How to work with a recruiting search firm january 14th 2010 for launch summit

LaunchSummit – Conversations on Career Potential

How to Work with a
Recruiting/Search Firm
January 14, 2010

Presented by Toby Nathan,
Principal at RecruitaStar, LLC, toby@recruitastar.com

RecruitaStar, LLC, 200 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 3100, Chicago, IL 60606

My Background

 Co-founder and Principal of RecruitaStar,  Assisted thousands of people with their
LLC (www.recruitastar.com), a Chicago career search, developed/enhanced
based business partner and a recruitment resumes and helped define their personal
support provider that takes on a company’s brand, taught interviewing best practices,
upfront part of the hiring process. and helped develop a customized job
search strategy.
 Fourteen (14) years retained executive
search experience.  Worked with individuals from a variety of
industries and functional areas, including,
 Fourteen (14) years experience in the but not limited to human resources,
health care industry where I served as a accounting & finance, operations, sales and
senior human resources manager with a marketing, technology and management
special emphasis on recruitment, consulting.
compensation and benefits.
 BS in Psychology and Business
 I have extensive experience consulting and Administration from the University of Illinois
partnering with organizations and hiring at Champaign-Urbana; MS in Industrial
executives to assist them with their Relations from Loyola University. AIRS
recruitment needs using best practices and Certified Internet and Social Sourcing
proven sourcing techniques. Recruiter.


Purpose: What will you Learn/Gain?

 Overview/Goals of Session:
◦ Benefits of working with a search consultant.
◦ Provide you with recommended strategies to use
to get a recruiter’s attention.
◦ Provide guidelines that a professional and
responsible recruiter will always follow.


Benefits of Working With a
Recruiting/Search Firm
Recruiting/search consultations can be a valuable professional service for
candidates to understand themselves and benefit from in the following ways:

 Free to job seekers and minimal time investment on your part.
 Access to a wide variety of job opportunities/and the hidden job market.
 Know what their client is looking for.
 Recruiters can provide a wealth of information on resumes, cover letters, interview
techniques, for example.
 They can sell you before the interview.
 Recruiter’s prep you for the interviews and tell you what to expect.
 Provide feedback.
 Help you land a position faster, with better compensation, and with an organization
you otherwise might not have been able to get into.
 Confidentiality in your job search.


Facts About Recruiters and Their
Daily Job Responsibilities

Facts you should know about recruiters and their daily job
responsibilities:

•They spend about 4-5 hours a day on the phone.
•They make contact with hundreds of people every week.
•They can receive up to 400+ emails daily.
•They rely on their network for current industry
information and market trends.
•They are compensated for finding the right candidate
for their client (companies).
•In today’s business environment, recruiters will “Google” you to view
your online presence.


Search Firms Predict the High Growth Industries – Top
Industries Growth Predictions Based on Search Firm
Activity
2008
2007 2009

2008

2009
• Healthcare • Healthcare
• Healthcare • Green
• High Technology
• Business Technology
• Business Services
Services • Pharmaceutical/
• Pharmaceutical/ Medical/Biotech
• Pharmaceutical/ Medical/Biotech • Business
• Medical/Biotech • High Technology Services
• Financial • Energy/Utilities • Energy/Utilities
Services/Banking


Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for
Industry Net Employment Changes

Of the more than 28,000 employers surveyed, a significant 73% expect
no change in their January through March 2010 hiring plans, the
highest in the survey’s history. Twelve percent anticipate an increase in
staff levels and 12% expect a decrease in payrolls, resulting in a Net
Employment Outlook of 0%. After seasonal adjustment, the Net
Employment Outlook becomes +6%. The final 3% of employers
indicated they were undecided about their hiring intentions.

Top Reasons Companies Choose to
Retain an Executive Search Firm

Source: 2009 AESC Executive Recruiting and Talent Management Report



Companies Choose to Retain an Executive
Search Firm for a Shortage of Talent



Understand the Type of Recruiter You
Are Working With
Retained Executive Search:
Search project is exclusively contracted and paid for
whether a placement or not has been made.
Contingent:
Payment is made to the recruiter when a successful
placement has been made. There is typically no
exclusivity contract – so multiple recruiters can work
on the same position.
Contract/In-house:
Paid by the hour not by placement. Individual typically
works with the Human Resources Department.


