Columnist Simon Boulton

Would your recruitment consultant advise you to hire a candidate whom they had not presented for your role, waiving their fee goodbye? If not, you should fire them immediately, especially given current market conditions.

Many years ago I sat in a client's boardroom taking a job order for a Management Accountant. This was the first order I'd received from this particular client and after getting a thorough understanding of their brief I said, "I only have one candidate to show you for this role. She's the best one in the market at the moment with the skill set and culture fit you're looking for." They told me, much to my dismay, that the candidate had been previously submitted to them by another recruiter.

Did I back peddle and assure them that I'd find better, or at least more so that they could benchmark? No, I stuck to my guns and proclaimed that indeed she was the best in the market and that I had done references that would prove my point. The client hired this candidate. I did not get a fee for that placement. Was I disappointed? At the time, sure, a little. But over the next five years I filled all but one of the company's 24 subsequent vacancies.

I tell this story to illustrate the value of taking a long-term view, something typically only seasoned recruitment consultants will do. But how many seasoned consultants are on the phones now? Not many. The boom of the last three to six years and the progressively tight labour market made it almost impossible not to make money as a recruiter. As a result many people entered our profession, some of whom are quickly exiting.

Unfortunately, you are probably getting multiple calls per day from some recruiters who should be exiting but have not yet done so. Frustrating? To be sure. But there is an opportunity here because you may also be fielding phone calls from some really excellent recruiters who have not had time to breathe, much less pick up the phone to do business development in the last five years. This might just be your opportunity to flick the consultant that you were barely putting up with because they could eventually come up with some decent quality candidates.

It's also an opportunity to align yourself with someone who will truly get to know your business, represent your company well and accurately, and save you time and money by only presenting a select few candidates (no more than three to five for any job), all of whom would fit the bill or come very close.

So, what questions should you ask current or potential recruitment consultants when evaluating their services?

• How long have you been in the business?
  
  If they've worked through a downturn before they won't be as desperate. They will know how to work smart and hard and they will be sensitive to your needs and your time constraints. They'll understand that you have the unique opportunity to upskill your staff right now and that you can afford to be choosy.
  

   

• Give me an example of a time when you've told a client to hire a candidate you didn't represent or told a candidate to take a job you weren't working.
  
  Ask for that client's or candidate's name and phone number. Any recruiter worth their salt will be happy and able to provide references.
  

   

• List your top five clients and tell me how many placements you've made with them in the time you've been working with them.
  
  Are they one-hit wonders or do they take the time to develop deep relationships within their clients' organisations.
  

   

• How many candidates do you feel is appropriate to present on any given job.
  
  Three to five is the only answer here. Any more and the consultant got the job spec wrong or the client is unsure of what they actually want.
  

   

• How do your source your candidates?
  
  Do you have statistics on how many come from Seek? From referrals? From networking? Anyone can use Seek if they have time and patience. You're interested in their networking skills and how often good candidates refer their friends.
  

   

• How many fall offs have you had to replace or refund in the last two years?
  
  Industry average is between 5 and 10%. Sad isn't it? You want to work with a consultant who has a 2% or less fall off ratio, because this is the only true measure of the amount of due diligence they do on a placement and their ability to match people to jobs.

So, yes...dealing with those pesky recruiters can be time consuming and frustrating in this market. But it can also be rewarding. It can prove to be time saving and very cost beneficial in the long run if you take five minutes to ask these simple questions.

Simon Boulton is Director of accounting and finance recruitment practice Aequalis Consulting. He has more than 12 years of finance recruitment experience in London and Sydney, where he has launched multiple divisions for international companies. At Aequalis Consulting, he provides tailored strategies for companies in various industries to attract and retain the most talented professionals in the market. Visit www.aequalisconsulting.com.au.