It is one thing to take control of candidates in this economy (especially in an employer friendly environment that we find ourselves in today), but how do you successfully have their trust and commitment to your firm over the rest? This is a question that many of the managers I work with ask me before utilizing my services. The problems I hear most of the time from my prospects, and one reason I can justify my services to get in the door, are typically related to contractors and employees leaving in the middle or latter stage of a contract or project. If you think about the costs of staffing services today, I would be a bit upset as well (especially if my compensation and bonuses are tied to project cost and expenses)! This is pretty easy in my opinion and this is one reason why my firm prevails over the rest. Since meeting staffing deliverables for some of the largest government contracts in the country and for some of the largest companies in the world, I can count on one hand how many contractors in the previous 2 years that have left a contract early or “just didn’t work out”. So how do you train your staff to ensure proper expectations are set and commitments to clients are delivered as promised? The answer is simple: control.
Control begins with the initial contact with the candidates. They have to believe you have a service that is unmatched (and if you don’t believe it, they won’t either) and that they trust you implicitly to not only find them a job, but be their mentor throughout the emotional transition of switching jobs and/ or finding a new career. With the competitive staffing market that we find ourselves in every day, you better believe this is an imperative/ critical point in ANY staffing model! If your teams fail to do this, it will at some point be fatal in your company’s success.
So how does control affect the common objective of outsourcing and competitive global RFP’s being established by our “Fortune” level clients? The answer is commitment; and control helps establish it. Most staffing employees have a commitment to their individual firm and to make a profit, the highest one at that, at any expense. This is not the mentality to take when finding a mark-up or rate to charge on the “best consultants” available. Try making a commitment to your clients and to your customers! This is when “control” becomes effective and allows you to stand out among your competitors. Try to keep your client in mind next time you negotiate a salary or a rate with your candidates; and take the time to establish rapport and control to ensure you are working in their best interests.
In most cases, staffing services are an important commodity to any organization, as they should be to help attract and retain the best talent on the market. Bottom line is, GET IT DONE! Provide the service promised and actually add value to your “Partners” that are gracious enough to work with your firm. Make the effort to thank your contacts for their time and ensure them you will always work in their best interest. Control your candidates effectively and maximize your firms’ profits.
For more information on staffing please email me at: whayes@idr-inc.com.