Recruitment Firm Models –
Contingeny/Non-Exclusive
Firms working on a contingency basis will only earn a fee if the firm is responsible for identifying and
presenting the hired candidate to the client.

A contingent search may be structured contractually with the client. Typically, the fee is 100% "back
end" loaded based upon a percentage of the hired candidate's first year cash compensation. Without
being paid in advance, a contingency recruiter has no assurance of being paid at all.

Typically, the client is free to work with other search firms or source candidates on their own.

Most often a CR cannot afford to invest a great deal of time working on any particular engagement,
because a successful outcome may depend on factors beyond the recruiter’s control. CR’s typically
work with a large number of job openings using a database of known candidates. They look for
matches and send those resumes as soon as possible.

CS to be less oriented toward candidate assessment and "fit" and more about getting the potential
candidate's job resume in front of the client so that the client can make his/her own assessment.

CS is geared to identifying qualified candidates, however, not necessarily the most qualified
candidates
that could be found if significant research and in-person interviewing were to be applied to the hiring
company’s particular need.


Recruitment Firm Models –
Contingeny/Non-Exclusive
Contingency recruitment is typically applied in the
following situations:

•When the salary level of the position is less than $100k.
•When many people are likely to be qualified for the position.
•When multiple vacancies with the same job description are
being filled.
•When the hiring organization wants to take more
responsibility for screening, interviewing and negotiating
with candidates.


Recruitment Firm Models
– Retained/Exclusive
Retained Search means that the search firm has structured a contract signed by the client
defining what will be provided in the way of outcomes and responsibilities for both the
search firm and the client.
The contract calls for exclusivity for the search firm much the same way a company might
expect to experience when retaining an external law firm to handle a particular legal
matter.
In RS, unless for some reason the project does not stay on the agreed-upon schedule or
other defined process steps are missed, or unless the client does not get appropriate
candidates, then the full agreed-upon fee is paid by the client. However, these fees are
paid in “installments” to match the progress made by the search firm. In that regard, fees
are paid only after certain milestones are reached. The final fee can often be paid once the
selected candidate (by the client’s standards) is met and hired.
The Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) is the professional association
representing retained executive search consulting firms worldwide. Many retained search
firms are members and are bound by a Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Guidelines.


Recruitment Firm Models
– Retained/Exclusive
Retained executive search consulting is appropriate when the salary level of the position is
above $100,000 and when it is critical to hire the most qualified person available. The client
will also want:

 A recruiter who will make a dedicated effort on its behalf to filling the position, and who will
take into account nuances of the hiring organization’s culture and other critical issues
related to the job vacancy. This includes thoroughly screening candidates through in
person interviews before finalists are presented.

Evaluation of internal candidates against an external shortlist.

 A go-between to help persuade an executive to leave a desirable position for a better
opportunity, and to help negotiate the terms of the move.

 A high degree of confidentiality in the recruitment process.


Difference in Approach/Process
Key differences between retained and contingency recruiting in the way the process is
carried out:

RR’s are expected to evaluate all candidates being considered. As a result, the RR’s will never present
a candidate to more than one client at a time. A contingency recruiter usually is in a race against
time/other sources to present a winning candidate, and often presents attractive candidates to as many
clients as possible.
CR’s tend to be more specialized by industry and function. RR also specialize but, because they are
driven by original research for each engagement, are willing and able to apply that process across
industries and functions, especially when they recruit from outside the client’s industry.
Fees for the two kinds of service are similar-typically for RR, 30-35% of guaranteed first-year
compensation for the hired candidate. RR’s make an estimate of the fee and bill for a portion of the fee
to initiate the engagement, with several subsequent invoices leading to a final bill that makes an
adjustment based on the actual compensation package awarded to the hired candidate. CR’s on the
other hand, receive one lump sum on hiring and is typically up to 25% of the compensation. In addition
to the fee, retained consultants ask clients to reimburse them for out-of-pocket expenses—mainly travel
expenses for candidate interviews. This often adds 10% to 15% to the fee. CR’s typically don’t incur
these expenses.
RR’s are not motivated to sell candidates in the same way; they are being paid for the process of
selecting the best candidate, so can be more objective about whether a particular individual is the right
choice.


