What to Do When Your Client is a Commitment Phobe

What to Do When Your Client is a Commitment Phobe Building a solid business relationship in the agency recruitment industry can be treacherous.  Luckily, by following some dating  fundamentals you can give yourself the best shot at fruitful and lifelong partnerships. Its much like that crush you  had who originally seemed way out of your league and took a couple of nos to win over. You played the game well, made them realise how much of a good catch you were and finally  earned their interest! Youve just managed to agree terms and conditions with a brand new client and theyve given you your first role to work on (after almost giving up on  several occasions). You put down the phone and begin  your victory walk to the coffee machine; everyone was totally listening in while you worked your magic. As you strut  past the office leaderboard, you cant help but daydream about  how youll be spending that extra commission (I mean, that Prada bag would look great on you, or perhaps its  that new season REISS suit that suddenly seems obtainable). Eager to do a good job, as soon as you get back to your desk you drop everything and  prioritise your new role,  after all, this is huge for you! Flash forward to two weeks down the line, and your new client still hasnt given you feedback on those 5 killer CVs which you slaved over sourcing.  Maybe theyve cancelled the role? Is there someone else another agency? Maybe theyre just not that interested in you or your candidates All you know is that you cant help but  feel like ever since you officially partnered up and signed each others dotted lines, its turned into a one-sided affair  where you have to constantly chase them to hold up their side of the deal. It started out with great promise so whats happened? Perhaps its because you didnt outline your expectations clear enough from the onset? Here are the signs of a commitment phobe to watch out for, and some tips on how to handle them! (Hint you can avoid a whole lot of heartbreak by setting things straight early on). Theres a total lack of contact Have you ever met a potential date  and thought they were  great, but then  they moved way too slow in actually asking you out?  Maybe it was the other way around? Admit it,  weve all been there. Given the fast pace of the recruitment world, there isnt time to hang around, the good candidates go off the market quickly! If filling the role is important to this client, they will have to allocate and commit to time  each week, running through feedback with you (as the recruiter) and fitting in interviews. To test their commitment, try hypothetically closing them on this when youre initially taking the role brief: If I found you the perfect candidate when could you interview next week? Before agreeing to work the role, be sure to advise your client that it is ideal for them to  book out  between 3 to  5 pre arranged interview slots per week. This will also mean you can manage your candidates expectations in terms of time frames! They have unrealistic expectations Ok great so your new clients  given you their commitment on  interview slots and feedback timeframes (tick!). Now is the time to properly qualify the role itself. This requires actually questioning them about the skill set. The thing is, youre only half way through the job spec and its already reading  like a shopping list; a fantastical wish list! You know candidates like that dont really exist. In life we all have to accept that were not going to find Mr/s Perfect! Was your client willing to compromise? (I mean, every great relationship requires a bit of give and take,  and the recruiting relationship is no exception!)  A great way around this is to ask them  for their top 3 attractive must-haves and advise that, while youll do your best to find them the perfect person, theyll likely have to be flexible on something, whether it be on skill set, salary or level of experience  required. Broken promises are everywhere! Sound familiar? Maybe youre reading this and thinking the client appears to have promised the world to you  at the beginning, but then seems to have totally  gone back on their word. To stop your client flaking out, try to get them to formally agree to the process in writing? Think of it as a prenup Put together a document (like an Exchange of Benefits or Service Level Agreement) which outlines both what you are going to do for them (maybe you are giving them a discount or prioritising your time), but also what you expect from them in return. This way, neither of you should  be left high and dry! Some of the things you could include in your document are: Scheduled feedback slots (CV and interview) timeframes Dedicated interview slots Exclusivity period (details and dates) Meetings with relevant points of contact If your main point of contact is HR, agree some time to qualify the role with the hiring manager directly Most importantly, explain  to your client the mutual benefits of having this document in place; nobody likes a nagging  other half! (You know, the constant calls and clinginess) Explain that this formal agreement  will mean you wont be  chasing them for feedback at inconvenient times and interrupting their meetings (its hard for us to comprehend they  have a normal day job to get on with; that recruitment isnt the centre of their focus)! At the end of the day, setting expectations, confirming important dates and leveraging communication are important ingredients for all healthy relationships. Still not working out? An important skill to learn in life is when to walk away from something thats causing you more harm than good. As a recruiter with a lot of plates to spin and candidates to place, calling it quits with a client whos far more trouble than their worth could be the best thing for you and your business! If your new client cant  stick to these basic levels of commitment which allow you to do your job properly and you find yourself chasing them constantly, save yourself the heartache and walk away. As they say there are plenty more fish in the sea!