Providium Human Resource Group

How to get help that's needed from recruiting firm

By Kathleen Driscoll

Managers at work

"My company has had a long relationship with one recruiting firm, which has helped us fill a variety of positions. There's a lot of history between my company and this firm. My problem is that I have been unhappy with some, but not all, of the candidates they have sent over for various positions. Some of our jobs have become very technical and specialized and I don't think the recruiters from this firm completely understand how these jobs have changed. How can I work better with this search firm? And if I tried to sell my boss on using an additional search firm (which would be very difficult) what criteria would we use in selecting one?"

Well, it's time to have that conversation that you've probably been putting off. As difficult-and as sensitive as it might be in your organization-it's probably time to take a "direct and honest approach" with the recruiting firm, says Elaine McKenna, partner at Weterrings & Agnew Inc., a search firm in Rochester.

"I would tell them, 'I think we need to talk about how things are going. We're not feeling good about the candidates we've been seeing the last couple of times we worked together,'" McKenna says. "'Maybe we're not giving you clear enough job specifics or feedback or maybe we're not communicating the right way.'"

This would give both sides the opportunity to talk about the process that's been used as well as the jobs in question and how they've changed, she says.

"If it were our firm in question, we would hope that the client would be direct with us about their concerns so that we could make any changes necessary to better meet their recruiting needs," McKenna says.

She says recruiting firms are not just "another vendor."

"We serve as a business partner, strategically and tactically, to many companies of all types and sizes in a wide variety of industries," McKenna says. "We know that our client companies rely on us to help them retain and continually upgrade their most critical resource-their employees.

"We understand what a serious role we play in this and do all we can to satisfy their recruiting needs.

"Keep in mind," she adds, "that we want to fill the opening and we want to maintain the relationship."

Problems like this can result from a lack of information or miscommunication about the requirements of the job, a lack of understanding about the expertise required or problems with the salary ranges for the positions, says Gary Baker, partner with the search firm Cochran, Cochran & Yale LLC.

Another possibility, he says, is that the recruiting firm "got a little sloppy" with the work, given the fact that there has been a long-term relationship. That's all the more reason for a face-to-face conversation, Baker says.

"It's a tough conversation to have, but the only way to resolve it is to talk it out in the conference room," he says.

If salary ranges for positions are the issue, then the recruiting firm needs to be honest with the company, Baker says.

In most cases, recruiting firms that have worked with companies over long periods of time understand the companies and the types of people who will fit in best as employees and the salary ranges that are expected. Occasionally, though, projected salary ranges don't fit the expertise required.

"We tell them that they are not likely to find people they will be happy with for this compensation," Baker says. "We tell them what's realistic, that 'this is what you will get for X amount and this is what you'll get for 15 to 20 percent more.'"

A good search firm should not hesitate to say if they don't have the expertise on staff that they would need to fill these specialized positions in your firm. In that situation, the recruiting company can assist the client in locating a specialized firm, perhaps by assisting with the screening process or contacting an out-of-town affiliate. In some cases, subcontracting arrangements are also made.

"If they do not have the capability in certain technical areas, they should be professional enough to admit it, suggest another firm to assist or hire a staff member that can address the deficiency," Baker says.

In the event that you choose another firm or a specialized firm to work with your recruiter, keep in mind that there is lots of competition out there. More employers are willing to spend money on outside recruiters this year than earlier this decade, according to Workforce Management-at www.workforce.com-an e-zine devoted to workplace issues.

In a Workforce Management article, "Managing the Search Firm," Fay Hansen spoke with Jeff Kaye, CEO of Kaye Bassman International Corp., a Dallas-based search firm, who suggests companies follow the acronym "FIG" in choosing a recruiting company. FIG stands for function, industry and geography. Kaye suggests selecting a firm that specializes in your industry with recruiters within that firm who specialize in the functions and geographies that the company needs.

Other things to consider include the search firm's track record, how well you can connect with them and how flexible they are, he says. While some search firms have defined processes they use for searches, others adapt their approaches to the client's needs and that could include making different contractual arrangements for different searches.

Managers at Work is a bimonthly column exploring the issues and challenges facing managers. Contact Kathleen Driscoll with questions or comments by phone at (585) 249-9295 or by e-mail at kadriscoll@aol.com.