Many managers deal with their recruiting firms in a perfunctory fashion. They provide a job description and a short description of the candidate they’re looking for, and then leave the recruiter to find the right people. Because their search firm has the expertise, these managers assume their help is neither necessary nor wanted.

In fact, recruiting partners want to know everything they can about your needs. Think of your recruiting relationship like a relationship with your physician. The more your doctor knows about your current needs, your future plans, and your overall health, the better he or she can take care of you in the long run. The same is true of your staffing partner. The more you tell your recruitment firm about your current needs, your long-term staffing plans, and the company’s overall goals, the better your recruiting firm can match you with candidates who help you meet and exceed those metrics.

How can you improve communication with your talent provider to get you the people you need? Consider the following tips:

• Share freely. When you first begin working with your recruiting partner, talk at length with them about the types of candidates you’re looking for – not only temporary or long-term staff, but also the types of candidates you want in terms of skills, experience, interpersonal abilities, work ethic, and work style. The more your recruiter knows about your company’s culture and the people you’re looking for, the better they can find you the star candidates you seek.
• Keep the lines of communication open. Communicating with your recruiting partner should be an ongoing process. “Touch base” with your firm on a regular basis and after any significant change occurs that might affect your staffing needs.
• Think long-term. Your search firm specializes not only in finding candidates to meet your immediate needs, but also in helping you create and execute a strategic staffing plan that uses both the people you have and the people you plan to hire to your company’s best advantage. Make time to sit down and talk about strategy with your recruiting partner.
• Give feedback. Are the people your recruiting firm recruits as candidates working for your organization? If not, what qualities are they missing? The next time you “touch base” with your recruiter, comment on the candidates they’re offering. Your feedback helps your recruiter find exactly the people you’re looking for.

At SMR Group Ltd., our experienced recruiters work hard to connect sales and marketing departments with the top talent they need to thrive. Contact us today to learn more!