Many recruitment companies I’ve spoken to about their marketing talk about their plan to get more clients. This plan varies from an aspiration to a clear route with actions for getting their targeted clients on board. My next question is invariably “What about your candidates?” Sometimes I get the response ‘Well once we’ve got the role from the client we can always go and find the candidate’. However, in a world where recruiters face competition not only from each other, but an ever-increasing internal resourcing population, having existing relationships with candidates no-one else can find will set you apart, getting you not only short term fees but a longer-term relationship with your clients.
“In a world where recruiters face competition having existing relationships with candidates no-one else can find will set you apart”
To find and acquire these great and unique candidates, you need a candidate acquisition and retention strategy. In this blog we explore 5 key reasons why you need to focus on your candidate acquisition and retention strategy:
A candidate that you already have a relationship with and clients can’t source themselves is the ideal scenario. However, it’s one thing sourcing these candidates, it’s another thing to make sure you develop and maintain a relationship with them -not just with lots of communication at the recruitment stage, but building the relationship over time. It’s about the overall candidate experience. If another recruiter is going for this candidate and you have the relationship, who’s going to secure them for the client?
Without great candidates for clients to see, it’s like asking them to come into your shop and not have any products on sale. Clients want to see the calibre of the candidates you have and that they are available for their role.
Getting the wrong candidates is equally bad as having none at all. They represent you at when they meet clients at interviews. Clients will judge whether they understand the company and the role. Are they fully briefed and prepared? You can’t predict whether a candidate will turn up to an interview, but you can get a good sense and do your homework to check the candidate out thoroughly beforehand.
Make the most of your existing candidates. Ignore them and they will go elsewhere. Generally in marketing we say that it costs five times as much to attract a new customer, than to keep an existing one. The same principle is equally valid with candidates. You’ve spent all that time and effort attracting candidates to your company, now you need to maintain the relationship and maintain the presence of your brand in front of them.
A great candidate will attract clients and roles. As they say ‘Birds of a feather flock together’. Great candidates will know and attract other great candidates. Give them a excellent candidate experience and they will also become advocates for you. Great candidates aren’t waiting to be found, you need to go and get them, plus you need to attract them to your brand.
"As they say ‘Birds of a feather flock together’. Great candidates will know and attract other great candidates. Give them a excellent candidate experience and they will also become advocates for you.
There are many more reasons why it’s important to attract the right candidates and retain them, but this doesn’t happen by chance. You need a strategy and plan in place that is then built into the everyday processes for your recruitment consultants.
I create candidate acquisition and retention strategies for my clients, if you’d like differentiate yourself too please contact me for more information.