Recruiting can be emotional, illogical, frustrating, exhausting and, at the same time, wonderful and fulfilling – sound familiar? Like any relationship, working with a recruiting partner takes work, but too often it’s without the wonderful and fulfilling parts.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is in the air, or at least, in the aisles of your local drug store, supermarket and flower shop. It may make you think about your relationships, but why stop with the personal ones – how about your relationship with your partners at work?
OK – full disclaimer here. I’m not talking about dating your agency recruiter. That’s up to you and your human resources department. But I would like to ask the question: “Do you really “love” what your recruiting partner is doing for your business?”
How to Fall In Love with Your Agency Recruiter
My guess is that very few companies would say “yes” to that. It’s usually a complex relationship with more than just two people involved. So, there are going to be challenges. However, there are some things you can do to help keep the relationship fresh (or at least stay out of the dog house).
Communication is Key
I’m not saying you have to bring flowers here. But recruiting takes a lot of communication. Good job descriptions, maybe a phone call instead of an email, or feedback when things go wrong (or right), can go a long way toward keeping things smooth.
Have a Contingency Plan
This is about setting expectations. Having a clear contract with all of the things your recruiting partner is responsible for and the terms of the relationship is a great start. You should also agree on service levels, metrics and reporting, so that you can both know where you stand at all times.
Each Day Won't be Perfect
We’ve all had bad days and bad dates. But one bad recruit or upset hiring manager doesn’t mean that it’s time to get out of the relationship. Sometimes it’s just that – a bad day. Keep the focus on the overall value and don’t let a bump here or there spoil an otherwise good relationship.
Show Your Gratitude Often
Again, this not about flowers or presents. It’s about supporting your recruiting initiatives at all levels – especially the executive level. The number one reason recruiting marriages fail is because of lack of executive support. If your staff doesn’t see it and feel it, they won’t show any love either.
Know When to Back Down
In relationships, everyone at some point says, “It’s not you, it’s me.” But in business almost no one says that. Recruiting is a two way street, just like love. There are times when you are not letting your business partners be all they can be. It’s a trust thing. I get it. But sometimes you need to just get out of the way and let your recruiting partner take control. If you have some of the things above in place, then things will be OK. Really. Trust me.
Ultimately, recruiting takes work, whether you outsource it to a recruiting partner or try to do it yourself. People, processes and technology are involved, but the biggest part of that equation is people. When you do work with a recruiting partner, just make sure you are ready to be a good partner. It could be the difference between “love” and just “like.”
This blog was written by Matt Rivera. Matt serves as Vice President, Marketing and Communications and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Yoh’s marketing and brand communications. Matt holds a degree in Journalism/Public Relations and has been working in the staffing industry for more than 25 years. Prior to this role, Matt held many different roles from branch recruiting and proposal writing to technology management and online marketing.