Those Wretched Recruiters!

I’ve been in this sector for more than 40 years and have seen so many come and go. And so many firms do the same. The new and shiny ones, headed by some business entrepreneur who has a new angle to how to find the best talent. New technology, new ways, new, new, new….

And often clients fall for the new and shiny. They seem fresh and exuberant, and make contact, bringing their charm offensive and industry or commercial experience to the fore. They call, they email, they have the best person for you, sometimes in spite of not really knowing your organisation, or have the real skill in recruitment. When times are a bit tough, every second call or email you get is from a wretched recruiter! (I exaggerate for effect here…). And if you’re running an advert, well…..

It sort of reminds me of those involved in the next biggest investment in your life (your career being number one), your home, and those in real estate. Many in the profession come and go, but the professional ones who know what they are doing, prevail, and seem to do well, through tough times and good times. They also need a qualification and be a registered agent. They emerge from the tough times (like now) still intact but there. When we choose a real estate agent, we usually do a bit of due diligence. Time doing it, the firm they are with, their reputation, how you feel around them, their knowledge of the area you are in, who they know etc. When we come to sell, we tend to go back to the person, assuming they are still in the game and still in the area. We trust them until proven otherwise. There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally most will identify with this.

But with recruiters, it’s different. There is not qualification required. Anyone can hang up a shingle on a door, or set up a desk at home now, and say “Here I am and I’m gunna find you top people!” Yet these people handle your biggest “investment”!

It’s often those who are last in contact or who make the most noise, and unless there is a formal contract, we tend to just follow our collective noses.

It’s incredibly important that when you use a recruiter, words like “wretched” don’t appear in your vocabulary afterward. There should be no negative aftermath.

Do your due diligence on the recruiter. Do you just accept the person the firm passes you on to? Do you ask questions as to what experience they have had finding people in your sector? Or at the level you’re recruiting? Dare I say it, would you ask for a reference? And I mean a real one! ?Do you get them to spell out the process in a form of proposal so you get a perspective of what they will be doing for their fee? Website blurb says nothing really – it’s usually written by them. But if someone has been doing it for many years – as in 10/20/30 plus years – you can assume they have some experience and capability!

Finding top people is often your most expensive commercial investment, and getting it wrong can be your most expensive “fail”. A poor decision at any level can end up being costly. Recent stats I read said that the immediate cost is anything between 30% and 150% of the first year’s salary, but it can also act as a catalyst for up to 80% turnover in the immediate area, and a nearly 40% decline in productivity. These are figures out of the US, but probably relevant to NZ or anywhere else actually.

Whilst these figures can be a bit general, fact is that a bad hire is expensive and can have disastrous ramifications in your organisation, way beyond the actual role. I haven’t included things like lost opportunity or lost customers because they are hard to measure, but you get my point.

So next time you recruit, choose wisely, check out those who have been around for a while, and make sure you use someone who understands and knows how important your next hire is.