Dear Nicky,
I've been making a concerted effort to work as a candidate recruiter in the network, focusing on jobs where I can really add value. I've taken the time to talk to candidates, vet them against the job requirements, and shared detailed notes with my partner. And yet, I get very little response - it seems like either nothing at all, or a very short "no, thanks" message. I'd gladly take constructive feedback if my candidate falls short so that I can either clarify or sharpen my efforts. With this kind of response, I'm starting to wonder if it's worth my time.
Frustrated in Freesoil
Dear Frustrated,
I'm so sorry you're having this experience. When we tell members that they owe their partners feedback on submitted candidates, we definitely mean more than one or two words—especially if the candidate is not a fit.
A few things that you may find helpful:
- Always lead with NPAworldwide - make sure to include that in the subject line of your email. Everyone gets too much email, and it's easy to overlook something or get caught up in an overly-aggressive spam filter. Partners are generally more receptive to getting email from others in the network, so that's an easy place to start.
- If you don't hear anything at all, give the partner a call. It's possible they never received your message.
- Don't send unsolicited candidates unless you have an established relationship with a partner who wants them (most don't). Only send candidates that are matched to a specific posted job.
- Consider calling your partner before doing any work to source candidates. You can confirm that the job is still open, find out if the partner still needs help, what candidates have already been submitted, and a host of other details that can really limit wasted time and reduce frustration.
- Posted jobs must be legitimate, open roles. You cannot post roles for jobs that don't exist just to build a pipeline of future candidates.
- If your job is closed or expired, make sure you remove it from NPAmarketplace. No one wants to spend time working on something that got filled 6 months ago.
- Provide appropriate feedback to your partners. Appropriate feedback could be as simple as "Thanks, I'll take a look" or "Really need more experience with XYZ for this client." Poor communication is the #1 cause of disputes between members, so please treat your partner with the professional courtesy they deserve.
- Split activity is a two-way street. One side posts a job; the other side provides a candidate. If someone is sending you candidates for your job, and you are not acknowledging that, you're not fulfilling your obligations. If you don't have time to respond to partners, please don't post your jobs.
NPAworldwide is a member-owned network. Members are obligated to communicate in a fashion that facilitates trust and split placements. Please do your part.
Nicky
send letters to: nanderson@npaworldwide.com