Are you preparing to work with a recruiting partner for your next candidate? Today I have 10 questions you should ask when interviewing a potential search firm.
1. Can you give me examples of recruiting and placing this same type of search with other companies in the last two or three years?
2. Can those companies and hiring authorities be references for the company?
3. Which recruiter in the firm will be working on your searches if you decide to partner with them? This is a great question, because it is not always who you are talking to at the moment.
4. Can they share an example of what a recruiting script might sound like for your opportunity? If they cannot do one specifically for your company, can they share an example script of another search that they may be going right now? The purpose of this question is to understand if they sound good when they go to market with your opportunity. Do they put a compelling story together, or do they sound mediocre?
5. What kind of different pricing options does your firm offer? Ask open-ended questions about multiple firm contingency, exclusivity, price breaks for increasing the partnership, etc. to help you understand what the different ways you might align with the company.
6. Can you share in detail what your recruiting process looks like? You want to know how the weeks will progress and get a detailed step-by-step of their process. This can help you find out when you can expect to meet candidates, do an in-person interview, offer the position, and have a potential start date.
If you do all of these things, you are going to line up with better partners who are able to better represent you in the market.
7. What does their recruiting campaign look like to ensure that every qualified candidate in the market is hearing about the opportunity? You are testing the search firm for perseverance and making sure that no stone is left unturned.
8. Is the firm insured? Do they have general liability insurance, professional liability, errors in omission, etc.? This helps weed out an independent recruiter from an established firm because an established firm knows that they need insurance in case something unforeseen happens.
9. How many similar searches has the firm successfully completed in the same city as your position? While this may be similar to the first question, this delves further into if the firm knows your geographic market. Do they know the local candidates?
10. How many companies has the firm successfully placed people within the same industry vertical as you? You need to know if they understand your industry and if they have client references available.
I have two parting thoughts for you to consider as well. First, it is important that you review the search firm's website, marketing materials, open jobs, and client testimonials to see if they are on brand. Is what the company told you about themselves the same as what you found? And, when you are looking at the recruiting firm and the people, look at their LinkedIn and social media profiles for client testimonials before you decide.
If you do all of these things, you are going to line up with better partners who are able to better represent you in the market. Quality firms that help you can make the best hire you can possibly make.
If you have any additional questions about this or are interested in using my firm, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
