by Chris Cochran
When you decide to bring on the support of a search firm for your open opportunity, there are four key points of communication that occur that can drive you towards success or failure depending on how you manage them.
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The opening conversation with the recruiter to discuss the open role should be just as much about the company and team culture as it is about the responsibilities this person will have. A candidate’s first question to the recruiter is typically, “What’s it like to work there?” Stories that demonstrate your culture and anecdotes about the more successful people currently working there should be shared with the recruiter. Arm them with memorable snapshots of the people and business.
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Setting expectations with the recruiter on how the hiring process will unfold benefits the company, search firm and the candidate. Lay out the path that everyone will follow throughout the candidate evaluation, interview(s) and the offer phases. A good recruiter will be an expert in the hiring process, but it’s important for them to understand how they can adjust to accommodate to your company’s particular style of hiring.
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Provide the recruiter with honest feedback regarding the initial evaluation and following any interviews that occur. The recruiter is working for you and it’s important they know exactly how you feel about a candidate. Subtleties can make all the difference in determining who the perfect candidate is for a job. The recruiter will work with you to ensure you feel confident about each decision you make as you move closer to an offer.
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Getting the offer right is important to everyone involved. The recruiter, who has been having conversations with the candidate since the beginning of the process, will have a very good feeling for what will get a deal done. The recruiter who can be trusted to get the job filled is the one that has the experience walking the line between the company’s interest and the candidate’s interest and understanding what will be required to get an offer accepted.
