Wanna offer a recruiter advice?

Before doing this, I was an engineer back when my face didn't have "laugh lines". I actually was involved in automotive engineering groups conducting studies on automotive engineered systems.

Needless to say, the byproduct of this was learning the ins-and-outs, good-and-bad within the automotive supply base.

A few years later after I was zapped by an extraterrestrial gamma ray, I found out I was a Recruiter and soon was filling positions for a very admirable automotive supplier. Over the years, I've made dozens of placements with this company. As many know, I took time off to create my present office structure and started fresh a couple years ago.

Out of the blue, the company resurfaced when their top HR person contacted me through LinkedIn. After a (rare) face-to-face meeting, I offered to recruit for them at 15% (cough cough cough....) if they would at least verbally give me promise of a 3 week head start on all outside-agency blessed requisitions. Deal.

Well, I found out five weeks ago that the top HR person is 'adios' and there's a new sheriff in town. Naturally and humbly, I tried contact Mr. Newguy and let's just say .... whiffffffffff...nothin'. And guess what, my three HR contacts at HQ and two of their plants won't respond either.

OK. OK. Full disclosure. As things have been quite peppy here, working JO's at 15% isn't exactly making me all that excited. Also, they reneged on the 3 week head start deal as I found out they're working with solo hot-shot lady recruiter across town who's second cousins with one of the veeps.

So what do you think? Not being arrogant but I'm a household name over there as a recruiter having placed so many people over the years.

The new guy's title is VP of HR and he's the one that apparently pulled the plug.

What should I do?

- Steve

Comment by Kelly Blokdijk on June 6, 2013 at 1:57am: Hi Stephen - sorry I haven't commented on any of your posts so far. Enjoyed your appearance on #RAShow as I know many auto industry people and follow trends in same. Thought your info was interesting, yet you attracted some rough reactions on the show. Tough crowd - kind of like playing disco at a rap concert.

Anyway, I don't have a specific recommendation to your current predicament, but think you may want to step back before assuming the worst about the new sheriff. As an HR person (that has also held simultaneous oversight of recruiting operations) it sounds like to me that the new person at your client company might have A LOT going on and you (outside vendor) may not be a top priority right now as they get acclimated.

That is the version of giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Next option is that they fit all of the derogatory HR stereotypes and are in fact a bumbling idiot incapable of tying their own shoes. Working with that understanding, what do you have to gain or lose from building a relationship with them? It might be annoying, but worth it if it works out. So what if you have to spell out OEM every time they start a search to fill a role. You keep the account and they think you are brilliant with your industry knowledge and get to keep filling their reqs...

Win-win!

~KB @TalentTalks

Comment by Sandra McCartt on June 6, 2013 at 12:19pm: A really good sales guy gave me some advice once, or maybe twice. If you get sting signals that somebody is trying to get rid of you, don't force their hand and make them say it out loud or in writing. If they do then they feel like they have backup what they said or wrote. Leave them alone for a minute go call on somebody who is receptive. Let them hear from their competition that the competition is buying from you. Give your own competition time to screw up, everybody does at some point.

If you haven't shot yourself in the foot by making an issue of somebody not buying from you they will probably be back around. If they come back to you, welcome them and don't mention they slammed the door in your face. At that point you are a stronger position than you were when you were trying to beat down their door.

Comment by Stephen Smith on June 7, 2013 at 4:40am: Hi Stephen. First of all, whichever course of action you take I wish you the very best of luck.

However if it was me, I'd be very stern with the client. In 2013, when recruiters are promised informal exclusivity - even if it's only for 3 weeks - it's usually a false promise. Stephanie McDonald suggests adding value elsewhere, but recruiters don't have an overabundance of skills in which to do this.

I'd continue to source candidates, but I'd make time to find ways where you can concentrate on new business development.

Comment by JP Sutton on June 7, 2013 at 6:14pm: It does suck when these things happen, but all things must come to an end one day. Maybe today is that day. If it were me, I wouldn't give it too much thought. If they want to do business with you they will, what you don't want to look like is a desperate Recruiter, especially for a 15% Fee.... But hey, to each is own. Think about all the time wasted, spending on trying to fix the problem, that time could be spent developing new business. Since you had a good relationship with them and made many placements with them also, don't be bitter about anything. On the contrary, be thankful that you were able to be a part of it and move on. Send them a note and say I appreciate your business and I'll be here if you need any support, and then be on your way. Honey over Vinegar in this scenario....

Comment by Linda Ferrante on June 11, 2013 at 3:14pm: Steve, this is a great question! I'm in the Detroit area too, but I don't do technical anymore. We've probably worked on some of the same req's!! :)

In all seriousness, I would recommend staying strong and steady with the phone calls and your other contacts there, but don't be surprised if you never hear back from them. If this guy isn't long for the company, they may want to go back to 'the way things were' before he came on board. It puts you back into a position of respect and semi-control in the relationship!

If the business doesn't mean that much to you to lose it, then slowly let it taper off. Track down that HR lady, though, and find out where she landed!! Good luck to you!!

Comment by Stephen Nehez, Jr. on June 21, 2013 at 10:16pm: And so it happens that I have won.

I have been send job orders/requisitions to work on and I will tell how this was accomplished very soon.

Stay tuned. Don't stop believing. Be tough. Be resilient. You will win. Have a great weekend.

- Steve