Hiring a new executive is not something businesses take lightly, nor should it be. Hiring the most qualified candidate available can be integral to the future success of the company. For this reason, most companies hire recruiting agencies, often referred to as headhunters, to conduct the search for them.
Recruiters and headhunters are professionals who have the expertise and experience required to find and match the right candidates to available positions. While there may be several qualified and experienced candidates, the recruiters go a step further to identify which of them is most suitable to work in the specific position in the company.
Working with a Recruiting Agency
In most cases, companies seek out the services of professional recruiters after having attempted to recruit on their own through in-house interviews. Once they commit to using the services of a recruiting agency, they either engage them on contractual basis to fill a particular position or put them on retainer to recruit various candidates as positions fall vacant within the organization.
The recruiting firms that are hired on a contractual basis will only earn a commission after successfully completing the recruitment and the executive has started working at the client company. On the other hand, those on retainer will earn a base amount whether they successfully recruit or not. In some cases, headhunters under retainer may earn a bonus upon the successful recruitment of an executive.
Not all those professing to be recruiters or headhunters are competent and capable of delivering the top talent companies are looking to hire. There are a number of hacks in the business that fail to deliver on their promises. Issues with headhunters who fail to deliver were the inspiration that led to the development of the following important considerations.
1. Get to know everyone involved in the recruitment process
In most cases, the recruiting committee and HR heads will meet with a representative of the recruitment company and only work with this single contact throughout the process. This approach will leave the client completely clueless as to the competence and suitability of the rest of the team involved in the recruiting process. Some organizations have developed a team delivery strategy that involves the participation of a number of highly qualified and experienced consultants in every project.
2. Ask the Hard Questions
All recruiters should be in a position to explain how their recruiting will make a real difference for your business. Ask for particulars, details and any other specific information that will help you gain a better understanding of how the recruiter will help you find the best executive for the job.
3. Look into their approach on compensation and relocating
A professional recruitment agency will ensure that all the candidates suggested to you for hiring are within your compensation range, and are also willing to accept relocation, as may be required. Without looking into these two areas, you will be continuously disappointed as you lose good candidates over these particulars. Expert headhunters will cover all these bases and deliver a suitable executive.
About The Author:
Pierce Boylin is an author and blogger from Winnipeg, Canada. He often contributes content to business blogs related to human resources, career management and recruitment. To learn more about executive search and headhunting visit People First HR Services.
