Even if your concerns seem minor, donit disregard your gut instinct. If you are worried about actions or behaviors from the recruiter youire working with, remember that they are doing the same thing with candidates, which is problematic because candidates see recruiters as an extension of you. A recruiter that causes a negative perception of your company makes it incredibly difficult for you to attract high-quality candidates for months, and depending on the severity, years to come.

Red Flag #1 – Candidates Are Not Well Vetted

Have you received a referral and wondered, ìDid the recruiter even talk to this person?î or ìDoes the recruiter understand what this job is all about?î

I like to draw parallels between recruiting and insurance. Imagine if you sent a partial submission to an underwriter but expected a complete quote. It wouldnit happen, and the more you send incomplete paperwork, the more you jeopardize the carrier relationship.

If you set a high bar for your work on the insurance side, then you should set a similarly high standard with insurance recruiters when it comes to their processes (candidate sourcing, screening, and due diligence).

Red Flag #2 – Job Seekers Lack Information About You

Have you concluded an interview with a candidate referred by a recruiter and thought, ìThat person didnit seem to know anything about our company or the job opening?î

If the candidate chose not to prepare, thatis not the recruiteris fault.

However, a more likely scenario is that the recruiter is doing the bare minimum, skipping key steps you expect from a quality consultant like interview preparation. Avoid working with these types of recruiters. It’s important to set expectations for how you expect recruiters to be involved in your hiring process. Examples include educating candidates on your company and job opening, conducting interview debriefs, providing support on compensation and offers, coaching through resignations, and more.

Red Flag #3 – The Recruiter Has Poor Communication

Have you been in the final stage of the interview process only to find out:

ï

The candidateis #1

job is not yours.

ï

They will fail a drug test.

ï

They have a criminal record.

ï

They want significantly more money than

the initial salary range given.

ï

They are susceptible to a counteroffer.

ï

They will leverage your offer with other

companies.

ï

They want to work remotely despite your

position being hybrid.

ï

A family member doesnit support their job

change.

ï

They lack the experience they claim to

have.

The hiring process is a series of small steps, and each one missed makes the next more difficult. Communication is the key to successful recruitment. Recruiters who do a poor job of communicating:

1.

Do not conduct interview debriefs with candidates

2.

Avoid difficult conversations about compensation, offers, and resignations

3.

Are unaware of key details about the candidate that could lead to a bad hire

Information is power. Not everything you or I hear from a candidate means good news, but that doesnit mean we avoid the questions that need to be asked. A recruiter should regularly speak with you and the candidate, thinking one step ahead about issues based on their experience that neither you nor the candidate have considered.