In an effort to be a true staffing partner, we offer some suggestions that have worked well in the past for our valued clients.  If you want candidates that are not only excellent matches for - but also excited about - positions in your company.  It is vital to select a search partner that “fits” you and has a process in place that ensures consistent and speedy success.  The tips below have proven to streamline the potentially arduous task of filling a variety roles.

Be Strategic
Unless you have completed your normal daily job functions and can take two to six weeks off to devote yourself to searching and securing the right candidate for a position in your company, it is important to find a great search partner / recruiting firm.  Obviously, not all recruiting firms are created equal.  Some ways to evaluate the right firm for you:

• Is the firm responsive to you from day one?
• Does the firm demonstrate an understanding of your industry?
• Is the firm familiar with your competitors?
• Is the recruiting team fun to talk to, enjoyable to work with?
• Is the firm willing to spend time with you to understand your needs in detail?
• Can the firm commit to a timeline?
• What details is the firm going to provide beyond the resume?
• Is the firm willing to do reference checks when requested?
• Is the firm’s recruiting fee structure in line with your budget?
• Is the recruiter experienced in salary negotiations? (Remember that if a recruiter is firm but convincing with her fee terms, she will be just as convincing when working to bring a candidate on board for your firm)
• What resources does the firm use to locate candidates?
• How long has the firm been in business?
• What success has the recruiter had in your area of need?

Deciding which recruiting firm to use should be done carefully and systematically.  Once you have made a decision, be committed to giving that firm the proper tools to be successful:

• Provide them with a detailed job description.
• Share what the successful candidate will actually DO in the role.
• Describe the challenges of the position.
• Share the growth opportunities.
• Provide the firm with corporate background information and future goals.
• Explain why a potential candidate would want to resign his or her current role to work for you.
• Communicate openly, thoroughly and in a speedy fashion with the firm.
• Share both positive and negative feedback.
• Make sure the recruiter thoroughly understands the position to be filled and the person that you require in the position.

Be Prepared
Once you have identified the top candidates for the position and are ready to begin to interact with them, it is a good idea to have a stock of relevant questions that you will ask each candidate.  Ask each candidate the same set of questions.  This makes it easier to judge applicants against each other.  Have the candidate’s resume on hand during the interview to help the process.  If you do have specific questions for each candidate based on the resume information, write these questions down ahead of time.

Be a Realist 
Put aside your idea of a candidate having a specific number of years of experience and particular skills.  Instead, detail the key competencies that the job requires and set about finding out which applicant can best carry them out.

Be Inquisitive
The key to getting the information you need on each candidate is to listen and ask for further clarification.  Too often, interviewers talk too much and fail to discover crucial candidate information.  The overly enthusiastic interviewer can also give away clues to the ”desirable” answer and end up hearing exactly what she or he wanted to hear, as opposed to a candid answer.  Instead, ask probing, open-ended questions that test motivation, attitude and initiative.

Be Honest
It is important to give the candidate a good impression of your company.  When you make an offer, you want it to be accepted.  Tell candidates about your company's track record, bonuses or stock options that are available and any other employee perks or benefits.  However, it is also important to be sure that the candidate knows exactly what he or she is getting into.  Tell them the good, the bad and the ugly up front so that there are no surprises after you have brought them on board.

Be Speedy
Don’t let time lag when giving initial feedback or proceeding to additional interviews.  Candidates frequently perceive that how a company conducts itself in an interview process is how it conducts itself in the rest of its business.  After interviews are completed, make sure that you provide speedy and thorough feedback.  The interviewing process is a momentum game, and any perceivable lulls - especially late in the process - can diminish your chances of landing your desired candidate.  In the final stages, our recruiter will have communicated exactly what it is going to take to successfully hire the candidate.  When the candidate accepts, be sure to have a start date and an acclimation timeline in place.  Also, don’t forget to take a moment to pat yourself on the back - you have just won a battle in the ever-heightening war for talent.  Congratulations!

Follow-up
Diligently follow-up with your staffing partner at the first hint of any issues with your new employee.  This will ensure that any potential issues are addressed early and rectified