My Littlest Placement

I have been given a gift. Well – not given, necessarily. It was earned. Those are the best anyway,aren’t they?

We’ve been recruiting for a junior level IT role with a client for the past 3 weeks or so. Not much in the way of qualifications – college degree, some sort of “paid” IT experience combined with a nice personality and enthusiastic attitude. Salaries at this level aren’t really that high as we all know but I’m not one that takes searches based only on what the fee might be in the end.

We had an interesting discussion going just yesterday about fees in... I’m a stickler for having a minimum percentage. There is a line I have never and (hopefully) will never cross. But that’s a different discussion – feel free to jump in over there.

The client called earlier this week. “Is there a fee if we just want to hire Zach for a summer internship?” Hmmm…..I’ve never placed an intern. Should I not charge anything and hope my goodwill will be remembered down the road? What about putting it together as a temp assignment with a reasonable markup? I wasn’t quite sure which way to go.

Then it hit me. My fee is based on the annual income of the person I place. In the past this amount has always been a year-long salaried role – not a 12 week internship. Why should I come up with some other way to
charge for my service?

My fee is $1152 and it might quite possibly be the most rewarding placement I’ve made in quite a while. It has reminded me to take every opportunity in this crazy world to appreciate the way I provide for my family. In fact I’ve earmarked this as my beer budget for the rest of 2010. Each time I crack open a coldie I will celebrate My Littlest Placement!

So this gift is more of a reminder of sorts. I’ve been reminded that ALLplacements are to be loved. Each and every placement is as unique as a snowflake: Big ones, tough ones, easy ones, “surprise” placements, the placements that seemingly need to be “remade” several times along the way. Every. Single. One!

Enjoy your work friends. Be thankful for each opportunity no matter how big or small they may be!

I've also posted this on my own blog - www.jerrytherecruiter.com

Comment by Slouch on June 4, 2010 at 12:15pm: congrats on the deal. I rang the bell here for you and just put it on your desk. Who will be the next to take that bell that now sits on your desk and ring it and put it on theirs? Fridays are a great day for placements. Ring Ring Ring

Comment by Jerry Albright on June 4, 2010 at 12:21pm: Wow - the international enthusiasm makes me want to pop the top off a Fat Tire Amber Ale. Thanks JD!

Comment by pam claughton on June 4, 2010 at 1:49pm: Jerry,
Great post! I had a similar placement last month. The fee was small but it was one of the most satisfying as it was for an entry-level role for a recent grad who wasn't sure what she wanted, she thought maybe hr, but when I met with her I saw a great natural sales ability and outgoing enthusiasm and she'd never really considered sales. She's now at a high growth internet media company and they love her.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on June 4, 2010 at 4:06pm: You will love this one Jer. I just traded finding a CPA to provide audit services for two months for a load of alfalfa delivered and stacked in the horse barn. In addition i get three months fishing rights at a private bass lake. I can value the alfalfa for tax purposes on the trade but i am not sure how to report the fishing rights. Any suggestions. :)

Comment by Todd Kmiec on June 5, 2010 at 7:42am: Good story Jerry. That's exactly what we do on any shorter term placements. We stick to the percentage of base pay for the first year, so if that is 3 months then we''re paid the percentage of pay up to then. If the client makes them full time or some longer time period then we bill the percentage of pay up to a max of 12 months. It's the right way to do it and clients like it a lot. So I think you get a professional level of good will as well as some pay.

Comment by Cindy J. Biter on June 7, 2010 at 11:54am: Excellent post! Thanks for sharing! "Do right" by your clients, and it will be remembered!!!

Comment by Andy Gregory on June 7, 2010 at 12:05pm: As soon as I got done wiping the mist from my eyes after reading your post, I was reminded of Chris Farley and David Spade in Tommy Boy. I was transported to the hotel room scene where Farley puts on Spade’s blue blazer, does a small dance move, all the while singing, “Fat Guy in a little coat.”

Given your “phat” billings over the years from your rural Albright compound, I found it heartwarming and clearly think Jack Canfield may come calling for this marketplace nugget when he writes his 450th Chicken Soup book – Chicken Soup for People with Neighbors That Have Chickens.

This weekend I celebrate your placement, my good friend – I will crack open a coldie, put on a 38 Long blue blazer I bought at my local Goodwill store this afternoon, sway back and forth, and softly sing – “Phat Recruiter with a little fee, Phat Recruiter with a little fee.”