working WITH THE CLIENT

It’s all about you.

You pay the bills, and looking after you ensures an enduring and ongoing relationship that benefits you and us. It is important then, that when we think about recruitment, that we help our clients understand why an exclusive flat fee model is better for you.

Logical Consulting is a member of the RCSA, the Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association, the leading recruitment industry body. RCSA Director Erin Devlin, says engaging with clients on an exclusive basis increases the ability to prioritise clients’ jobs. “It gives our clients better service, a better experience and better results,” she says. Devlin says that an exclusive commitment can help clients to relax and focus on their core areas of expertise, knowing that a professional recruitment consultant will prioritise their job and get it filled.

Clients enjoy greater brand protection with only one agency representing their organisation, which has been fully briefed as an extension of the client’s business. “We always recommend to clients that they work with a recruitment agency on an exclusive basis. Whether they choose us or not, it’s better for them as a business,” she says.

At Logical, exclusivity enhances the value that we bring, and reinforces our position as trusted advisors, professionals, and an essential extension of your business. All our clients at Logical worked with other agencies at some time until engaging us on an exclusive basis. We now work on repeat assignments; it saves our client’s time, effort, frustration and they get the results they need by leaving the job fully in our hands.

Some clients may work under the assumption that using contingent results in a better range of candidates and recruiters will work harder to fill a role if they have competition. However, with little time and commitment invested into the process, will recruiters themselves be 100% committed? Maybe, maybe not. One thing you can guarantee is inconsistency.

At Logical, the cornerstone of any recruitment assignment is a thorough initial briefing. Unfortunately, hiring managers and HR practitioners regularly skip through this stage with a ten-minute phone conversation and an emailed PD. Grasping the nuances of a brief is one thing but shepherding a hiring manager and a shortlist of candidates through such a stressful event is another thing.

It is vital clients know the value that is placed on the art and science of recruitment. Recruitment is after all about accessing the most valuable asset an organisation has, it’s people.

A NEW WORLD -the upside

For Logical making the switch to an exclusive flat fee model isn’t just about delivering better outcomes. It has led to a better and more fulfilling relationship with clients and candidates. We like to spend our time and energy on a client that really values what we bring to the table. The upside of this new world is that it brings fulfilment and engagement.

You are assured of an outcome because we are making you a priority, you have our 100% commitment to getting an outcome and as a result the candidates have a much better experience. They are working with a process that is clear, defined and responsive. Everybody gets a better outcome. The return on investment for everyone provides the ultimate return.

One of the other upsides of the model is improvement in brand reputation for clients. One client told me “We went to multiple agencies and those agencies are approaching multiple candidates then it can create an air of desperation,” she says. “The message they get is: “What’s wrong? Because you’re the third agency that’s called me about this role and can’t they fill it?”

And that is where Logical’s values come in again. It becomes key to the ongoing relationship. It’s not how much money I’m going to make, it’s knowing that we’re all aligned and committed to reach an outcome and we’re all going to do everything we can to make this happen.

THE VALUE FOR client AND FOR candidate

Such is the remarkable value chain for both candidates and clients that those who have dealt with an exclusive recruiter are continuing to use and pass on the wisdom. Morgan McKinley’s APAC Regional Managing Director Vanessa Harding-Farrenberg sees this with candidates she has worked with. “Candidates who have been hired through a retained process see the value and will often go on to be clients who hire the same way,” she says.

The value for the candidate

When you think of the best candidates they tend to be in positions where they are currently well looked after by the organisations they work for. If you want to open their minds to exploring a new opportunity, they need to feel confident that there is genuine commitment from this new organisation to make the hire. So, when a client retains a consultant, and that consultant talks with confidence and conviction, and can deliver on what they say, candidate engagement is on a different level.

A well-thought-out and delivered exclusive search has a clear job description, defined process, commitment from the right stakeholders and agreed timelines. Candidates know what to expect and when. Whether they are successful or not they know when there will be an outcome and they can start to mentally prepare for it.

The value for the client

The client can put their trust in an expert and focus their energies on getting on with the job they are charged with doing. A client gets to enjoy being part of a well-run, rigorous process that ultimately saves them time, allows them to build brand equity with well crafted, consistent messaging to market, and gives them the confidence that they have secured the best person in the market.

The client will get a great outcome without a lot of the pain and time wasting a contingent process often comes with. But there is more to the value for client and candidate beyond the commercial and transactional side of the arrangement.

Through the process the client will get a more holistic service which, dependent on requirements, could include co-creation of the Employee Value Proposition, job brief design, candidate briefing document, and post placement first 90-day planning.

Logical operates as a trusted advisor to both parties which usually continues well beyond the placement. The depth of knowledge sharing through the process sets up the opportunity for the consultant to add value to the client and the candidate on an ongoing basis – for the client this could be discussions around succession planning, salary benchmarking, competitor intel, org design, and talent mapping.

Likewise, Logical will have a deeper understanding of the candidates’ aspirations and will be able to help them more effectively settle into the organisation, and in time help them navigate the path to more senior opportunities in the business.