Questions to Qualify a Recruiter

•Who are your client companies?
•What level/type of professional(s) do you
recruit?
•Specialization?
•What geographical location?
•Length of time in the recruitment field?
•Average placement fee?
•How many placements last year - 2009?
•What percentage (%) do you charge clients?


Guidelines a Professional and
Responsible Recruiter Should Follow
Safeguarding of Information - a recruiter should always ask for your approval prior to
submitting your resume to a prospective employer (R=Y, C=N).
Effective Communication - finding a good match between the client and company
means the recruiter must be both a good listener as well as providing you with timely
verbal status reports.
Operate Efficiently – most professionals/executives are generally busy individuals with
little free time. An executive recruiter should always respect your valuable time and
operate as efficiently as possible.
Seek Permission First - once again, the recruiter will always seek your permission prior
to contacting any of your job references or reaching out to a company on your behalf.
(R=Y, C=N)
Disclosure of Information - prior to accepting an offer, the successful candidate should
understand the entire compensation package, relocation requirements, as well as the job
requirements.
Two-Way Trust – First and foremost, there needs to be a trusting relationship between
client and recruiter. For example, withholding critical information, such as your current
salary, leaves the recruiter with too much guesswork to work effectively.


Strategies To Use to Get a Recruiter’s
Attention

Treat Recruiter as an “EMPLOYER”
This means you should understand that recruiters work for their clients. So treat
the first interaction with a recruitment agent as your first round interview.
Impress = prospective employer introduction and getting marked as a “good”
candidate and called more often for future opportunities.

Build Long Term Relationships
Look at this interaction in a long term perspective. Build rapport with your
recruiter, provide answers to all questions they are asking. Also ask as many
questions you have about the prospective position. Give them all the
information on the type of job that you want. Keep interacting with the recruiter
on a regular interval.


Attention

Be Honest
There are consequences to lying, omissions and misrepresentations made to a
recruiter. First of all, a majority of recruiters use Google, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo
and other business and social networking sites to learn more about candidates.
Consequently, being dishonest and hiding critical facts are the fastest ways to
ruin a relationship with a recruiter.

Do Not Hide Any Career Related Issues
Do not hide any career related issue. Remember although they work for clients -
it is their interest also to get you placed. So never hide any facts from the
recruiter will help them in proposing you for just the right position.


Attention

Have Specific Job Target
Many recruiters specialize by industry and/or function. A recruiter may only work
with healthcare professionals while another may specialize in placing executives
in all industries. If you are unclear about your job target or you are open to any
opportunity that comes up, a recruiter is probably not your best option.

Have a Well-Crafted Message
Whether your first contact with a recruiter is by email or by telephone, you must
be able to quickly articulate your core competencies and qualifications, describe
the value you bring to the table and provide evidence of your career
achievements. Prepare and practice your 30-second elevator pitch.


Attention

Develop a Comprehensive Resume
Recruiters need to know the details. Your resume should have the dates/years
identified for every position within the last 10-15 years and the graduation years
in the education section despite your age. Top tier degrees can be listed on the
first page of the resume and use a bulleted format to highlight your quantifiable
accomplishments.
Branding Yourself Online
With the advent of professional/social networking sites (LinkedIn, Facebook,
Twitter, Spoke, Jigsaw, and Ziggs for example), the sourcing stage of the
recruiting process has become much easier. The executive search firm’s
support staff uses many sites/searches which provides faster identification of
talent in the Web 2.0 space.


Does My Online Brand Really Matter
to Recruiters?
•MyBusinessMVP.com states:
“77% of executive recruiters use search
engines to research applicants”.

•Trackur.com states:
“59% of hiring managers are influenced by
your online reputation”.

•Careerbuilder.com 2009 Survey states:
“the number of employers using social
networking sites to screen candidates has
more than doubled in the last year. Out of
more than 2,600 hiring managers, 45%
reported using social networking sites to
research job candidates’ backgrounds for
information that verified – or supplemented –
the information on their resumes”. “One-in-
Five Employers Use Social Networking Sites
to Research Job Candidates”.

