Once you strike out on your own, your relationships with recruiters change. When you were looking for a full-time job, they represented
a way to get your foot in the door at a company. As an entrepreneur, their roles shift slightly. They still help you get a foot in the door, but now they also bring the ability to provide new projects. The one thing that continually frustrates me about recruiters is how little they seem to know about what you actually do. So if you are considering a recruiter to fill a project or temporary position here are a few things to consider…
Seek out a recruiter who specializes in your field
There are a lot of firms who tout specialization, but what I am alluding to is the requirement that the recruiter themselves actually have
experience working in the field. As it is recruiters receive the bare minimum in terms of information about the position and to be sure that they understand what you are looking for, it makes sense that the person looking for your team member knows exactly what you need. A specialized recruiter will effortlessly weed out inexperienced candidates and will be able to read a resume as opposed to skimming it for keywords.
Give a the recruiter the tools to fill your position
Now I know in some fields, especially here in the D.C. area, there are limits to what you tell. But you can give an accurate job description
and scope of responsibility without giving away any national secrets. Without doing this, you are essentially asking your recruiter to perform miracles and you’re substantially decreasing your retention rate. Help your recruiter help you; most seasoned professionals are going to want to know the scope of their responsibility and what’s involved in the position.
Give candidate feedback
This responsibility falls solely on you and by giving your recruiter feedback on why the presented candidates were not suitable, you become able to convey clearly what you want in a candidate. Providing feedback also gives the recruiter the information they need to select appropriate candidates and give unsuccessful candidates some information on how they can improve or strengthen themselves professionally. I know that everyone is busy but by creating a standard of feedback, you are establishing a quality standard in your organization. You are saying this is how we define a quality candidate and it ends up creating a quality first atmosphere in your organization and with your vendors. It’s a win-win situation.
Recruiters are an amazing tool for small businesses, but they are just a tool. That means that you have to learn how to make them work
for you and to do that you need to make sure that you are providing them with everything they need to succeed.
