So, you have decided to hire domestic help, and you have secured a staffing agency to lead a search.
Great!
Next, you spoke with the recruiter, described your needs, and agreed on a job description.
Wonderful!
Now that you’ve taken those steps, you have turned your attention to other matters. Between day-to-day business, travel, and …well, life …you haven’t found time to focus on messages that have been piling up from your recruiter.
Wrong!
Why? Because the most efficient and effective searches rely on the yin/yang of engagement.
If your recruiter is on the ball, you should have several candidate profiles and resumes in your inbox. These applicants have confirmed their interest and supplied sensitive background information and confidential references because at the time they were available.
But they will not be available indefinitely.
The best candidates will be in demand. Faced with a delayed or indefinite response, all too often they will accept an offer from another client. Even when there is interest in hiring, gaps and interruptions in communication can be read as a rejection or lack of interest and can cost our clients a much-desired hire. It happens all the time!
Time squandered through a client’s disengagement also devalues the relationship with the recruiter. It’s a relationship that is built upon trust, with the client sharing details about needs, preferences and lifestyle to a professional who will interpret this information to make the best match. Client and recruiter alike are dependent upon the flow of communication between them – including timely responses to candidate profiles or trial experiences. Even a quick check-in can move the search along meaningfully.
When staffing agencies pride themselves on truly personal and caring service, it’s ALL about engagement. Entrust your search to a recruiter who will communicate clearly with you from the very beginning, answer every question and keep you apprised of their progress.
Above all, remember that as a client the secret to a successful staffing search is to communicate with your recruiter and stay engaged!