Potential Clients ... requesting referral to Potential Candidate

What is LinkedIn and Social Networking protocol for this type of issue?

I have a Potential client ... they have flirted with doing business with me on several occasions ... I have worked on a couple of projects with them, submitted several candidates ... with NO success ... they have a brutal hiring process that drags on for months and have both times at the last minute, went the other direction in hiring.

Now, I have the corporate HR lady asking me for a free referral to one of my people in my network. My indignation rises with a couple choice words ... but for another day. To put a little more salt on the wound, she and I have talked about this position prior to the holidays ... without getting a full SA that is. I put a call into her yesterday and this is the response I receive.

Part of me wants to be the "good guy" and make the referral and "hope" for the best ... what goes around, comes around ... (a rather small part of me, but none the less ...)

Another part of me wants to make the referral with a statement to her politely & professionally describing how I would l like to give her access to my entire network as opposed to just this one person ... for a fee, of course.

And, yet another ... more aggressive side of me wants to ignore her, never call her again and begin to recruit from her company ... just kidding ... kinda ...

What are your thoughts?

Comment by Becky Metcalf on January 13, 2009 at 9:52am: Remember the adage… do unto others? To be frank, I live on the corporate side and there have been many a time when a mutual connection to someone I'd like to speak with is a vendor. When that happens there are a few options for me, I can find another way to get introduced to that person, I can continue about my business finding another person, or I can engage the vendor to help me in securing that person. I would assume that for me to ask for a free referral would be very likely to elicit this kind of response from the vendor - and my concern would be that the vendor would, in fact, choose option three! It would be quite naïve to assume that she does not understand that this is how your business works and that your relationship with your candidates is a value-add for her, not a free smorgasbord. She may need a respectful reminder of what you can do for her. Good luck with this one!

Comment by Kristin on January 13, 2009 at 4:23pm: It seems like the company already engaged your services, therefore they should expect to pay for your network. Recruiters basically get paid because they are good at networking. For someone to ask for a "free" connection is like going to KFC and asking for their secret recipe so you can make it at home (okay, not identical but I think you get the comparison). I would politely remind them that this is what recruiters get paid for; your network is the means to your business. If it is Karma you are worried about, try offering a discounted fee for the connection.