The lesson is, if you haven’t seen any resume from your contingency recruiter within the first week, start to be concerned.
The chance of ever getting a resume has dropped to almost zero.
A contingency recruiter (person) typically handles 10, 20, or more jobs at a time.
If they don’t get a match within days, they move on to the next assignment and client.
It’s like playing the lottery
You can compare a recruitment agency’s work to playing the lottery.
Recruitment agencies are not paid if their client does not hire their candidate.
This system leads to an ironic and unbelievable situation.
Many agencies struggle to turn a profit because a large portion of their work yields no fee income.
- The brutal truth?
- They don’t have anyone in their database or network who fits the bill.
- Even worse, another agency was quicker and beat them with a stellar candidate.
- It’s a race, and many agencies are losing.
The recruitment agency world operates on a “first come, first served” basis.
The agency that presents a candidate first has a higher chance of making the placement and earning the fee.
In other words, the agency that presents a candidate first has a good chance of making the placement and earning a fee.
Consider how this stress affects the quality of the agency’s work.
The pressure to be first often leads to rushed, subpar results.
It’s a ridiculous situation that benefits neither the client nor the job seekers.
Business model of recruitment agencies
The business model is not geared to spend weeks or months on your job search.
- The consequence is that a difficult search for candidates is put aside for a miracle to happen.
- Meanwhile, the recruiter takes the next telephone call and hopes for an easier fix and assignment.
Over the last 12 months, I have personally talked to many companies that have wasted months waiting for resumes.
Cheap recruitment fees might seem attractive at first glance, but they often come with hidden costs.
Agencies offering low fees may cut corners, prioritize speed over quality, or lack the resources to conduct thorough searches.
Hellllloooooo! Are you kidding me?
I also talked to one executive the other day who had been interviewing 20-plus people but still hadn’t hired any.
Think about the important tasks that the executive meanwhile left unattended on his desk.
The top of the irony is that by now, desperate hiring managers call executive search firms for help, and they quote fees, terms, and conditions that clearly have failed to provide the talent they so desperately need.
In Thailand, there are not even a handful of executive search firms working on retained basis only. And who headhunt candidates for management positions.
Making an informed decision
When choosing a recruitment agency or executive search firm, look beyond the fee structure.
Consider their expertise, process, and commitment to finding the right fit for your organization.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to fill a position quickly but to find the right person who will contribute to your company’s success in the long run.
The approach by Tom Sorensen | NPAworldwide
Tom Sorensen has worked in executive search in Thailand since 2003 and is recognized as one of the country’s top recruiters and most profiled headhunters.
This is headhunting in its true form, 24/7 focus on retained executive search.
The complimentary benefits are unheard of in the market and include psychometric and cognitive assessment, background investigations, and extended replacement policy.
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