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How to choose a Recruiter

The Things Most People Don't Know About Recruiters

Once you have made the decision to partner with a recruiter to find the right candidate for your needs, it is often difficult to determine which recruiter is right for you.  Below are some thoughts to consider when making your choice!

A recruiter is a recruiter, right?  It doesn't matter if you are trying to find an Accountant or an Engineer - aren't all Recruiters the same?  Definitely not.  In general, recruiters define their approach in 4 different ways: areas of practice, types of placement, sourcing techniques, and service level.

Areas of Practice
Recruiters, like Doctors or Lawyers, have different specializations.  Just as in the medical field where you will find Doctors specializing in brain surgery, Obstetrics, or Pediatrics, or in the legal field, find lawyers focusing on Intellectual Property, Divorce, or Criminal Defense, Recruiters too have specializations.

A Recruiter's special knowledge can be deep and sophisticated, based on years of experience, placement success, or penetration into candidate pools within their area of expertise.  They key is to find the right recruiter that focuses on your search needs!

Type of Placements
Generally, Recruiters work in one or more of three distinct areas - contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire.  While many recruiters will offer support in all three, most have a higher level of focus on one area.  Contract placements are generally for shorter-term projects, or where quick turnaround is required.  Contract-to-hire focused on mid to entry level positions where a built in contract period is useful to analyze hiring success.  Direct hire is focused around mid to upper level positions that require immediate impact and results.  Depending on the recruiters primary focus, your needs will be approached and handled differently.

Sourcing Techniques
There are a myriad of approaches that a recruiter can utilize to find candidates that meet your needs.  It is imperative to understand the techniques that each recruiter uses.  Are they primarily using traditional recruiting methods (posting ads, etc.)?  Do they have a pool of candidates they have already met with?  Do they direct source into companies to find the best talent?  What techniques do you need for your search?

Service Level
As in many other industries, all recruiters are not created equal - and neither are their processes.  It is very important to understand the level of service that you will be receiving when partnering with a recruiter.  Will your recruiter find resumes and present them to you?  Will they conduct detailed in-person or phone interviews?  Who handles references?  How are references completed?  Does the recruiter verify education degrees or certifications?  Understanding the role of your recruiter (and the level of service they will provide) is critical to getting the results you need.

What is the best way to determine if a Recruiter is right for you?
By speaking with them!  Make sure that your questions are answered, and that you take the time to gauge whether a recruiter will be a valuable partner for your hiring objectives.