I submitted a Candidate to a client the other day. Apparently, it was a Candidate that the client had a decent relationship with, and they had each other’s contact information. The client was surprised when I revealed the Candidate’s name, saying, “I know him! Why didn’t he just call me directly?” He seemed a little offended that this individual didn’t just pick up the phone and initiate contact.
As I explained to the client, there are a multitude of reasons for this:
- When someone decides they are going to make a move, they rarely want to evaluate just one lender. They want to know what’s out there, who’s making bold moves, what different comp plans look like and what the most lucrative options are. Recruiters have their finger on the pulse of the industry and work with multiple lenders. If the Candidate calls someone they have a relationship with, no matter how casually, this can make the process awkward.
- Candidates, especially those in production leadership, are protective over their team. What if they call the individual, they “know” but there is not a current opportunity for them there? This may leave their team vulnerable to poaching – the theory being that if the leader is considering a move, the team likely is as well. While they may not have a spot for another leader, lenders can always absorb more soldiers.
- Candidates are always concerned about confidentiality. They sometimes fear that by going to the lender directly, that individual may “check them out” with others, perhaps previous managers or people they worked with in the past. This may increase the risk of their intentions getting back to their current employer.
- While there are exceptions to this rule, many Candidates simply do not enjoy negotiating on their own behalf. They prefer the recruiter to do the heavy lifting in this area. Candidates will tell recruiters things they wouldn’t say directly to a potential employer. It’s also advantageous to the client – a good recruiter can guide you as to possible strategies when you are one of several companies a Candidate is considering.
These are just a few of the reasons it makes sense to retain a recruiter when your organization is growing, needs to upgrade or needs to fill a specific role. Recruiters have a wide net; not only can they introduce you to new talent but often, can facilitate a meeting with someone you already know but had no idea was contemplating a move.
