Why Should Hiring Managers Use an Exclusive Recruiting Firm?

One of the most asked questions our recruiting firmpay dividends for years to come.
receives is: "Wouldn't it be more beneficial for myAs the hiring manager, before considering the
company to invite several recruiting firms to source ourexclusive agreement advantages to you and your
next Director of Operations candidate? It would seem,company, it's good to consider the three primary
the more firms sourcing and sending us candidates, thereasons why a recruiting company would prefer that
faster and better the selection. Why should we usearrangement:o Like any company, a recruiting firm is in
just one recruiting firm?"business to earn an income and profit. If the firm
I believe it's important for hiring companies to shop,knows there are other companies searching for the
investigate and qualify recruiting companies who willsame top candidates, their efforts will not be as
best meet their needs. Review their informational webintense nor will you receive priority treatment. These
site, speak with past clients, and interview the recruiter.searches turn into a gamble for those recruiting
Search for a firm that knows about and understandscompanies involved - as to who will be first to source
your business, products, goals and company culture.those top one or two candidates. A professional and
Make sure the recruiter has sourced and placed similarlegitimate recruiting company will expect to operate like
candidates to the one you need.a real company.o The recruiting firm that accepts a
After you've found the firm that best fits your specificjob order, knowing that the client has asked other
needs - move forward with that one best company.recruiting firms to search, will usually run some quick
Recently, our firm successfully completed and placedsearches, but also knows the chances for success
a senior level VP of Sales search with a well knownare reduced by at least 80% or less.o When just one
Fortune 1000 company. Our client worked exclusivelyrecruiter is managing the search, the client expectation
with our firm. We put our entire resources into thisis high in receiving results. Simply put, the recruiter
project. After an exhaustive search, we identified fourknows the pressure is on to locate the best
excellent candidates. Our client conducted telephonecandidates in the shortest amount of time. A solid
interviews and invited their top choice candidate in torecruiting firm understands that to successfully stay in
interview. Following several rounds of interviews, thebusiness, they need to develop and form a partnership
candidate was offered and accepted an employmentwith the client, in order to earn their ongoing business.
contract.When a hiring client is faced with a critical search,
Because we knew our client was counting 100% onconsider the advantages for entering into an exclusive
us, it was easy to justify our full time efforts for thisrecruiting agreement:o If you want to have control, it
search. We were confident, that if we gave our bestpays to dedicate yourself to one executive recruiter
effort, we'd receive our fee for successfullyand develop a trusting relationship that will pay
completed the project.dividends for years to come.o You receive the
Recently, our firm also accepted a search for afocused attention to your search that you deserve.o
corporate attorney. After dedicating our resources toYou save time and protect valuable information by
the project for several weeks, we began hearing thatdisseminating corporate policy, hiring profiles,
other recruiting firms were contacting the samecompensation plans, etc., to only one confidential
candidates. Our client even mentioned that they hadsource.o You eliminate the possibility of getting into a
also asked eight to ten other recruiting firms to join intug-of-war over a valuable candidate presented by
the search. We immediately discontinued our effortsmore than one source.o You create a relationship
and accepted responsibility for not clarifying thebased upon service and trust, not bodies. An
assignment with the client.experienced "search consultant" that is treated like a
On the surface, it may appear as if you have more topartner will counsel you on critical hiring issues and
lose than to gain by accepting an exclusive workingtrends, i.e., counteroffers and incentive plans.o You
relationship with your third party recruiter. After all, whybecome a team and develop a relationship with your
limit yourself to one resource when other firms maysearch consultant, combining your forces to implement
be able to provide assistance?a recruiting, negotiating and closing strategy that works
The answer is that if you want to have control overrepeatedly.o You do not have to tell the same 'story'
the process of identifying and sourcing your nextover and over again. Once a competent recruiter
critical hire, select carefully and then choose oneknows your likes and dislikes, he or she can focus in
search firm that will be dedicated to your search.on your target consistently without exhaustive effort.
Cultivate and develop a trusting relationship that will