In an industry of lean processes and continuous improvement, we often times see a duplication of effort being made in the area of new talent acquisition. On past searches, we will have identified, screened, referenced and begun an interview process with a candidate only to hear, “Jon, ABC recruiting just called me about the same company with whom you arranged a phone interview yesterday.” We have a good laugh… If you snooze, you lose. It does beg the question, however, how many other firms are simultaneously performing the same search? Is this the best strategy to maximize time and effort?

As a recruiter, I am only privy to the information the company feels is relevant to filling the position. On average, I spend about 20-30 minutes discussing the hiring manager’s needs and expectations regarding the open position. The real interesting question is how many other times were the specifics, parameters and nuances of the job repeated to other search firms? Either hiring managers are spending too much time repeating themselves, or someone is not getting enough information for an accurate and thorough search. Other search firms may not be getting as much information as A.Q.S., but that does not necessarily mean they might not bring the best candidate to the table. Anyone can stumble into a golden candidate even if they don’t understand what skills are truly needed. The goal is to find the best fit possible regardless of the source. The key here is to find that fit as efficiently as possible. After all, we are in the business of making automobiles, not briefing multiple recruiters about the same search.

A possible solution which will save our clients time by streamlining the process is ‘exclusive contingency.’ Here is how it works. You provide the job order specifications only one time to A.Q.S. When another firm calls regarding the search, have them contact us. We can then work together with a standardized job specification, gladly splitting our fee if they bring an exceptional candidate to the table. The advantages are obvious. You will only be charged one fee and never have to repeat yourself or be the point of contact with multiple firms. Accountability is also an issue. When several search firms have the job order on a contingency basis, you have no idea how much effort or focus they are dedicating to your need. Using A.Q.S. on an exclusive contingency basis, accountability rests squarely on us. With this process, you still don’t pay until the position is filled to your satisfaction. As a part of our service, we provide continuous updates on candidates and search activity. The final advantage protects our client’s business interests. As one HR Manager told me after working with them for almost 20 years, “When it comes to automotive quality hires, I will never have to worry about 2 firms fighting over a fee representing the same person.”

At A.Q.S., we are willing to split a fee to secure a job well done and a happy client. It keep us on our toes. If you have any questions, call Jon Molesky at 305-532-6740. GO Automotive Quality!