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Permalink Reply by pam claughton on June 8, 2009 at 4:07pm

Every company does things a little differently. Many smaller companies don't have internal recruiters, so we'll deal directly with hiring managers, which is always our preference. Then, some companies have internal hr people who are great, and help the process along by letting us still work directly with the hiring managers and cc them on who we submit. That's ideal, as it's usually not a good use of the internal recruiters time to duplicate efforts by doing a pre-screen of candidates. Allowing of course that the third-party recruiter has a proven relationship and the trust factor is there....but really, that's what we are being paid for, to find and screen appropriately. Almost always, the process goes more smoothly and more quickly when the third-party recruiter has direct access to the hiring manager. I've ever understood the whole 'taboo' thing, as to why the internal recruiter is usually reluctant to give up any control. The ultimate goal should be the best hire in a timely manner. I've been on both sides of the fence as well.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Ceccarelli on June 8, 2009 at 7:42pm

I understand your point......but the taboo part is quality control and managing a seamless process........the hiring managers are busy doing their job.......it's the recruiters job to manage either the actual search and/or the process with the agency so at least ONE person knows who's on first, second, blah, blah, blah. That's why!

pam claughton said:

Every company does things a little differently. Many smaller companies don't have internal recruiters, so we'll deal directly with hiring managers, which is always our preference. Then, some companies have internal hr people who are great, and help the process along by letting us still work directly with the hiring managers and cc them on who we submit. That's ideal, as it's usually not a good use of the internal recruiters time to duplicate efforts by doing a pre-screen of candidates. Allowing of course that the third-party recruiter has a proven relationship and the trust factor is there....but really, that's what we are being paid for, to find and screen appropriately. Almost always, the process goes more smoothly and more quickly when the third-party recruiter has direct access to the hiring manager. I've ever understood the whole 'taboo' thing, as to why the internal recruiter is usually reluctant to give up any control. The ultimate goal should be the best hire in a timely manner. I've been on both sides of the fence as well.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Ceccarelli on June 8, 2009 at 7:43pm

There are good internal recruiters and crappy. I get why a hiring manager would want to go around them. What I don't understand is why have internal recruiting/HR if they can't do the job. Seems redundant to me! Waste of time/money/resources.

Sandra McCartt said:

Unless a hiring manager calls me first i respect the position of HR. If i get a direct call from a hiring manager my first question is why they are not going through their HR department. I have received frustrated calls from hiring managers who do not feel that HR is getting them the type of candidates they want. In that case i will ask for an introduction to HR. Period. I don't presuppose that i can do their job better than they can. The hiring managers who do go around their HR department usually have other problems internally that i don't want to be a part of, sometimes they aren't hiring managers very long :)

If i identify a company i want to represent i research until i can find someone who knows the VP or HR or the Director of Recruiting then ask that person to introduce me to the HR department. If my referring source indicates the HR representitive would be receptive to a call or a personal visit I will do either or both. It could be an internal employee that i have worked with in the past or a mutual acquaintence. My introduction to the HR rep is that i will not drive them crazy and i will not go around them. It may take time if the HR department has TPR's that they work with and are happy with but i find that building a relationship with HR will eventually lead to long term ,good working relationships.

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Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on October 26, 2011 at 6:13pm

well, until you drop Company A's name to Company B and then your contact at B calls the person in charge at A that he golfs with and neither of them have ever heard of you... I've seen that come back to bite recruiters.

John Kreiss said:

I would recommend assuming there is a need with your prospect, and dropping the name of another employer.  I was working on a search for a (healthcare position), and understand you're looking to hire a similar person, and would want to see some of the candidates who might be appropriate for your opening. 

 

The prospect doesn't need to know how you were working with ABC.  They could've been a source firm, or prospect.  Anyway,  good luck, and if I can help any further, let me know. 

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Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on October 26, 2011 at 10:09pm

I hear you walk on water without getting your feet wet.  

never fails

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Permalink Reply by John Comyn on October 27, 2011 at 3:26am

Never use the word "recruiter" or anything associated with the word. Try something like this:

 

"I am in the business of separating/identifying/evaluating/ scouting people that excel versus people that are average" (pause) "Our company focus/specialize/are leaders in the health care industry"

 

Pattern reversal:

 

"In essence we are an executive search agent and the name of my company is Acme Personnel" (pause) "The reason for my call is, we work with a very selective group of companies and have identified Medserve as a company we admire and would like to engage with...... bla bla bla". You will note I never use "recruit" in the entire pitch. Remember they have "recruiters" calling them all the time so what makes you different!

 

Need I say be prepared for rebuttals: "We have no vacancies" or "talk to HR" or "we work with preferred suppliers" or "I use the Internet" or "send me your company information" or "we don't use agencies" Also always helps to have a great CV on hand when making the call. That is of course if you are aware they are looking for something specific.

 

Good luck

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Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on October 27, 2011 at 4:01pm

I've already made my thoughts clear on the whole cold calling (at least in regards to voicemail) in a previous blog so I'm afraid I'm not going to have any helpful "scripts" to offer.

 

I would caution you though, all the attempts to be "different" only serve to make you look like everyone else.  There is nothing new under the sun and that goes for recruiting spiels too.  Probably dating myself here but I remember watching Tony Byrne VHS tapes (Placement 2000 anyone?) and being told to call every company in 100 miles and find out what kind of people are hardest to find.  Go find those candidates, "bear hug" them, and market them back to those companies that can't find them on their own.

