As you can imagine, we are asked all the time about the value we provide to the interview and employment process from candidates and clients alike. I have been reminded on many levels in the past couple of weeks why we can play an integral role not only in the introduction phase and facilitation of interviews, but also ongoing success of our candidates and company partners. Here are five simple reasons to consider.
1) Objectivity -- although many recruiters act as a hammer and the candidate is a nail, a good recruiter can really stand apart from the interview process to provide third party advice. With nine years of experience in the business I have seen just about every kind of client and every kind of candidate. I can draw upon those experiences to guide candidates and clients through the choppy waters of a conversation. I'm not any smarter than either party, but I can point to experiences where others have made mistakes in the past.
2) Communication -- I can't tell you how many times we have had candidates tell us that we seem to really know our clients well. This comes with time and really making effort to ask in-depth questions. It can even be beneficial when a candidate doesn't end up going to work for the company. We even tell candidates when a situation is NOT what they are looking for based upon their search criteria. This makes for a much more efficient process as opposed to throwing wet noodles at the wall to see what sticks.
3) Transparency -- this goes hand in hand with the idea of objectivity I mentioned above. This is critical especially when it comes to the offer stage. If a candidate does not know everything they need to know to make a decision, they will likely hedge. If a company has any hesitation about a candidate, they may not come out with a competitive offer. Our job is to get all cards on the table in a fair and objective manner. This sometimes leads to a handshake and walking away from a deal, but that is much better for everyone involved than making a bad hiring decision.
4) Counselor -- by getting to know our candidates well, we are uniquely positioned to listen to questions, concerns, issues, obstacles, etc. No opportunity is ever guaranteed to be your last career move, but it is our job to ensure best effort is given while employed. I have even counseled active candidates that are desperately seeking a new job to stay put for six months or more to wait for the market. This can ultimately lead to a much better long term career decision and a happier employer down the road.
5) Friend -- this is the simplest and most complex reason all wrapped up into one. Who do you go to for advice on your most difficult life decisions? Who do you ask out for lunch when you have a challenging work issue? Who do you lean on when you're just flat out having a bad day? We can play all of these roles and provide an outlet for candidates and clients alike. But you won't reach out to me unless you trust me. Once you can find that level of comfort, you are doing more than a job as a recruiter.
I almost made this into a top ten list and could certainly come up with a myriad of reasons why you should consider working with a recruiter in the future. But I like the image of a "high five" as I want to portray a good experience as many people have had bad experiences with a recruiter. Perhaps I should have titled this blog "Five reasons to use a GOOD recruiter"........
What have your experiences been with recruiters in the past? I would love to hear your stories!
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