A Letter to Human Resources and Internal Recruiters ...

Why are we at war with you?

Here are some conversations that I've recently had with our dear friends in HR.

Q. How many FTEs will report to this person?

A.? What difference does it make?

Q. What happened to the last person in this position?

A. It's none of your business.

Q. What is the size of the budget?

A. This is information that I am not authorized to give you.

Q.? Do you want a J.D?

A. What's a JD?

Q. What would you like to pay?

A.? We'll pay the going rate.

then,

Q. My candidate is making 150,000.

A. Our range is 70 - tops 100.

And, some fun statements:

HR:? We do not want to see a local candidate.

Recruiter:? Ok, tell me about your relocation package.

HR:? We don't pay for relocation.

Here's a slice of life on any given day:

HR:? We are not interested in your candidate, he's a job hopper.

Recruiter. He? was working for a consulting firm, they sent him on assignments.

HR:? He still didn't stay anywhere for more than a year.

Recruiter:? The assignments were?shorter than a year. It wasn't his choice, they were assignments.

HR:? We're still not going to see him.

Recruiter:? He is excellent. His experience has given him the diverse background you require. Someone like him is very hard to find. Is there any way that we can write a letter of explanation? May I explain this to the hiring manager?

Client:? No, I handle this. BIGWIG won't see him.

(Next Day)

HR:? Don't you ever call BIGWIG again. Because you called? him, I WILL NEVER WORK WITH YOU AGAIN! This will be my last dealing with you. I will not accept new resumes.? (Just got an offer on this one)

?

Just yesterday:

?

HR:?? This candidate is already in our database, he is rejected.

Recruiter:? He told me that it was two years ago. Can you check?

(She checks)

HR:?? Doesn't matter, we know of him.

Recruiter:? But, our contract states that after a year, it's ours.

HR:? If he didn't want the job then, we don't want him now. He is rejected.

Recruiter:? He interviewed for a different job, at a different location. Have you asked anyone about him?

HR:? Click!

The snippets above might cause one to smile, but it really isn't funny. In all of these instances, we are dealing with real people, and real lives.

I'm too busy. While we are playing games, your employer is facing opportunity cost, because the position is unfilled, or unproductive. If you must pay a fee to fill a position, it means that the position is probably one that makes money, saves money, and impacts shareholder value.

I give up. I am waving the white flag. You won.

On Monday of this week, we made a decision to stop doing business with companies that will not permit us to work with the hiring authority. We have respect for your HR department. We can work with HR for the contract, and any legal or compliance issues that we may have, but in order for us to do a good job for you, we cannot work through another middleman. Our firm is the middleman. Who ever heard of getting anything accomplished with two levels of middlemen? Ask any executive.

Ask anyone who closed any deal whatsoever. We must be able to work directly with the parties involved.

Instead of the recruiter talking to HR to ask the hiring authority, who in turn responds through HR to the recruiter - we need to cut to the chase, and talk to the person who is making the decisions.

Instead of?the hiring authority?giving you an offer to give to me to give to the candidate, or WORSE? giving you an offer and you give it directly to the candidate -- we need to just get it from the top.. The horses mouth.

Anything else is just a waste of time. And, quite frankly, embarrassing.

It's embarrassing when the professionals we are trying to recruit ask a simple question, and we don't know the answer.. Our candidates are bottom line people. Their jobs are all about budgets, and performance. We need to be able to present our candidates a clear picture of your opportunity, and present your company in the most flattering light.

The next time you call your dentist to have your podiatrist pull your tooth, you'll understand.

I have?thirty years in this business. I have worked inside and third party.I have trained corporate reruiting staff, and designed recruiting systems for large companies.?Your inside recruiting staff is excellent, and probably handles 97% of?your hires. ?That small percentage of hires that involves a third party is different business, and must be handled by the third party recruiter. The big difference is that your inside people are screeners. They make sure that you only hire the best, and cast away the crazies. That works 97% of the time.

That other 3%? That's the tricky stuff. It's the 'candidate's market'. These people are the geniuses, the turnaround artists, the technical gurus, or perhaps just highly skilled in an exploding industry. They are passive candidates, they are working.? We are salesmen. We talk to people who are the best in their field, and we 'sell' them on your opportunity. It's a very tough business. We are like stockbrokers, lawyers, agents, and consultants all wrapped up in one. We are on your side. You can trust us.

in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression, I am saying NO to your business if I must work through your internal recruiters, or human resources. Even if you have been an absolute joy to work with, I simply must be able to work with the person who has the need, and makes the decision.

If I can't work in a respectful way with the person who is the hiring authority, I can not work with your company at all. This isn't child's play. This is honest to goodness real business dealing with shrewd negotiators. You are paying large fees for a very difficult service. Your HR department has already tried to fill the position. Now you are using a recruiter. It's our turn.

If you are ever in a bind, and would like to try our services, all we need from you is this:

1.? I must be able to discuss my candidate's resume and qualifications directly with the hiring authority.

2.? I must be able to have feedback after an interview, real feedback from the hiring authority.

3.? I must be able to prepare my candidate to accept your offers.

4. I must be able to talk to the hiring authority about the job, the expectations, the projects, everything that isn't on the job description. (Which is most of it)

I believe that we are one of the best recruiting firms?in our space, and I'd love to have the opportunity to work with you,

?

All the best,

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