Here, Konstanty Sliwowski, the founder of Caissa Global Recruitment, defines the recruitment network and its true meaning. He talks about what clients should deduce if they have a recruiter with a big pool of candidates. And what they should do instead.
Here’s the video transcript for you:
Network. It is all about the network agencies have.
Talking to CEO’s, Chief Technology Officers, CPO’s and CHRO’s, I am struck at how often I hear them talk about working with recruitment agencies because they have access to a “network”. A network of some mythical origin where all the amazing candidates seem to hang out and wait to be employed.
And yet, when discussing a new project with a client, I am very rarely asked for quantification of my “network” or proof of its existence. Which is a pity.
So what are we talking about? What is this mythical network leaders refer to and assume all recruiters have?
Well, a recruitment network is a bit like a starter or yeast for baking bread (I know, many of us indulged in baking during the lockdown, so let’s go with this example). A network is like your sourdough starter or yeast.
- It will not become the bread you are baking, but
- Without it, you can not bake bread
It is essential to success.
Recruitment is not all about hiring from your network. Yes, of course having a network helps to start a search. Often, however, searches can not be executed purely on the basis of a network.
The importance of a network, though, is in the understanding of the subject matter.
- If I did not have a network of CTOs with experience in VC-backed ventures, this would be a clear sign that I do not have enough depth of understanding in this area to execute an effective search.
- Similarly, if my colleague did not have a network of DevOps engineers with AWS and Kubernetes experience, I would need to question his understanding of the subject and depth of experience to effectively execute such a search on behalf of our client.
Thankfully, in both cases, we have a network built over years of working and understanding these areas, which means that we can:
- Go beyond keywords, and
- Actually understand the business needs
I do digress so let me summarize.
When engaging a recruiter, don’t look at their network as a place where all the great candidates hang out. Look at it, instead, as a symbol of:
- Their deep understanding of a specific market, and
- A pre-existing experience of placing candidates with a specific background
Having a deep network indicates specialization. Specialization means focus. And focus means that when executing a search, a recruiter can:
- Go into granular detail, and
- Actually understand what your business needs, and WHY
Thus, they are able to focus on more effectively representing you as an employer of choice to the right candidate audience.
In a nutshell, instead of relying on the network the recruiter has, you should:
- Understand that networks bubbling with candidates don’t count. What matters is their understanding of the market you belong to, and their experience in providing you with suitable candidates.
- Choose a recruiter with a deep network. Because this represents their ability to focus on clients, go deep into detail, and furnish CVs according to your needs.
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