5 Tips for Corporate Recruiters to Earn Credibility with their Business Leaders

How including outside staffing agency partners can make you look like a Rock Star!

By Christine Blauvelt, PHR

As we discussed in Part 1 of this series, Agency and Corporate Recruiters CAN play nice in the Sandbox, having the right partner when you need outside help can greatly amplify your recruiting efforts. On the flip side, having a partner that doesn’t know your business or respect your hiring processes can create a lot of unnecessary tension.?

Here are 5 things that Corporate Recruiters can do to partner with the right type of Agency Recruiter.?

1. Cast aside ego:? There will come a time when working with an outside staffing agency will be necessary. Remember, at the end of the day, it’s about what’s best for the business. Having a recruiter in the hiring mix doesn’t have to feel like your space is being invaded! Spend time establishing a solid relationship early on with your hiring managers and set realistic expectations for when to engage an agency. This helps to minimize any friction or unexpected problems. Easier said than done, I know, but it is possible. I’ve been there!
2. Proactively vet several agencies and build trust: Building an infrastructure of trusted staffing agencies will allow you to be able to flex your hiring capacity or specialty to meet your company’s needs. Invite agencies you personally vet to get to know your company. By reaching out to them first, you can set the tone and process for the interactions moving forward. Also, it's okay if a hiring manager brings a new agency to the table. Just get ahead of it as soon as possible. Reach out to the agency, introduce yourself, and explain the ideal process you have already set up with other trusted recruiters. Believe me, the agency will appreciate this! With the goodwill you’ve built by providing multiple sourcing avenues for hiring, should an agency not “play nice,” the business will support you in terminating the relationship.
3. Embrace a consultative mindset: Recruiters on staff can become viewed internally as order-takers. Over time, this breeds complacency and results in a less fulfilling career. Ironically, how you approach receiving and filling each new role will determine the value of your role to the company. Once I became an agency recruiter without the security of a bi-weekly paycheck, I discovered the value of being a subject matter expert. You can take a page out of any successful agency recruiter’s playbook and adopt a consultative approach. Each time you share your expertise with a consultative mindset, you will increase the value you provide to your hiring managers and be seen in a more respected light.?
4. Maximize your time: The biggest complaint I used to hear from my corporate Talent Acquisition staff is that there isn’t enough time to source. With more and more incoming requisitions coming in, resumes to review, and candidates to screen, the truth that you cannot do everything yourself becomes more of a reality each day. Determining the best and highest use of your time can be challenging. Think about which requisitions require your personal attention and expertise. Which hiring managers get you feedback right away and are engaged in the process? These are the requisitions you spend the most time on. What requisitions are outside of your specialty or have been too time-consuming to fill? Quality agencies have specialists who can fill in the gaps and focus on the actions that will get those results quickly. You can delegate filling these positions to an agency and quickly get the results your company needs. You will have positioned yourself as a valuable hiring specialist with the network to attract quality talent to the company. Flexibility and adaptability are core competencies that are inherent within a successful recruiter.
5. Unleash the power of networking: It can be easy to get bogged down by the daily tasks and routines of filling positions so much that you miss valuable opportunities to attend networking functions and conferences. The trap is that you can become so stuck inside your corporate bubble that you miss the chance to visit other areas of the professional “playground” where you can build relationships. After all, referrals are the basis of a strong talent referral network! Always be on top of what is happening in the market and understand the tools and resources that can better support hiring in your business. You do this by networking, conducting research, and sharing best practices!

Your value as a corporate recruiter cannot be overstated. Insider knowledge of your company’s hiring profiles and culture is valuable. But, like any other valuable professional, as you help your company grow, there will be more demands on your time, and you can only do so much. That is when you can turn to your network of trusted agencies to help you continue to get the hiring results your company needs.?

Who knows, maybe you will end up working with one of those trusted agencies one day! This was true in my own story. I decided to join Kurtis Hine, Sr. with Spartan Capital Group because he was one of those trusted agency recruiters that I relied on during my time as a corporate recruiter. He has taught me so much about the next topic in our series, “How Agency Recruiters can be better Partners for Corporate Recruiters.” Stay tuned for that article to be released!

Whether you need a specialized resource to find great candidates for those hard-to-fill roles or you are interested in becoming a trusted agency recruiter, we are here to help.

Christine Blauvelt, PHR, is Director of Executive Search for Spartan Strategies, a division of Spartan Capital Group . She has shared her passion for recruiting and career coaching for nearly two decades while serving in ascending leadership and executive roles within corporate HR prior to joining Spartan Capital Group. With deep roots in Michigan and beyond, Christine has served as a?Board Member of Detroit Recruiter Connection, is an active Board Member of the Howell Nature Center, and an active member and former volunteer with Detroit SHRM.?Her extensive experience with executive level searches across a variety of industries, in addition to leading corporate Talent Acquisition initiatives for Global and Entrepreneurial organizations, are a valuable asset to serving Spartan Capital Group’s clients and candidates.