Leading the way
We recruiters have the privilege of working with many different people and businesses. We go out of our way to give everyone the same level of great service. But there’s no denying that some clients are easier to work with than others. For them, service excellence comes naturally because you’re working as a team.
So here are a few reasons why some clients have become my favourites – and why, together, we are better at recruitment.
Success factors
The best clients talk to me – all the time. They email, call, host briefings (sometimes even face to face!), they keep me in the loop on timelines, the overall recruitment process, and thoughts on the wider picture. At times they text me, for speed, for efficiency. And because they communicate – I communicate more too.
- They recognise that they are the face of their brand
My favourite clients know that whatever they say or do reflects on my experience of their business. They know that this impacts how I work for them, so they act as brand ambassadors, reflecting the vision and values of their firm in everything they do. This helps me to better understand their culture and goals, and to align my work to their expectations.
Everyone wants to feel enthused. Though sales is MY job, not theirs, the best clients are genuinely passionate and excited about the area they work in. When they talk to me, they pass this on. My best clients appreciate that I recruit in a market where there are a host of similar roles – so they pick out the projects,
opportunities, challenges and the human aspect of the roles on offer. That helps bring vacancies to life, which makes a huge difference to the message I then give to the right candidates about the role itself, but also about the business. It makes everything more positive and appealing.
They know that I wouldn’t ring or email them if I didn’t truly need to. They know my day to day is as busy as theirs and that I’m not just ringing to pass the time of day. They never make me feel like a number or ‘just another recruiter’ because I try so hard not to be that for them!
I know they can’t always tell me everything, but my favourite clients tell me the details – the warts and all account knowing that I’m not going to pass anything on, but that it helps me do my job. They are not afraid to divulge their concerns, queries or honest feedback after meeting my candidates. This helps me to help them. If there are potential worries, I can quash or affirm them and move on swiftly.
They expect a lot. They tell me when I get it wrong, they query my choices, they challenge me. They know that by using me they are asking for quality over quantity. And because I like to work with high performers, I enjoy getting it right for them.
Working together
I love working for these clients – because together we get the best results. These are also the relationships that endure. As we get to know each other better, it becomes a strategic partnership built on mutual respect and a shared willingness to go the extra mile.
It’s no coincidence that these clients are also those that are consistently successful at securing the best talent the market can offer.
Joanna Milne is a Consultant specialising in Totum's dedicated BD and marketing division. If you would like to have a chat with her about any aspect of recruitment or to find out more about the roles she is working on, she can be contacted at Joanna.Milne@TotumPartners.com
