Lean V TPR - Help!

I just posted the following as a blog - I'm new to this (!) so also adding it to Discussions - hope this is acceptable protocol! Anyway, please read and comment - thank you!

This is my first blog. I'd envisaged writing something uplifting, inspiring, humerous or even educational. However, unfortunately, I'm going to have a whinge! But only in the hope that there’s someone out there who can feel my pain and share their experience.

First, a bit of background… I relocated to North America last year from the UK, no regrets – I’m loving it here, both personally and professionally. I am a headhunter, searching for the passive candidate that my clients can’t find by themselves. I manage a small team, all of us run 360 degree desks – sales, delivery and everything else in between. I consider myself a “consultant” and a “business partner” and even an “extension” to HR within my client companies.

However, I have noticed some key differences in recruiting in Europe and recruiting in North America.

I often read blogs on this site promoting the use of the telephone to build relationships, gather information, get referrals, sell in services – I wholeheartedly agree, the telephone is the best way to do this. However, I’m being thwarted!!!

I “get” internal recruitment – I see the value and have some very successful relationships with a lot of my clients through this function. However, I am being told more and more often that I am not allowed to contact business leaders, hiring managers or, in fact, anyone who is not talent acquisition or internal recruitment.

Having recently signed up to a Preferred Supplier Agreement with a leading global consumer products company I was genuinely keen to learn more about the business and specifically within the functions where I specialise. I first asked my Talent Acquisition contact for an introduction to the relevant Internal Recruiters but was told “It is not appropriate for you to call them, you are on the list so they will contact you if/when there is a vacancy.”

I explained that I wanted to inform them of our services, our specialism and approach so that when they did want to engage a TPR, that they could make an informed decision on who they partner with. These people don’t know me, and they don’t know my company. How will they know when to contact me when all they have is a company name on a long list of over 50 recruitment vendors?

My next approach was to reach out to the senior leaders within my functional specialisim. I was certainly not calling to “drum up business” but with a genuine desire to learn more about the business. I had some great conversations with at least 5 of the key Managers and Directors who were very pleased to see the level of interest and knowledge I had. They were very keen to spend time with my talking through the function, the challenges and some of their hiring frustrations – some spent almost an hour with me! With every call I made a point of confirming that there was absolutely no change to current recruitment process and that they should continue to work with their internal Talent Acquisition partners who would then engage us only if appropriate to do so. I was very transparent with everyone I spoke with regarding who I am and my reason for calling.

This, it appears, was also not appropriate! “Please wait for a recruiter to call with a need, which may or may not be immediate. Please do not call the hiring managers directly as it is disruptive.” Apparently, this business does not want me to be prepared, they do not see the value in me understanding how things operate, the culture, the structure, the challenges and opportunities.

Some of you may say “move on”… “find a client who does value your input”… Ordinarily I would agree… however, this is not an isolated incidence… this is happening more and more. Every contract I’m sent these days from HR has a clause forbidding me to contact hiring managers or business leaders.

I would genuinely welcome your input, insight and thoughts. Please and thank you!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on February 16, 2012 at 2:30pm

This right here is the key difference between being a staffing "partner" and a "vendor". When I was an agency recruiter I hated working with giant companies that just added us to a list - the only reason I did so was because someone higher up in my agency thought it was a good idea for us to claim (insert giant corporation here) as a client. Nonsense. My best clients were small (usually no more than 100 employees) and here in the 5-50M annual revenue range. Large enough to have openings and be able to pay a fee, small enough to not have all these dumb processes and roadblocks in the way.

The companies for who I was a so-called "preferred vendor" never got my best candidates. Those went to clients that actually viewed me as a partner and yes, extension of their own HR team. My advice? Find companies that don't have internal recruiters (or maybe 1 or 2 that will truly partner with you) and remember that your value lies in being a consultant, not being able to upload a resume to whatever ridiculous ATS they're making you use.

