There are many key aspects that make for a great recruitment partner; access to strong talent pools, leveraging of social media, CRM job tools, consistency and patience to name a few.
A client meeting is the one thing however that great recruiters insist on and it is fundamental to the recruitment process. Cast UK place 89% of roles where a client meeting has taken place. Here are the reasons why:
- Learning the dynamics, challenges and quirks of a position is significantly more effective when we meet the client in person rather than phone or email. Meeting face-to-face in a designated meeting room or having a coffee off-site allows for the hiring manager to openly discuss sensitive information and fill in the ‘gaps’ that you won’t necessarily get on the standard job spec. The absence of a client meeting can result in missing some crucial dynamics that will help identify talent for the business.
- Most business conversations are of a quite serious nature and revolve around solving problems and finding solutions. Face-to-face meetings allow both parties to build rapport and find out a bit more about each other on a more human level – career, family, favourite sports team, hobbies etc. People deal with people they like. Fact. Trust is a big factor when working with a recruitment partner.
- I’m not one for reading too much into body language but there is a gut feeling you get when meeting someone face-to-face. If your instincts scream no- walk away as the likely hood is that it won’t work out. Is the client reluctant to build long lasting partnerships? Is the recruiter just looking for a quick fee? You will instinctively know the answer to these questions that would otherwise be difficult to gauge without a personal interaction.
- Often a conference call is suggested as a replacement for a meeting but this can reduce the momentum of the discussion and discourages participation from attendees, sometimes stifling ideas for an effective business collaboration. The ability to share best practices and take the partnership to the next level are limited without a client meeting.
Post by Chris Roberts (Senior Consultant @ Cast UK). Cast UK is an award winning recruitment business providing professional level Procurement, Buying, Supply Chain and Logistics candidates on a permanent, interim or contract basis.
