|
Recruiting
News,
Training &
Commentary
by Bill Radin
Subscribe
to Newsletter
More Tips for Recruiters
Return to
Table of Contents
|
|
The
Recruiter's Digest
Recruiting
News, Training & Commentary by Bill Radin |
|
September, 2006 |
Don't Get Blindsided by Your
Candidates
Todd's a rookie recruiter, and he just dodged a bullet.
His candidate said he would need a minimum salary of $65,000 to change
jobs.
So Todd sent the candidate to an interview with his client. Three weeks
and two interviews later, the employer told Todd he wanted to extend
an offer.
"What sort of salary did you have in mind?" asked Todd.
"Well, your candidate is pretty good, but he's weak in several areas,"
said the employer. "So we're going to offer him $52,000, which we feel
is fair market value for a person with his experience."
The wheels began to spin in Todd's head. Three weeks earlier, the
candidate said he needed $65,000. And today the employer wants to offer
him $52,000.
If I can get the employer to split the difference, thought Todd,
the candidate will probably accept.
So Todd rolled the dice. "Mr. Employer, your offer is too low. In my
opinion, it'll take at least $58,000 for the candidate to accept the
job."
"Is that so?" said the employer. "I'll call you back."
Twist and Shout
Ten minutes later, Todd's phone rang. It was the employerand
he was furious.
"I decided to call the candidate myself," he shouted. "And guess what?
He accepted my offer of $52,000."
"He did?" said Todd.
"Yes, and I certainly don't appreciate your greedy little tactics," said
the employer. "You were just trying to ratchet up your fee at my
expense."
"But..."
"Good-bye," said the employer, and he hung up the phone.
Reality Bites
Poor Todd. His
intentions were good, but his information was bad.
He was certain he knew the candidate's bottom line.
Unfortunately, the $65,000 number was only an abstraction; it wasn't
factored into the context of a tangible job offer.
Todd learned a harsh lesson: People make demands,
threats
and promises all the timeand
they're quickly forgotten in the face of reality.
To protect
yourself from surprises, here are a few tips when it comes to working
with candidates:
|
1. |
Do the
salary math. Ask for clarification when it comes to benefits,
bonuses, commissions and deferred compensation (such as pension,
stock and profit sharing). That way, you'll know exactly what the
candidate's earning. |
|
2. |
Press
for verification. For example, you can ask, "Exactly what did it say
on last year's W-2?" or "If it were necessary, would you be able to
show me a recent pay stub?" |
|
3. |
Look for
the logic behind a salary demand. If the candidate is making $75,000
a year and says he'll need $100,000 to make a job change, ask how
you would justify such an increase to a prospective employer. |
|
4. |
Keep
your facts up-to-date. Every time you talk to a candidate, ask if
anything has changed. |
|
5. |
Deal in
specifics. As Todd discovered, what a candidate tells you in the
abstract ("I need $65,000") may be very different than what
he says in real-life ("...but I'll take $52,000"). |
Your
best defense against broken deals and hard feelings is to close each
side independently. Despite the fireworks, Todd still made the
placement. But had he known exactly what the candidate was willing to
accept before the offer was extended, the employer would have
been grateful, not hateful.
|
|
