Good recruiting partnerships take time to build and maintain. Sometimes in our recruiting network, we will see recruiters who only go to their partners when they need something. The important to remember that trading partners can choose who they are going to work with, so if they’ve never heard of you until now when you need help, they likely aren’t going to jump in feet first compared to maybe a trading partner that they’ve talked with weekly for the last few months, or someone they’ve met face-to-face over coffee. If you want to be at the top of the list for who other recruiters call when they need help, you better make sure you’re building relationships always.
Here’s how to be viewed as a good trading partner and constantly be building relationships:
- Takes time to source – a good trading partner doesn’t just throw stuff at the wind, he/she takes time to look at the job description and ask questions. Pick up the phone and give your trading partner a call to get on the same page about the company’s requirements, culture, and other information not found in a job description. This is a good time for you to ask who the client is, how long the position has been open, if there’s any other recruiters working on the role, or if they have any candidates in play.
- Transparency and trust – If I’m a candidate recruiter, would I rather work with the job recruiter who won’t give me his client’s name, or the job recruiter who introduces me to his hiring contact? If I’m a job recruiter, would I rather work with the candidate recruiter who won’t give me their candidate’s name, or the one who CC’s me on all emails involving his/her candidate and puts any candidate interviews onto my calendar? If you are working with a partner, they should know what you know.
- Understand the word no – Give good candidates, and if your partner says ‘no’, ask them ‘why?’ but don’t try to ‘sell’ them on someone. Use that info to refine your search. The job recruiter knows their client and what they are looking for, so if they say ‘no’, it’s because they aren’t trying to waste time on someone they know isn’t a good fit. If a candidate recruiter sends a jobs recruiter a resume and hears back ‘pass’ (or worse, doesn’t get a response), they aren’t likely to want to help you in the future. Even if you say ‘nice try, but this guy isn’t it – they need X, Y, and Z’ it shows that you value my efforts, and I’m going to prioritize your job.
Everyone in a recruiting network is there to make money. But it takes time to figure out who you’re aligned with and who works the way you like to work. Make it a part of your everyday practice to get your name out there, be visible, and start building relationships with people. The key to success is finding like-minded trading partners who you can build rapport and a trusting relationship with.