Rules for Dealing with Human Resources Pros

Here are the rules we live by when working to bring new employees to HR Directors and other hiring authorities:

1. Don’t waste their time. You don’t have nearly enough to start with. Do everything you can to avoid wasting their time.
2. Use email as much as possible instead of the telephone. Recruiters must use the telephone in order to “sell” but remember that the customer comes first.
3. Keep reminding them where we are in the process because this is just one of a hundred things on their “top priority” list today.
4. Don’t send them resumes you found on a national job board. They’re already looking there. Besides, they need you because you have the time and recruiting talent to work the phones and really dig for the top talent they’re looking for.
5. If they tell you something one day and then change course the next, understand that unless they have the title “VP” or “Owner” after their name, they’re really just responding to the ever-changing needs of their organization.
6. Take burdens off of them by:
   1. Don’t send them junk resumes.
   2. Understand their Job Order and the requirements for the position.
   3. Interview your candidates thoroughly and attach a summary.
   4. Offer to complete reference checks.
   5. Stay in touch daily with your candidate and keep them informed so you can report and update progress to their next boss.
   6. Know your candidate’s needs in terms of salary & benefits before you invest their time and energy.
   7. Be a great salesperson when it comes to the offer, and close the deal.
   8. Know what’s going on in their business and who the players are. Yes, this is the core basic recruiter skill of knowing who is in the decision making loop. Ask them and they’ll be happy to tell you who the decision makers are.
   9. Don’t push them if they don’t want to give you certain information. (Examples: Other positions they’re working to fill; full salary range data; succession plans; etc.) You may ask if it’s something they’d rather not share, but if you push too hard you may find you no longer have them as a client.
   10. Show appreciation. Thank you cards, with a sincere hand-written note, really will help build the relationship. (Remember, you are in the relationships business!)
   11. Make sure you make them look good. Take every opportunity to brag them up to their boss and the hiring manager, and give them credit for snagging the great new hire (It will be our little secret!).

Working with “their” recruiter has got to be one of their positive experiences.

Professional Recruiter Associates is a world-wide firm of executive search consultants dedicated to matching the right Talent to our clients’ needs.

Our executive search consultants fully understand the issues of real business that our clients experience on a daily basis. Our added value is that we approach assignments from a business point of view, have experience in our industry sectors, and are trained to assess candidates from a skills, cultural fit and personality profile perspective.