Methodology: The 10 Laws of Recruiting

At a certain level, recruitment is more of an art than an exact science.

Nevertheless and as with any domain, intuition is often the fruit of years of hard work and analysis. Based on our experience, we have established ten rules for successful recruiting.

These rules do not guarantee success… but rather maximize it.

1. Choose a "headhunter" specialized in your industry and market. The appropriate agency must perfectly understand the intricacies, the workings, and the culture.

2. Ensure your recruiter has previously held a similar role or managed someone in the same position to the one you are trying to fill. Always check that he or she perfectly understands the scope of what the position entails.

3. Find a recruiter who is able to actively and methodically listen to your needs. From those needs, he or she should be able to extract deep understanding of the profile you are looking for.

4. Write a clear, honest, and motivating job description for potential candidates. It is often helpful.

5. Check how each and every candidate came to you (agency network, social network, open or blind listing, etc.)

6. Be sure your recruiter has interviewed each candidate thoroughly. Only in this way can he or she provide you with a good short-list.

7. Accept to see a candidate only if your recruiter guarantees his or profile adequately matches your needs.

8. Ask for a thorough and formal verification of references before making an offer. Be sure the agency do not limit themselves to the references provided but also calls upon their own network to verify the candidate’s track record. Also, questions asked during this process must be specific enough to raise any red flags at this point.

9. Ensure the candidate is accompanied and advised throughout the entire hiring process, from the first interview to the signing of the contract.

10. Insist the recruiter continues regular monthly follow-up during the first six months; not only with the new hire, but with his or her manager as well.