Source: “Social Media Recruiting Starfish” is from Jobs in Pods.


Attention

When Responding To a Job Posting When a Recruiter is Listed, Use a
Table in the Cover Letter and Key Words
Inserting a table with two columns in a cover letter and using key words will
allow the recruiter to quickly scan the document and decide whether you are
match. Use one column to list the job's required experience and qualifications
and list your corresponding qualifications in a second column. With over 500
candidates competing for the recruiter's eyes, don't leave anything to chances.

Develop a Compelling Subject Line
A compelling subject line message will increase your chances of getting the
recruiter to open your e-mail right away. Use something to make an immediate
connection - if you were referred by someone or met the recruiter recently at a
networking event, put that in the subject line.


Attention

Think Twice About Email Blasts
Technology can be both your friend and enemy in your job search. The high
volume of email received by recruiters has prompted high levels of email filtering
and bulk mail settings. While you may have the opportunity to send your resume
and cover letter to 250 recruiters, there is no guarantee that it will be seen. In
addition, there are some recruiters may choose to ignore resumes sent through
bulk mail as they view the candidates as being unfocused.

Offer Something
A relationship with a recruiter is like any other relationship and there needs to be
equal give and take. If you have qualified contacts, industry insights or current
market news that the recruiter can use, be the first one to offer a helping hand.
You will reap the benefits in the long run.


Choosing a Recruiting Firm

It is important that you select the recruitment firms that best matches your needs.
Some general guidelines:

Ask a Friend
Do Your Own Research
Look in the trade press for firms advertising or commenting on industry issues,
or look online - on, say, Google - for the areas you wish to work in. It’s
generally best to use an agency that has the capability to find both temporary
and permanent jobs, as it gives you greater flexibility in your job search. Some
agencies still only do one or the other.
Check Websites
Talk to the Recruitment Consultant
Be Selective
There’s very little point in emailing your resume to every recruiting firm out
there. Be focused.


Choosing a Recruiting Firm
Korn/Ferry International released an iPhone application called Korn/Ferry
Connect which gives users unprecedented access to their executive recruitment
services, including the ability to view job opportunities, contact consultants,
review thought leadership and more.

Besides the standard job listings, the application allows you to search for
Korn/Ferry's office locations worldwide by integrating with Google maps. You can
also search for a consultant by name, office, specialty or practice. There is also
functionality to add a consultant to your personal address book with a single
click.


Recommended Books
and Resources
 Directory of Executive and Professional Recruiters 2009-2010 – is the
premier junior, senior, and executive-level job seekers guide for researching
and contacting recruiting firms that will best facilitate their career goals and is
considered the “The Industry Bible” – The Wall Street Journal. - published by
Kennedy Information.
Comprehensive firm information
13,000+ Retained and Contingency Recruiters
6,000+ Locations in the U.S. Canada and Mexico
Salary Minimums
Detailed Contact Information for each Firm
 Job Seekers Guide to Working with Recruiters
- published by Kennedy Information.

 The Riley Guide Link - http://www.rileyguide.com/firms.html
- lists articles and publications about using executive search and recruiting
firms. Also provides a list of companies and descriptions.


Closing

 Closing Thoughts (Toby Nathan)
 Questions

Contact Toby
Contact Toby
Please don’t forget to link with me
Please don’t forget to link with me
to grow your network on LinkedIn!
to grow your network on LinkedIn!
www.linkedin.com/in/tobyrnathan
www.linkedin.com/in/tobyrnathan
toby@recruitastar.com
toby@recruitastar.com
http://twitter.com/tobyrnathan
http://twitter.com/tobyrnathan
312.332.4222
312.332.4222
RecruitaStar.com
RecruitaStar.com
RecruitaStar, LLC
RecruitaStar, LLC
200 S. Wacker, Drive, Suite 3100
200 S. Wacker, Drive, Suite 3100
Chicago, IL 60606
Chicago, IL 60606


How to work with a recruiting search firm january 14th 2010 for launch summit

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