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Permalink Reply by Kerris Hougardy on February 16, 2012 at 2:49pm

Thank you Amy! I was worried maybe I was being a bit "pretencious" in my approach, expecting my clients to actually value my input. Recruitment for me is not a transaction... its a process involving people, human beings, with opinions and feelings - on both sides! How can I truely add value if all I'm doing is pushing resumes?!?!? Why can't they see this though??? How am I ever going to sound credible in a headhunt approach if I know nothing about the business???

I am going to revamp my Biz Dev target list immediately! :-)

Amy Ala said:

This right here is the key difference between being a staffing "partner" and a "vendor". When I was an agency recruiter I hated working with giant companies that just added us to a list - the only reason I did so was because someone higher up in my agency thought it was a good idea for us to claim (insert giant corporation here) as a client. Nonsense. My best clients were small (usually no more than 100 employees) and here in the 5-50M annual revenue range. Large enough to have openings and be able to pay a fee, small enough to not have all these dumb processes and roadblocks in the way.

The companies for who I was a so-called "preferred vendor" never got my best candidates. Those went to clients that actually viewed me as a partner and yes, extension of their own HR team. My advice? Find companies that don't have internal recruiters (or maybe 1 or 2 that will truly partner with you) and remember that your value lies in being a consultant, not being able to upload a resume to whatever ridiculous ATS they're making you use.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on February 16, 2012 at 2:56pm

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Keep busting doors down, Karris. Hiring managers tend to last a lot longer than internal recruiters (excepting Amy).

Another issue I've noticed when dealing with Internals (except Amy) is they don't pre-close at all. Recently, I played by the rules (mostly) and in the 11th hour my candidate and client were $20k apart. OF course this was dumped on my plate.

How could it happen? I told the client rep what the candidate was looking for. Did it ever occur to him to do a reality check with him, me, the hiring manager? Anyway, we worked it out. Could've all been worked out before offer if information was shared.

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Permalink Reply by Kerris Hougardy on February 16, 2012 at 3:04pm

Hi Bill - thanks for the input - much appreciated! I also feel that same pain - happened to me just last week! Isn't it ironic how the supposedly "people" functions (i.e. HR / Internal Recruitment (excluding Amy!)) within corporations struggle these days to connect with their suppliers, customers, candidates in a meaningful way?!?!?

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Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on February 16, 2012 at 3:14pm

Thanks Bill. It is my mission to outlast these troublemakers lol.

Kerris you're right on with the biz dev target list! And if you find yourself dealing with an internal recruiter hope that it's someone like me. :) I don't mean that in a cocky way but like Bill said about asking forgiveness vs permission - I was just told to find a temp to hire candidate for an entry level role and now I'm engaging a firm with whom we DON'T have a contract because I trust them to do the job right. So there. :)

oh and the pre-close? I'm closing all day long. I refuse to extend an offer that hasn't already been thoroughly vetted and I have a 99.9% chance of getting accepted. I ALWAYS talk money. But that's for another blog I guess. :)

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Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on February 16, 2012 at 3:19pm

those aren't "recruiters". Those are "Talent Acquisition Specialists" who probably secretly yearn to be in HR for reals and got in the business because they "like people".

Bill is a recruiter. I'm a recruiter. You're a recruiter as is most of RBC. You will know them by the placements they facilitate by actually talking to people, not running reports in an ATS.

Kerris Hougardy said:

Hi Bill - thanks for the input - much appreciated! I also feel that same pain - happened to me just last week! Isn't it ironic how the supposedly "people" functions (i.e. HR / Internal Recruitment (excluding Amy!)) within corporations struggle these days to connect with their suppliers, customers, candidates in a meaningful way?!?!?

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Permalink Reply by Kerris Hougardy on February 16, 2012 at 4:09pm

And on the same day I get an email saying... "Thank you for being such a GREAT partner!" from another wonderful Internal Recruiter!!!

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Permalink Reply by Bill Schultz on February 16, 2012 at 7:42pm

Yea, don't buy into that crap. If I had a nickel for every time my partner tells me about an internal recruiter who's "really. really nice" I'd have roll of nickels. And Amy is right. They are either waiting for their big break in benefits (woo hoo!) or they sold the CFO on total automation so they think any human contact is contrary.

Kerris Hougardy said: