Ask A Recruiter: Take Advantage of Your Recruiter

Often we find that employers aren’t leveraging their recruiter relationships to their full potential.

In today’s Ask A Recruiter, we asked Monica Lewicki, our Sales Recruitment Consultant in Edmonton, to answer that silent question that hiring managers don’t ask often enough “How do I make the most of my recruiter?” –  

When you have an appointment with your accountant or tax advisor what are some of the questions you ask? Do you consult with them on big purchases or sourcing activities? Or how about your financial advisor? Do you routinely meet with them to discuss your long term plan? How about discussing new investments to help you reach your goals? Better yet, does your financial advisor even know what your goals are?

If the answer is “yes” to these questions, can you answer yes to the same questions but in relation to your recruiter?

Why is this important?

  1. Recruiters meet with both candidates and clients on a daily basis. While you may only interview a couple of times a year, we screen and search for talent every day of the year!
  2. We understand trends into what candidates are looking for and what motivates them to make a move.
  3. We provide insights into how to attract top talent. How does your offering compare to the rest of the marketplace? For example, we can consult with a client and let them know that many clients in Alberta are moving to more vacation, with several starting at 4 weeks.
  4. As a recruiter, if I don’t understand what your goals are on various levels, how am I going to bring any value to you? You can find resumes anywhere.
  5. We’ve seen it all. Just ask us! We’ve seen great candidates, weak candidates, we’ve had candidates lie to us, we partner with great clients, we’ve interacted (albeit very briefly) with unethical clients. We’ve seen the recruitment process go smoothly, and seen it go south in a hurry. When dealing with people almost anything can happen, your recruiter has probably seen it all and can advise you in unexpected situations.
  6. Many recruitment firms are contingency based. Meaning you don’t pay anything unless someone is hired. There’s no risk to you in getting some advice.
  7. You are about to partner with this recruiter, you absolutely MUST ensure that you feel comfortable with them representing your brand. It must be a good fit both ways!

Happy Hunting!