5 Ways Your Recruitment Agency Turns Clients Off (And What to Do About It)

Looking at yourself from another person’s perspective is tough. Figuring out how others see you is difficult and can reveal some uncomfortable truths. But self-awareness is essential, particularly in the recruitment industry. Recruitment is a people business, and if you’re not giving the right impression to the clients and candidates you deal with, you need to know about it. Here’s how you annoy and alienate your clients without realising it, and what you can do to fix your attitude.

1. You Don’t Know the Job

If you greet candidates at interviews with the question, “What would you do in a typical day as a structural engineer/pastry cook/nursery teacher?” be prepared for them to walk. This is a dead giveaway that you know very little about their field and what a job in their industry entails. Many recruitment and staffing agencies handle all types of jobs, which is great, but if you don’t do your research into each and every position you are filling, how can you expect to find the best candidates? A little time spent researching the job title makes a big difference in the impression potential clients will get about your professionalism and ability to handle their recruitment needs.

2. You Can’t Offer the Job You Advertised

Calling a candidate into the office with the promise of a particular role only to tell them that the particular job is not available but you have something “equally great” for them is a big no-no. Not only is it unprofessional, but it shows a lack of regard for a person’s time and will result in the candidate never taking your calls again.

3. You Communicate With Mass Emails

Otherwise known as spam. A huge turn-off in any industry – being bombarded with emails that are obviously sent out to hundreds of people at the same time. How can you attract quality clients if you are not offering them quality marketing? Email is a great communication tool, but only if you tailor the emails to specific clients and situations.

4. You Over-Promise

When you meet with a new potential client, it is tempting to go overboard with the sales spiel and end up giving them promises you will ultimately not be able to fulfil. By all means, give a convincing presentation that tells the client exactly why you are different than other agencies, but don’t say that you will deliver on something you will not be able to fulfil.

5. You Can’t Fulfil Payment Promises

Of all the bugbears in the industry, this has to be the nail in the coffin for a recruitment agency. If you fail to pay your staff on time or don’t deliver on your cash promises, you are unlikely to be at the top of anyone’s list. Getting your recruitment finance issues sorted out is essential and should be one of the first things you do before you start calling and emailing your clients and potential targets – take a look at the solutions from a company like Cashsimply if you want more ideas.

With a little forethought and a lot of common sense, it is easy to avoid these common recruitment pitfalls. Look at the situation from a client’s perspective, and you’ll soon see how you can improve your reputation and your business.

Image attributed to FreeDigitalPhotos.net Stuart Miles