My name is Teodora Tus, and in 2017 I joined the AMS Human Resources team. In these 3 years since I started the collaboration I have had the opportunity to learn countless things, including those that make a collaboration of a recruitment agency with an HR department within a company, to be a successful one.
Below I want to present my conclusions, after more than 150 closed roles and collaborations with more than 30 companies, most of them in IT. I don’t pretend to reflect an absolute truth, but rather what I’ve noticed over time, things I’d like to share with you.
We are different, our clients are different and there is definitely no universally valid recipe, and if there was one general thing valid, in all the collaborations we had, this would be one of them: we are different.
It was not by chance that I mentioned the importance of differences, their recognition from the very beginning, as a premise from which to start on. Why is recognition of distinction important? Because we need to adapt and learn to get to know our collaborators. Starting from here, we have selected below the most important variables, which wisely managed, can form the basis of a successful collaboration.
Let’s get started!
Communication
Why communication? Because it tells us what we need to know about our client, about what they’re looking to get, about the problem they’re facing, the fear they may experience. I am referring to those beyond what may be transmitted in a cold, objective way: “we need 10 developers with the following technologies in their CVs”. That’s the only way you can see and feel, what’s really important to your client.
You want to know answers about the values, goals and objectives, resources, obstacles that your client has and encounters. In the end, most of the time we join the companies with which we share the same values.
Personally, I can say that this information helps me find in a shorter time that candidate who is a match with our client, both technically and in terms of personality.
Definitely, we also experience situations where it is quite difficult to have a conversation on the phone every time because of the limited time that the client has at his disposal, or perhaps because of the different time zone, in the case of customers from other countries. Even so, at a certain time, whether it’s a week or two, we find that right time for both sides to share information by phone or skype.
Written communication has its role and is very important in a collaborative and absolutely necessary in a relationship. But through verbal communication (whether it’s face to do, phone or skype) you can best convey emotions and positive energy… And even smiles. And I believe that in the end, what we want to offer our clients is an experience, an emotion, after solving an issue or taking care of a need.
Feedback
Nothing is perfect and things are not always on an upward line (of course, you need to worry about it being so). That’s why we are open to talking to our clients about these situations. Maybe it’s that difficult time of the year when you can’t find that candidate who meets all the technical criteria required by the client, or maybe you run into a candidate where you see potential and that you think is a match with your client. What are they doing? I am adding the Feedback received within the market to the communication loop and I am working closely with the client to find a solution, a way that facilitates the process of recurrence and that would bring the desired results. Trust comes along with flexibility.
Certainly, all of us engaged in IT recruitment, came across a candidate that we consider suitable for our client, both technically and in terms of personality. The interesting part is that he heard from somewhere that the company we represent does not meet criteria x and y. What do I do then? First of all, I check what is the real perspective of the candidate, and for that, I communicate with my client and give him feedback from the candidate. I understand that when a client puts his trust in me to represent his company in front of the candidates I am talking to, I have a responsibility to come to him with data that he needs for a more delegated and effective employer branding. Some clients ask me openly to help them, compared to others I take on my own initiative this task.
I understand that my role as a recruiter is to create bridges, communication channels, to find common points where initially you can see too much difference.
Caring for the customer and their needs
During this pandemic period I learned that nothing is actually certain. A project can exist today and tomorrow can be put on hold. What remains, however even in this context, is the relationship with the client. Even if a project is placed on hold, people still carry on and I’m really interested to see how they are during this period, how they manage things and how can I offer encouragement. I do it with passion, because so many times, I too, have been encouraged by them.
It’s very simple to do that. You put your hand on the phone and give your client a call. The effects that this has are wide and positive and can be the predictor of a very good relationship, both professionally and personally. Any business is done by people, for people.
Of course, you can do that if it’s not a pandemic or if the project isn’t on hold. Personally, I call my clients from time to time to tell them that I wish them a wonderful weekend or a week with a boost even when I have no professional reason to do so. I call my clients to tell them that I wish them happy holidays, even when I have previously sent them an email telling them the same thing. And that gives me satisfaction in what I do and succeed in my job.
I think it’s that no matter how many calls you make to a customer or how curious you seem, in the absence of a real interest and frankly there is no result, moreover, it can make things worse.
An excellent relationship is built and based on authentic communication, offering and requesting feedback, all of which are based on the sincere care for the client and his needs.
I’m Teodora Tus, IT Recruiter and Branch Manager for AMS Human Resources, and I love my job!
Stay safe and stay healthy!