How to Work Successfully With a Recruiter - Robert Half

How to Work Successfully With a Recruiter
Bylined Article
By Megan Alexander, general manager at Robert Half New Zealand
I have lost count of the number of times I have encountered small companies who find themselves
scrambling when they need to fill a vacant position or increase staff due to business growth. Without a
human resources department or an individual dedicated to ongoing employee recruitment, the search
for new employees typically falls to already overstretched managers or to the business owners
themselves. As a result, hiring decisions may be made under pressure and in a less-than-deliberate
fashion. While this approach fills vacancies in the short-term, it does not always serve the company’s
best long-term interests or objectives.
To break the cycle of reactive hiring and to adopt a more strategic approach, many companies utilise
the services of a recruitment firm. But while most people understand the functions of recruitment
consultants, they don’t always know how to manage the relationship to get the best out of the deal -
the consultant’s knowledge, professional connections and staffing expertise. Here are six tips that will
help:
1. Know your staffing needs
The first step before contacting a recruitment firm is to analyse your current staffing levels and
develop a clear idea of your immediate and longer-term needs. This strategic staffing approach will
enable you to develop a more comprehensive hiring plan.
If this is a replacement position, take stock on whether the seniority and requirements of the role
mirror those of the previous employee. Based on experience, try to project the frequency and
timing of workload peaks and troughs. Look at the expertise among your team, with an eye toward
identifying critical gaps.
Next, factor in foreseeable employee absences for holidays or personal leave. Once completed,
you should have a reasonably clear picture of your company’s existing talent resources and
projected needs. This will help you decide whether you need to hire full-time employees,
temporary/ contract professionals or a mix of the two. Check out our how to booklet on how to hire
cost effectively.
2. Clarify your requirements
If you determine that you need to hire additional help, be sure you know the skills and expertise
prospective candidates must have and how long you’ll need them for. For example, if you’re looking
to hire someone on a temporary basis to cover for an employee on maternity leave, it’s important to

have a specific time frame in mind so that the recruitment consultant will be able to select a
candidate who can commit for the duration of the assignment.
In some cases, the need to hire may be driven not by a vacant position, but by a skills gap on your
team. The consultant would then search for either a technical expert who can provide your
company with needed expertise, or a project professional who may work with your staff on onetime,
intensive tasks, such as a payroll systems conversion.
Organisations are often looking for finance or accounting candidates that combine a range different
skill sets, based on current gaps in their own armoury. Don’t be afraid to use your recruitment
consultant as an advisor too – they’ll be able to give you a steer on what skills are available in the
market so you don’t put together a job description that’s impossible to fill.
3. Select the right recruitment firm
Finding the best firm for your unique situation can make all the difference in the success of your
hiring efforts. Begin by asking colleagues and professional associations for their recommendations.
Once you have a list of contenders, establish a set of questions so you can evaluate all recruitment
firms using the same criteria.
Your list should include the following areas:
Experience. How long has the company been in business? Has it served companies with
needs similar to your own?
Specialisation. Which areas does the recruiting firm focus on? Is it a temporary or permanent
role you are trying to fill? Some firms have consultants that specialise in either permanent or
temporary services. Others, like Robert Half, have different divisions for both.
Candidate-selection process. How does the recruitment firm select, screen and evaluate
candidates? Does it conduct skills-assessment tests?
Internal staff. How closely will the consultant work with your organisation once a relationship
had been established?
Quality control. How does the consultant measure performance to ensure satisfaction? Is there
a guarantee if the candidate they send is not a good fit?
When you’ve finished evaluating potential recruitment companies, visit each one of the finalists.
This will help you get a sense of how each operates and whether its style matches your own. Be
sure to meet with the consultant who will be working on your company’s behalf. You should feel
confident they have the professionalism and skills to identify appropriate candidates for your
organisation.
4. Establish a working relationship
Once selected, invite your primary consultant at the recruitment firm to visit your company. Give a
tour of your facilities and introduce the consultant to key managers and supervisors. The better
your consultant understands your needs and how your business operates, the easier it will be for
them to provide you with individuals who will match your requirements.

You should also feel confident your consultant knows their candidates well. If the role is permanent,
your consultant should be looking for candidates who not only measure up on paper, but are a
good cultural fit within your organisation. When recruiting temps on the other hand, speed is of the
essence. Wait a day and you’ll risk losing a great candidate elsewhere. If your consultant is
confident about a temp who can fill the gap you may not even need to meet them before they start.
Reputable recruiting firms will not only screen job seekers for you but will have conducted first hand
interviews with a candidate before sending the best prospects for interviews with your organisation.
After meeting with candidates, fine-tune your relationship with the consultant by comparing
interview notes, raising any concerns you have about individuals and providing specific feedback
that will help the consultant refine the search.
5. Make Time
Act quickly to get the best candidates. Once you have met and briefed your consultant and they’ve
put forward some candidates, keep things moving along by ensuring that you make the time for
interviews. If you don’t, before you know it your best candidates will have found another role and
you’ll be back to square one. Not making the time to meet with candidates can send a negative
message. If you don’t have time for them, why would they want to work for you?
6. Provide ongoing feedback
Your working relationship with a consultant doesn’t end when you hire a candidate. Be sure to give
your consultant feedback about the individual – both your own evaluation as well as comments
from other team members. It’s also a good idea to ask new hires how they feel about the job and
your company. This type of “360-degree” feedback will give the consultant valuable insights into
your company’s culture and processes, so that they’ll be able to more rapidly provide ideal matches
in the future.
When managed correctly, your company’s relationship with a recruitment consultant will have many
benefits. In addition to saving you time and stress, a well chosen recruiting firm can be a true
staffing partner, helping your company develop a steady pipeline of qualified candidates who could
become productive, valued employees.
Ends
Released on behalf of Robert Half Finance & Accounting by Goode PR, Auckland. For more
information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Melissa Dobson of Goode PR, Auckland on +64 9 480 9948 or 021 389 559 or email
melissa@goodepr.co.nz
About Robert Half International
Robert Half International Inc. (RHI) pioneered specialised staffing services and today is the world’s
leader in the field. Founded in 1948, the company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:
RHI). Robert Half International again was named FORTUNE ® magazine's "World's Most Admired
Companies" list, ranking #1 in our industry in both innovation and quality of services. (March 21, 2011)

Robert Half New Zealand operates the divisions Robert Half Finance & Accounting, for temporary
and permanent finance professionals; Robert Half Management Resources, for project financial
professionals and Robert Half Technology, for high calibre technology professionals.
There are more than 350 Robert Half International locations worldwide. Visit us today:
www.roberthalf.co.nz