 

Does anyone do that anymore?  :)

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Permalink Reply by Raphael Fang on October 27, 2011 at 4:15pm

I just may give this technique a try.

Amy Ala said:

I've already made my thoughts clear on the whole cold calling (at least in regards to voicemail) in a previous blog so I'm afraid I'm not going to have any helpful "scripts" to offer.

 

I would caution you though, all the attempts to be "different" only serve to make you look like everyone else.  There is nothing new under the sun and that goes for recruiting spiels too.  Probably dating myself here but I remember watching Tony Byrne VHS tapes (Placement 2000 anyone?) and being told to call every company in 100 miles and find out what kind of people are hardest to find.  Go find those candidates, "bear hug" them, and market them back to those companies that can't find them on their own.

 

Does anyone do that anymore?  :)

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Permalink Reply by Peter Sewall on November 10, 2011 at 10:27am

I enjoy cold-calling when I am exclusively representing marketable talent in healthcare. I know my industries well enough to know that 2-3 out of 25 hiring managers will stop what they are doing and negotiate a contract with me to have the opportunity to meet my talent. It's experience, knowledge and confidence that comes across on the phone to the hiring manager that get's their attention and consideration not some ploy or pick up line.

I too do not use the word 'recruiter' other than identifying my company STAT Medical Recruiting. I represent myself as someone who identifies and develops relationships with talented healthcare individuals. That I patiently wait for that time when they are open to confidentially meeting with another agency, hospital, etc and that their time has come and that they will be acquired in short notice. I basically let them know that they have an opportunity that they can take or leave. If they take it fine, we start the process; if they don't - next.

In regards to Internal recruiting getting pissed off that I call hiring managers, you may want to check your ego at the door because your company may miss exceptional talent that will greatly impact your company. Your internal recruiting program does not have the capacity to account for the fact that people like me focus on developing talent that NEVER actively looks, applies or develops relationships with their competitors. They desire me to help them confidentially make a strategic move when they are ready, not when some recruiter calls with a shiney carot. To me, your company just missed an opportunity and when someone in HR gives me a rebuff or attitude, your company now becomes a target of my candidate development strategy. Just keep that in mind.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on November 10, 2011 at 2:39pm

Tony Byrne, RIP.  Still use his 30 steps.  Unfortunately forensically most times.  

Amy Ala said:

I've already made my thoughts clear on the whole cold calling (at least in regards to voicemail) in a previous blog so I'm afraid I'm not going to have any helpful "scripts" to offer.

 

I would caution you though, all the attempts to be "different" only serve to make you look like everyone else.  There is nothing new under the sun and that goes for recruiting spiels too.  Probably dating myself here but I remember watching Tony Byrne VHS tapes (Placement 2000 anyone?) and being told to call every company in 100 miles and find out what kind of people are hardest to find.  Go find those candidates, "bear hug" them, and market them back to those companies that can't find them on their own.

 

Does anyone do that anymore?  :)

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Permalink Reply by Craig Watson on November 10, 2011 at 4:24pm

Agree with Amy - '...There is nothing new under the sun...' and constant cold calling often only further alienates HR Depts.

We never contact a new prospective client unless we have a marketable candidate that we believe fits an organization....

Researching the business is also key - know everything you can before picking up the phone - and don't forget those two key ingredients that ensure success...... Timing & Luck!.... I really didn't help at all did I?.... Time to be off then......Sorry...

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Permalink Reply by Elise Reynolds on November 21, 2011 at 10:46am

When i think I have a potential candidate on the phone I find it best to be very direct and to the point, in simple language.

People are not expecting a recruiter when they pick up the phone.  They are expecting a coworker or a client, maybe a spouse or their child's babysitter.  If I say something like "I am in the buisness of matching top talent with the best career opportunities in the software industry"  The person on the other end is going to go "Huh",  "what do you need".  It is going to be confusing.

 

When I think I have a potential candidate I say something like:

Hi Tom, this is Elise Reynolds.  Did I catch you at a good time?  (typically the answer is yes, sometimes it is no whatever the next word is I just say).  I am a recruiter in the software industry and I have something I wanted to run past you very quickly.  (Typically I will get a noise of encouragement like OK or go ahead).  Then I say what the opportunity is - I am working with a mid sized software company here in Houston focused on the oil and gas industry.  They need to hire a Sr. Software Engineer with java architecture experience who has also been a team lead.  Maybe one or two details more.

Then I say " is that something you might like to hear more about?"  (remember I promised to be quick).  Sometimes they say yes, often they say no.  If they say no I try to figure out why they don't want are they not the right fit, are they already in management, whatever. 

If they say yes I ask again if this is a good time to continue or if a better time can be scheduled.  If they say no I just try to keep them on the phone longer in order to figure out why a no and if they know anyone else who might be interested.  Typically I am the first one to say "thank you for your time and goodbye". 

 

Lately I find my open and honest approach that is both respectfull of thier time but also confident that I do have a quality opportunity that is worth hearing about is working best.

In the past I used to launch into a break-neck spiel trying to keep them on the phone long enough to hear the entire "spiel" before they blew me off.  I speak with confidence in what I have to offer, I early on show respect for their time and I find that they are willing to at least hear me.  

 

Oh, I if the person seems easy to talk with and if they can't think of anyone who might be interested but seem to wish they could.  I always offer to email them the job description along with my contact info in case someone comes to mind latter. 

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