By Rhys Metler, Toronto Sales Recruiter
Here at IQ PARTNERS, we believe that the recruitment business can be done better, smarter, and with greater professionalism. In fact, it’s our company motto, and in order to live up to that ideal we have to constantly challenge, measure, and re-evaluate ourselves.
We use the following goals to ensure that we are on target to accomplish our mission and provide exceptional value and service to our clients. We encourage you to use these objectives to measure our service and that of any other headhunter.
1. Process
Does your headhunter have one? A top headhunter will provide you with a crystal clear picture of:
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- How they conduct research and identify ‘A’ players,
- How they will professionally market your company and opportunity,
- The quality of their interview process and why it is effective,
- How they manage interview scheduling,
- How they complete formal references,
- How they present an offer, and
- How they follow-up with both candidates and clients after the search is complete.
2. Speed
You and your headhunter must discuss and agree upon the urgency of your search. A top quality headhunter will provide a realistic and accurate time frame of:
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- How quickly you will start seeing qualified candidates once search terms are in place,
- The time frame from first interview to final decision, and
- Show an understanding of the importance of and how to close an offer in a timely fashion.
3. Accuracy
Accuracy is often the primary reason for an organization to hire a headhunter. Excellent candidates that have a proven track record of success are very difficult to find. You are working with a top quality headhunter if:
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- You are meeting with 95% of the presented candidates,
- The presented candidates meet your cultural and soft skill requirements, and
- The presented candidates are genuinely interested in your company.
4. Success Rate
In addition to attracting qualified candidates, an excellent headhunter will manage the process of formally presenting and closing the offer of employment. You know you are working with a high quality headhunter if:
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- The client’s and candidate’s expectations are managed properly prior to a verbal offer to ensure that there are no last minute surprises,
- The client and candidate verbally agree to any offer prior to written presentation, and
- The offer is accepted and the candidate is there for their first day of work.
5. Longevity
An experienced and successful headhunter will be very rigorous and help you make tough decisions during the interview process to ensure that the candidate you hire will become a long-term employee. You are working with an outstanding headhunter if:
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- You do not have to go back to market and start the search again,
- The candidate stays for 3+ years and is promoted, and
- Contractors are completing assignments.
6. Finding New Talent
A skillful headhunter will understand your requirements, your industry, and have the ability to attract awesome candidates that your company cannot attract through its own efforts. The true value of your successful headhunter is providing access to:
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- Top performing candidates from your industry that you cannot recruit on your own, and
- Top performing candidates from related industries that are not “obvious”.
7. Honesty, Integrity and Accountability
As with any business, headhunting comes with its own set of challenges, obstacle and problems. A top notch headhunter will act as your partner, providing transparency in searching for and hiring excellent candidates. If your search encounters difficulties for any reason, you should expect your headhunter to:
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- Be open, upfront and honest,
- Manage the search process and professional relationship with integrity,
- And take accountability when necessary.
These 7 goals can help you measure the success and effectiveness of your headhunter to ensure that you are attracting and hiring the most talented candidates available and receiving the best client experience.
For more tips about gaining the most from your headhunter, check out our other Dealing With A Headhunter blog posts where common questions are answered by our headhunters. Also check out Toronto Sales Recruiter Rhys Metler’s other blog posts and connect with him on LinkedIn.
IQ PARTNERS is a Recruitment Agency with offices in Toronto, Montreal & Vancouver, We help companies hire better, hire less & retain more. Our recruiters specialize in Marketing, Communications, Consumer Goods & Services, Retail, Sales, Technology, Finance & Accounting, Financial Services, Life Sciences, HR & Operations, and Construction, Property & Real Estate. IQ PARTNERS has its head office in Toronto and operates internationally via Aravati Global Search Network. Click here to view current job openings and to register with us.
