Internal V External - The LinkedIn recruitment battle that is damaging the industry.

I have been thinking, for a while, what my first blog should be on LinkedIn and this morning on the train I had a "light bulb" moment. Having been involved in a few conversations of the negative persuasion on LinkedIn, I thought about what the conversations were about and decided to write a piece about it.

The recruitment industry, as we all know, has a bad reputation and quite deservedly in my opinion as I have come across more bad recruiters than good. Like all industries there are good and bad on both sides and again, like all industries, the bad get more publicity than the good but what is the root cause of this problem? Is it poor industry training? Maybe. Is it the fact most agencies are KPI driven? Quite possibly. Or is it the fact that LinkedIn is a full on "bitch fest" between internal and external recruiters about the "ins and outs" of recruitment? I think a combination of all three but I can't change the first two but hopefully maybe change a few mindsets of the last with this post.

Lets be honest, some external recruiters perception is that they think internal recruiters are all failed agency staff that go internal for an easy life and internal recruiters probably think external recruiters are failed sales people who are just trying to make an easy buck and get their managers/directors off their back. Both might be true but when a conversation about poor service opens up on LinkedIn, both sides should team up to try and change the opinions and mindsets of companies, not go head to head like something out of a world war 2 movie (which side being the Germans ill leave up to you).

So instead of recruiters, on both sides, continue to moan about each other and wait for a comment to break out so we all can go head to head, why don't we start by trying to change perception and do this by being better recruiters. How do we do this? Well here is some advice for both sides:

Agency/External recruiters -

1. Stop using lazy and unprofessional approach's when trying to get someone into a company you haven't worked with before. Pick up the phone, intro yourself and give the internal recruiter/hiring manager a snapshot of their background and try building a relationship. Stop sending CV's and not following up and then throwing the toys out of the pram when your candidate starts in the business. It was your fault for not doing due diligence first!!!
2. Before you pick up the phone, do your research. Do call up and say "My name is X and I work for Y, do you have any jobs?". It might work occasionally but you will never build long term relationships and you will just become a supplier, not a partner.
3. We have entered a candidate driven market now, in most industries, so remember that candidates are important and not a means to an end. Build your relationships, do the basics and treat them as human beings. Even think of them as future hiring managers if it helps but ensure you do them justice.

Internal Recruiters/Hiring Managers -

1. Stop "back dooring" candidates and/or boasting about it online. It makes you look stupid and is ethically wrong, no matter how you justify it. Additionally I am sure your boss and CEO wouldn't want their company affiliated with it.
2. Build relationships with good recruiters and let them become an extension of your business. If you keep them at arms length then you are telling them they are a supplier, not a partner and will be treated as such.
3. During your 50 sales calls you get a day from agencies, be polite. Manners cost nothing yet I am worried that a lot of you cant afford them. If you are not interested be polite and firm and don't lead them on.

I guarantee if these pieces of advice are taken on board, the industry reputation would slowly and surely repair itself and guess what? Not every second story on LinkedIn would be "recruiter bashing".

Just to note that Search Consultancy are the largest and market leaders in contact centre, sales and operational recruitment in Scotland. I, personally, specialise in senior appointments (£35k+) all over Scotland and work with Barry McDonald and Julie Calisir to ensure delivery to our clients. If you have any questions about what we do or want advice, candidate or client, then give me a call on 0141 272 7789 or email gary.morris@search.co.uk.