new hires.

The secret to increasing your personal sense of job satisfaction and reducing stress in your full cycle recruiting efforts is to work with companies and hiring managers you respect and like. Choose to work for clients who respect and value the service you provide. Maintain high standards and your self-respect will remain in tact. You’ll make more placements, more money, and control your career.

Sourcing Candidates: Email or Calling Direct? by Kimberly Schenk

Full cycle recruiters who work on commission quickly become experts at cultivating new searches and finding great candidates. The fastest way to qualify an ideal match for a search is by cold calling passive candidates. Social media sites are helpful for building lists of contacts however direct conversations close deals. 

Recruiting requires good to great communication skills. 

The ability to ask intelligent questions during each phase of the process is central to success. When a candidate does not meet the parameters of the search, switch gears and ask for referrals. People are willing to help and supply names. The best referrals come with phone numbers and a little background. Learn how to ask for contacts and keep asking.

Headhunters are organized. They categorize candidates by skill sets, location, years of experience, etc. Friendly business-to-business relationships are not the same as friendships but they are authentic none-the-less. Recruiters build strong networks quickly by connecting via the phone!

For every 50 recruiters relying on LinkedIn or online resume pools, there’s only one headhunter directly calling candidates. Five minutes in conversation can change the course of your day. Direct calls lead to qualified candidates. A well designed phone call leaves a lasting positive impression that’s personal.

Most happily employed candidates don’t float their resume online. 

While many receive frequent contacts from recruiters, the best recruiters distinguish themselves with sophisticated techniques and engaging questions. Top recruiters establish some trust and rapport within minutes. It takes less than ten minutes to determine if a candidate is warrants an in-depth interview.

Great recruiters spend their day rejecting multiple candidates who don’t specifically match the hiring criteria that’s needed immediately. Many of those candidates may be outstanding and there will come a time to reconnect with them for a position that meets their career and emotional needs.

Mass emails are a turn off. It’s easy for candidates to ignore or delete these messages. No one likes to feel they’re part of some giant herd. Calling can be tedious. The biggest challenge is reaching candidates who send their calls to voice mail. Take heart! Keep dialing and believe you’ll connect to the right candidate.

If a candidate’s not willing to have a five minute conversation or able to offer proof of performance, move on. Skip emails until they’re meaningful. Serious recruiters don’t allow frivolous distractions. The truth is great recruiters can track down a great candidate within 13 – 18 conversations in one or two days.

Is recruiting easy? No, it’s not, until one develops basic skill sets. 
When one understands the process they’ll persevere because experience proves success is certain. We are detectives, hunters, problem solvers, psychologists, decoders, and confidants. Recruiting is challenging and far to many good recruiters give up and leave the industry too soon. Far too often new recruiters find themselves in a no-win situation with unethical organizations. Training can cure ignorance.

If a headhunter seriously wants to earn 15k - 80k a month they’ll pick up the phone. I have a friend who owns physical therapy clinics. He receives up to 20 emails a week from recruiters. He deletes them. About every three months he gets a call from a recruiter and takes a few minutes to talk. When one calls they get answers and spend less time wondering if a candidate has potential.

Cultivate your phone sales skills, phone presence, and format for contacting passive candidates. Call passive candidates directly for two weeks and see for yourself how advantageous this single skill proves to be for your recruiting career! Social media is a tool. Direct contacts create placements.

Note: If you're new to the profession please get yourself relevant recruiter training. Your career will soar and you'll be happier in your job.