By Veronica Blatt
For boutique recruitment firm owners who are considering split placements, we are often asked which jobs and candidates are most in demand. Although market conditions change frequently, there are some consistent characteristics that are attractive to recruiting partners.
What are the best jobs to split?
If you’re working divided within a formal group, it obviously makes sense to understand the structure of the group. If your group focuses primarily on engineering roles, you may not have the opportunity to hire an excellent accountant candidate. Or, if your partners typically recruit health care candidates, they may not be able to find candidates for your plant manager role. It’s always good to understand those dynamics and how your needs fit. Additionally, throughout our 70-year history, members have consistently pointed to these characteristics that get them excited about hiring you for their job:
- Track record of placements with clients and good relationships with hiring managers
- Quick response to submitted candidates
- The customer is motivated to take up the work with due diligence
- great company with good culture
- Market-appropriate salary and benefits that will be attractive to top candidates
Jobs that are less suitable for split placement opportunities include:
- Low fees, especially when combined with low salaries
- tough spot
- Poor customer relations and/or constantly changing customer requirements
Remember that in split placement, you have to sell the job to your partner as well as to the potential candidates. Many recruiters will not want to put in the hard work to find candidates where the chances of success are low and/or the financial rewards may be lacking.
What makes a good split placement candidate?
We want to ask our members to treat their separated partners as if they were your best customers. If you have a candidate you wouldn’t present to your best client, don’t present him to your divestiture partner. This includes those candidates who are looking to make a drastic change in career. In addition to thoroughly examining the job specifications, we have found that recruiters are looking for candidates who:
- A definite career objective supported by education, training and work experience
- Reasonable salary expectations considering education and experience
- A stable employment history with valid reasons for terminating positions
- A good resume/CV that outlines achievements, contributions and responsibilities related to the type of position desired
Split placements are most likely to be successful when both the recruiter and the client are vested in a successful outcome. This means the client is engaged in the process, the job recruiter has a good relationship with the hiring manager, and the candidate has clear expectations of the recruiter. Focus on sharing attractive jobs and candidates that you will present to your clients.
