Last month Georgia Hartley-Brewer received a sheepish phone call from an interim in her network. He admitted that shortly after they had spoken about a competitive brief, another recruiter had been in touch.
This individual claimed to have the same role on an exclusive basis and proceeded to successfully convince the candidate that he had been swindled by NSCG, gaining the confused candidate’s permission to share his CV with the client. Shortly after, the candidate realised what had happened and called to explain the situation. The candidate ownership was settled with the shocked and rather regretful client. But whilst the CEO had been honest from the outset about briefing multiple agencies, he said that because his phone and emails were being hammered for days on end by recruiters, he had learnt a valuable lesson.
A parable for clients and candidates alike. No, it isn’t common for career interims to be swayed by such tactics, and nor, we’d imagine, would a seasoned interim provider attempt such manipulation; these were local contract recruiters. The interim market is teeming with somewhat malleable and often disillusioned permanent career professionals who, having failed to secure their next role for some time, are dipping their toe into interim waters. Market conditions are also perfect for predatory recruiters who get a sniff of an un-filled role and upset the ecosystem by bulk-sending CVs of candidates they have never spoken to, let alone sought permission to submit for the assignment. Chewed up in this chum, one usually finds a burnt-out client, a very long list of disgruntled and traumatised candidates, and a couple of jaded recruiters.
As a client, what are the pros of competitive briefing?
Admittedly, there is a small chance that you will identify a candidate who isn’t included by the first provider. However, with a clear brief to a trusted IIM Platinum provider whom you have vetted appropriately it’s unlikely – check out Seven questions to ask when choosing an interim provider for further insights on how. More often than not, the two or more providers you choose will be calling the exact same candidates within hours of each other, briefing them on slightly differently scoped roles based on their own understanding of the requirement, at different day rates, causing contractual confusion and weaking your Employee Value Proposition. Georgia has seen this firsthand with a small number of Retailers who have more recently used multiple agencies to hire in an attempt to comprehensively cover the market.
You may additionally see this approach as a valuable way to keep a preferred agency on their toes. However, just as in any relationship, can you be sure the benefits outweigh the lost trust here?
One alternative is to agree to exclusivity for a certain number of days or weeks, something we offer our clients as a commitment to prioritise their work over others. Or, you could consider giving alternate briefs to different agencies, so that they are exclusive on a role but know that someone else is waiting in the wings should they fail to secure the best candidates.
Why agency monogamy pays off
Now let’s look at the compelling reasons to “stay loyal” to your preferred interim provider:
- Urgency – For traditional interim needs, this is vital. Offering exclusivity means that your urgent assignment is prioritised above other work. You might get five instead of fifteen CVs, but they will be delivered at pace with the greatest of care, accuracy, and attention.
- Assignment control – by briefing one agency, you have control of the messaging in the market and the accuracy of candidates being spoken to. Your brand equity is safeguarded, the process is clear, measured and manageable, you can ensure set interview slots, with a single update telephone call covering the assignment..
- Quality control – less spoken about than the points above but very important. When agencies work a competitive brief, they are often compelled to share less appropriate CVs, just in case another company submits the same candidate. “Covering someone off”, as it’s called, wastes everyone’s time, including yours. Trust your preferred provider to make that call.
- Commercials – Exclusivity is often traded for preferable terms of engagement, for example a lower margin on the candidate’s rate, or improved payment terms. You won’t be getting the best rate if you are hedging your bets by using multiple providers. Indeed you are likely to pay a premium, to make it worthwhile for the recruiters to engage.
- Relationship building – Trust is a valuable asset and can be lost instantaneously in any relationship. If you find out your partner is cheating, you may well choose to leave them. If an agency has proven themselves to you, trust them and stay loyal to them. It will pay dividends. These relationships long outlast your tenure in role and these individuals will remember the law of reciprocity should you find yourself on the market in the future.
We’re all experiencing choppy waters, but it’s at exactly this time when it pays to buddy up by diving into an interim recruitment brief with one, trusted provider.
To learn more about how New Street Consulting Group can partner with you on your interim needs visiting our Interim Management page.