Are Recruiters Like Used Car Salespeople?

3/21/2022
Suzanne

 

We like to talk about difficult subjects; we’re known for it. Our series of TOUCHY SUBJECTS is intended to be informative and truth telling. We’re your ear to the ground and information is key to continued success.    

 

FIRST UP: ARE RECRUITERS LIKE USED CAR SALESPEOPLE?

 

We are not out to offend used car salespeople; they have their place in the working world. However, we know that Recruiters have been identified as using similar tactics, hence the touchy subject.  

Contingency Recruiters vs. Retained Recruiters

 
  • Contingency Recruiters will most likely take on any and all “recruiting contracts” because they need a boat load hoping they’ll fill a few and get paid. Contingency Recruiters ONLY get paid a fee when a candidate is placed.  The word YES is standard lingo, and OF COURSE their firm can assist with recruiting! This type of Recruiter will attempt to convince a company that they can and will fill a role even though they’re not quite sure themselves. My friends, this cannot possibly be good for the candidate or the employer. Contingency Recruiters will attempt to sell the candidate on how great the job is (even leaving out pertinent information) and will attempt to sell the employer on how awesome their candidate is.

 

This formula can work; however, it can also fail miserably. A good Recruiter should have experience within the industry, integrity, and transparency. Keep in mind they’re working for FREE until they land a placement.  Who wants to work months for free and potentially never, ever, get paid? To make a living, these types of Recruiters often become salespeople vs. an extension of your hiring team. 

 

  • Retained Recruiters, or those requiring a deposit are really asking for skin in the game. Generally, Recruiters using this model only take on a certain number of contracts and can have a waitlist until they have the band width to take on more. Think about it, with a retainer or deposit in place, the Recruiter is viewed as an extension of your team and will work extremely hard to fill the role with the perfect rock star.  They’ll be vested, do deep dives, and be more committed to the company KNOWING they will get paid for all their hard work. 

 

NOTE: The upfront fee is (or should be) deducted from the final fee up on placement. 

 

Ok, not to blame it ALL on the Recruiter – companies that are hiring are at fault too. At times, an employer will reach out to a Recruiter and have them work on filling a position just to see who’s out there. We’ve seen it go as far as bringing candidates in for interview after interview and always finding something wrong with the candidate. Worse, they never had intentions of hiring but will ask potential candidates for information and ideas on how they would attack the role – and then implement their ideas. All. For. Free. UGH.

 

Finally, let’s chat about the guarantee. No one can, nor should, guarantee a candidate for a long period of time. The role of a good Recruiter is to have both the candidate and employer’s back. Your Recruiter should be proud to represent your brand, source qualified candidates, reference check, and present the most qualified candidates for the interview process. Once a decision to hire has been made, it’s ultimately up to the employer to keep the candidate from turning over. Unforeseen circumstances can occur, but, in over 25 years of recruiting, we’ve only had to activate our guarantee once -  due to a diagnosis of cancer one month after employment started. Shit happens, but it should be extremely rare.

 

  • Not all Recruiters are bad apples. Do your homework and find non-contingency firms that have expertise in the industry. We, at HireHorticulture, are firm believers in beautiful, long-term placements that are a win-win for both the candidate and the employer.  We have story after story that truly make our hearts sing! 

 

 

Stay tuned for the next TOUCHY SUBJECT:  

WHY THE HELL ARE WE STILL EXPECTING LONG WORK DAYS,
CAN'T TAKE TWO DAYS OFF IN A ROW DURING BUSY SEASON,  MANDATORY OT, AND BLACK OUT PERIODS?
 
 
  
 
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