An inside look at how recruitment actually works.
The definition of a recruiter is “An individual who works to fill job openings in businesses or organisations. Recruiters will work from resumes or by actively soliciting individuals qualified for positions. A recruiter’s job includes reviewing a candidate’s job experiences, negotiating salaries, and placing candidates in agreeable employment positions. Recruiters typically receive a fee from the hiring employers.”
A recruiter does more than find people for jobs. They also help people prepare for interviews, assist with resumes and cover letters, manage salary negotiations, advise clients on employment issues, stay up to date with labour laws, and share market and industry knowledge.
They may work for a staffing/recruitment agency, they may work for an agency which is placed internally with a client, or they may do corporate recruitment. They might work on commission or retainer. They may be a head-hunter (search consultant) or have people coming to them looking for a role.
Recruiters can work in a number of different areas, but how they work is fairly similar in any role.
Who does a recruiter work for, and how do they get paid?
A recruiter is primarily working for their client, the employer. This can be hard for some people to understand as recruiters need to look out for the best interests of both their clients and candidates.
But at the end of the day, their client is the one with a position to fill, and a recruiter will be looking for the best person that fits their criteria.
As recruiters are working for a company, the company is the one who will be paying their fee. Fees differ between agencies, industries, and types of roles. Fees are calculated as a dollar value or a percentage of a candidate’s first-year salary.
A recruiter only gets paid if they find the perfect person for the role; and remember, the client always makes the final decision on who they hire.
What is important to note is that a candidate’s salary should never be affected by that fee. A salary range for a position is set based on a company’s salary structure for that role.
While a recruiter’s fee may be determined by a candidate’s salary, it is a completely separate entity.
What process does a recruiter follow?
Though each recruiter and recruitment agency will operate slightly differently, generally they all follow a very similar process.
1. Open position
The first step of this process occurs when a client calls with an open position that they need help filling. Recruiters will then get all the details they need to start working on the role. This involves more than just getting a job description!
They will do a deep dive on the position’s salary range, interview questions, benefits to the role or company, leave and other company perks, and the reason the position is open. They will also research the team, management styles, soft and hard skills needed, start date, and even advancement opportunities.
2. Posting a job
Recruiters post all open jobs to their company website and relevant job boards, and positions may also be advertised on social media.
Recruiters also reach out to their network to find out if any great candidates are looking for work at that time. This will include exploring their existing database and other platforms such as LinkedIn.
3. Finding great candidates
The average job posting can receive as many as 250 applications, and those applications can start coming in within 5 minutes of the position having been posted online!
A recruiter needs to review all of these resumes to identify the candidates that have the hard and soft skills their clients are looking for. Once they do, they will reach out for telephone or in-person interviews, or a combination of both.
These interviews are critical because presenting an underqualified candidate to a client could potentially cause a recruiter to lose that client. A good interview also provides an opportunity for a recruiter to find out all those things that aren’t on a resume.
It is these hidden skills and personality traits that are so important to prospective employers and that make the difference between a candidate that is hired, and one that is passed over.
Once the recruiter has determined that a candidate matches the experience and personality their client is looking for, AND that the candidate is still interested in the position, they will present that candidate to the client.
4. Presenting candidates
Recruiters don’t just email resumes to clients and hope that something sticks.
They will talk to their clients about each candidate and “bring them to life” off the paper through discussing their work experiences, career aspirations, and why they will be a match with the client’s needs.
Recruiters know that employers hire for both hard and soft skills and will make sure to express both to their clients. Most recruiters will have worked with the clients before and will have a good idea as to who would fit within that particular business.
5. Client interview stage
Clients are busy people, often managing large teams, and their schedules fill up quickly. A great recruiter knows this and schedules interview slots in advance to match the schedules for all involved.
This helps keep the hiring process as short and succinct as possible. No client wants to miss out on an exceptional candidate because they couldn’t be interviewed for another month.
After the interview, the recruiter will collect feedback from both the candidate and client. Recruiters want to make sure they can give their candidates as much feedback as possible – the good, the bad or the ugly – so they know where they stand.
6. Job offer
When a job offer is extended to a candidate, a recruiter will often be there as a sounding board for both sides. They will facilitate any negotiations and strive to keep this process seamless. There may even be times when a candidate has more than one opportunity to consider, and a recruiter can assist in ensuring the client is aware of this, and that the process isn’t dragged on too long with the risk of losing the candidate.
Recruiters may be involved in the onboarding process and can provide the first day details that candidates will need.
This stage also entails letting unsuccessful candidates know that a role has been filled.
7. Stay in contact and recommend top performers
Recruiters will follow up with clients and candidates on their first day, the end of the first month, and at the end of a probation period. Should any small problems come up in this time, both clients and candidates can be hesitant to voice concerns to one another, as their relationship can still be quite new and fragile.
A recruiter stands outside of that relationship and can be a good mediator if needed. Little issues can be easily overcome, rather than becoming something that leads to a resignation.
Once a candidate has been placed in a role, they should keep in contact with their recruiter. You never know when situations may change, and you may need their assistance again. Recruiters are always looking for great people and are also happy to have you recommend top performers to them. Often, our valued candidates become clients, or vice versa.
A recruiter’s job is rarely straightforward, and there are good reasons why the process is the way it is. Make sure you get the most out of your recruiter relationship. If you have questions along the way or are confused by where you are in that process, always reach out to the recruiter and ask questions.
Even though a recruiter’s fee is paid by their client, they are also working to find a good outcome for you too.
Eva Grabner
Managing Director
Elite Executive Pty Ltd
www.eliteexecutive.com.au
Cairns | Brisbane
Eva has been working in the executive and professional recruitment industry for nearly 15 years. She is a highly professional and driven Managing Director and Principal Recruiter with a wealth of recruitment experience across a multitude of industries. Her previous experience includes executive leadership and senior management-level operational roles throughout the world. What stands out as soon as you meet her is her passion for what she does. She is a proud Cairns local and solo parent to her son, Kai.
