3 Reasons Why Your Recruiter is Sending You the Wrong Candidates

When you decide to partner with a recruiter in order to fill a position, you naturally expect to receive top talent that you would not have easily found on your own.

However, when your recruiter begins sending you candidates that are not on target, it’s time to figure out why you are getting the wrong candidates.

1. You are not communicating

When you decided to work with a recruiter in order to fill your open position, did you have a conversation with your recruiter?

If you simply told your corporate recruiter or HR lead to talk to the recruiter, then it is very likely that some of the things you may be looking for in a candidate were not expressed or discussed.  If you want the best chance at receiving the right candidates from your recruiter, then you need to communicate directly with your recruiter in order to explain and discuss what you really need.

Don’t believe that after that initial conversation with your recruiter that you are strictly on email communication until a final decision is made.  You need to set up a weekly call with the recruiter in order to stay updated regarding the candidate search.  Also, this is a good way to communicate any changes that may happen such as having to place the position on hold, possibly filling it internally, etc.

When you and your recruiter are in constant communication, you can address changes or problems right away, ensuring that you receive the top talent you desire.

2. It’s time to consider readjusting the requirements

Perhaps you aren’t receiving the right candidates because you are only looking for the PERFECT candidates.  If you are looking for a candidate with an extremely rare skill or experience, chances are that the candidate pool is slim and the recruiter is doing his best to present you the closest he can find to your ideal candidate.

When this happens, it’s probably time for you to take another look at the position requirements.  Make a list of your must haves and nice to haves.  Once you have this list, talk with your recruiter and explain the changes, asking for his opinion based on the available candidate pool.

I would never do this right away of course, and it should only be done when you and your recruiter have been in constant communication and you are recognizing that the candidate pool is limited.

3. It’s time to find another recruiter

Sometimes, it just comes down to the simple fact that you need to find another recruiter.  Just like with any other industry and career, there are good recruiters and there are bad recruiters.  Often, you can tell which one you’ve gotten very quickly, but sometimes you will find that you are with a master bluffer who leads you to believe that he is really focused on your needs, while all along he is spending minimal time on your candidate search.

After you have communicated, adjusted requirements, and had strong discussions with your recruiter, you should see some improvement in the candidates you are receiving.  If you do not see any improvements or changes, it is time to fire your recruiter and move on.

What are some other ways you can be sure that you are receiving the best candidates from your recruiter?

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