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Permalink Reply by Russ Recruits on May 10, 2012 at 12:11pm

You agreed T&C's with her company - not her.

However, if you had a clause for 3rd party introductions (IE she introduced your candidate to anouther employer, as a result of introducing them to her) you may still find you can bill the original client, but dont expect them to use you again.

Personally, tell client whats happened, say its no big thing - "your relationship is more to me in the long term" etc etc. (if its a good client this will mean a lot to them)

Then call the thief who did this and tell them what a low life weezel they are & repeat same process for the candidate who after all has shafted you as much - you'll feel better for it at least.

 

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on May 10, 2012 at 2:00pm

I would call your runway bride, congratulate her on her new position, tell her how much you look forward to working with her at the new company, what is their policy about working with recruiters, what does it look like to her the immediate needs will be for her to make her mark bringing in top people, blah, blah. She knows what she did so I would act like at first I didn't know and see if she brings it up. My guess is that she won't. I would see if she would be chatty and tell me she was going to need some help, might need a (whatever)pretty quickly. See if she will cover her butt by giving you a listing or asking you to send her a fee schedule so she can get you signed up as a vendor. If she is friendly, encouraging and you can pick up a new client don't mention the one she put in her pocket just yet. Take the listing or send her the information see if you get a listing in the next week or 30 days. If you do get it going then out of the blue call her and say you just found out she hd hired old John that you sent her previously so you assume she will give you credit for placing him, wow that's great thanks so much. See how that plays. If she fesses up but says she can't get you a fee on him,I would say, well since you have given us some new business I guess we can consider that one a new job gift.

If she is cold, dodges your call, tells you she has to use recruiters already approved or makes it clear that she wants you to go away,ask her, "what do we need to do about billing for John?". "He indicated that you called him about a job with your new company after we sent him to you and you interviewed him at your old company.". "do I send the statement to you or should it go to the VP of Sales?". If she tells you that he had applied to the new company on his own or was sent by another recruiter, you are screwed. If your candidate has told you that she called him, he never heard of the company until she called him. I would tell her he has told a different story so could we get everybody on a conference call and figure this out. Or would she mind documenting his date of application for you or date the other recruiter submitted him.

If she did what you think she did. Shuts you down, gets testy. Say something like, "this is really confusing maybe I better check with John again to be sure I understood him. Then pick up the phone call the vp of sales who hired the guy. Tell him this is a really unusual situation, explain what happened, you are not trying to cause anyone any problems but being in sales he should understand what it would feel like if somebody took some of his inventory with them and gave it to a new employer so would he consider making it right and accepting your invoice for placing John with his company. I would take an attitude that these things happen obviously she wanted her new employer to have a top candidate, old John loved it, the vp loved old John and hired him so if you could just get paid for your inventory, everybody would be happy. He will tell you to let him check on it if he has any sense at all. Be gracious, thank him for his help and wait to see what happens. You may not get paid but he will know and she will know that he knows. At best you might get paid, at worst if the vp has any integrity hr girl has a cloud on her right off the bat.

Then call the old company see if you can replace her and mention to whoever you talk to what she did and you are trying to figure out if the liability for the fee belongs to her personally, the company you submitted him to or her new company who ended up hiring him when she took proprietary information with her when she left. " Man, is this an interesting one or what?"

You can at least have fun stirring up a hornet's nest, give everybody something to think about and you might accidentally end up with a new client and/ or getting paid A fun hand to play, my thinks.

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Permalink Reply by Amber on May 10, 2012 at 2:15pm

Russ, your answer would feel good at the moment. But, as usual, Sandra took most of what I was thinking and said it perfectly!

p.s. Sandra - your "instructions" are great! Hope Jeremy keeps us updated on the situation.

 

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Spring on May 10, 2012 at 3:03pm

Thanks guys.  I won't be sending a bill to existing client.  Not the fight I want to fight.  Sandra, your strategy is much more pragmatic than I've come to expect from you.  I was more expecting you to respond with something involving shotguns and antifreeze.

Sound advice yall. Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on May 10, 2012 at 7:22pm

@Jeremy, when it comes to idiots i am big on shotguns and antifreeze.  When it comes to clients and money i am so pragmatic i sound like a negotiator for world wars.  One never blows up the camp if one ever wants to go that way again :)

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Permalink Reply by Russ Recruits on May 11, 2012 at 5:33am

The last part of my reply was more of a feel good factor than reality.

The Shot Gun and Anti freeze methods are my wish though....

But in seriousness, it may be a cultural thing, this happens in the UK a lot. A client that does not try and shaft you is rare, and the split fee community virtually dead due to the paraniod view of each other.

Sandras advice is of course the correct way - but for me I dont have the time, simply due to it happening so often.  As long as the original client knows whats happened, apriciates I am walking away on this occasion to live anouther day then the most important thing to me, the relationship with the client, is secured.

"One never blows up the camp if one ever wants to go that way again" - @Sandra - spot on, and applies to the individual who did this in the first place as well methinks...

Does the US TPR market have contracts between you and the candidate....? I have a clause in mine that would prevent it, though its rare for us to actually use it.

 

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on May 11, 2012 at 10:29am

I would never, EVER consider doing what Sandra suggests here. 

The first problem here was in recruiting for a manager that would not take your calls, describe the position or otherwise participate with you in any way.  Are you THAT starved for clients right now? 

"She interviewed candidates and dismissed each quickly and with no concrete substantiation.  No big deal. Onto the next round."  /strong>I sure wish you were making this part up Jeremy but it appears not.  So - you just keep pouring in resume upon resume with no clear understanding of where the last candidate missed?  Is this some sort of recruiting game of pin the tail on the donkey?  Man - this stuff just fumes me.  Really - it does.

Client:  He's not a fit.  Send more.

You:  Why?

Client: None of your business.  Just send more.

You: OK.

Client: Not a fit either. Send more.

You: Why?

Client: Stop asking. None of your business.  Just send more.

You: OK

You should not have been involved in this to begin with.  Sorry to seem so harsh here - but these are examples of recruiters clearly not setting a minimum expectation of service/relationship/cooperation.

She is under no agreement whatsoever to not hire that guy.  Your agreement (though I'm not

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