A headhunter’s day is spent juggling applicants, candidates, hiring managers, e-mails, phone screens, face-to-face meetings, talent mapping, queries and reports – hence, can we agree that time is our most important commodity?
We can’t afford to waste it on what seems important but isn’t. Below are some key concepts and suggestions to help you make sure a client is NOT wasting your time.
1. Retained Fee. Working on a retainer basis means the recruiter will charge an upfront fee to the client to conduct a search (mostly applicable to Senior Job Orders). If a client commits to engaging a recruitment agency with a retained fee, the role is most likely materialising, and you will know that your client/s are NOT wasting your time.
2. Exclusivity. If the client is unable to pay an upfront fee, it would be best to ask for an exclusivity of the role. We obviously will have a very high chance of filling a role or placing candidates who leave their market search exclusively to us. Hence, this is also a very good sign that your client is NOT wasting your time.
3. Client Meeting. If a client is open to discuss the roles they have with you – whether that’s over a cup of coffee or at their offices – they are most likely NOT wasting your time. It is a no-brainer that a client will not invest time in a pointless meeting unless they’ve decided they will definitely go ahead.
4. Proactive Feedback/Update. If a client is consistently providing you feedback or updates regarding the job search – whether it’s regarding an additional requirement from the hiring manager or how did he/she feel about the candidates they interviewed through you – this shows that your client is NOT wasting your time.
5. Probing Questions. It’s always good to have some questions on hand to probe your client a little further and make sure they’re committed to you carrying out the job.
Here are some key questions to keep in mind:
- How long has the position been open? If the position has been open for a long time, then recruiters must be able to find out the reason why.
- What happens if the position is not filled? Recruiters need to understand if there is a point of pressure for the jobs given to be filled.
- Are you continuing to pursue candidates on your own?
- Any reason that you may not follow through to completion on this search?
These are just a few points to consider along the way to help make sure your client is not wasting your time, freeing up your energy to find the perfect candidates for the roles.
