Recruiters and Sales people alike are constantly looking over their shoulders back at their employer and wondering “Is this a fair deal?” 

From the view of Recruiter’s desk or in the car of an Account Executive, of course the answer is a resounding No!  You of course are breaking your neck to get the deal done, all of this while the boss sits there screaming “more, more, more…!”

Sound familiar?  Well it should.  We all know that to have a good sustainable business, the relationship between Management and the Employees will always have some push and pull.  Defining the parameters around that push and pull will help you decide when the deal is fair or not.

From the employer’s perspective in the staffing industry, hiring a Recruitment Professional is equivalent to investing in the stock market.  Your skills are a commodity, and there is a reasonable expectation you will create a return on their investment.  The average investment it takes to hire a Recruitment Professional with a base salary is between 150 – 180k per year.  The first year’s return to the employer is zero, and the most they can hope for is your costs are covered.  Second year forward, they are looking for a 100% return year over year.  What do you get for their investment?

Let’s start with the Basics: 

Your employer should be providing you a fully equipped office.  This would include heat/air conditioning, electricity, computer, internet access, desk with a chair, office supplies, company email and working phone.  (Don’t laugh! I have known of employers who have demanded people work without one or more of these essentials.)  Basics for a Recruitment Professional will also include the proper tools to do your job.  Depending on the organizations level of sophistication will determine the quality of tools you will receive to do your job.  Most Recruitment professionals will not accept a job with any organization if they do not have an applicant tracking systems, remote access, access to job boards and posting. 

Compensation for each Recruitment Professional is different.  Just like an investment, the amount of risk will determine the return.  If you truly believe in your skills, a 100% commission environment might work for you.  If you need stability of a steady pay check, a salary with a small commission structure may be a safer investment.  A good rule of thumb for any Recruitment Professional is that you should be receiving approximately 40% of the revenue you are generating. Beyond a clean comfortable office with the right tools and decent compensation, everything else is a perk.  Of course, if an employer wants to keep you happy and in turn increase your production they will provide you with recognition rewards, training opportunities and/or even paid trips.   

Understanding that a Staffing Agency is investing into a Recruitment Professional’s career will help you assess if the push and pull is fair. 

The real question is … “Are you both living up to the other’s expectations?”