The Humble Beginnings of Iconic Brands
–A Ten-Part Series–
Part Two
by
Bob Marshall
February 4th, 2025
Part Two – The Large Company
Let’s imagine I own a large company with 100 engineers. If I lose one, I still have 99 engineers to handle their workload and keep everything running smoothly. Losing one person won’t create a major disruption, and there’s no real urgency in replacing them, right?
As a large company, I have the infrastructure to make things more challenging for external recruiters. I’ll set low fees, maybe even 50% of what you typically charge. You’ll need to be on an approved vendor list. You’ll have to go through our personnel department, and before I even consider interviewing your candidates, I’ll want to review their resumes first. Plus, if any of your candidates are posted online, I won’t pay you at all. These are just a few of the roadblocks I can put in place because I’m a big company. I receive countless calls from recruiters, so I’ve had to establish these policies to manage the influx. But here’s the bottom line: I simply don’t need you.
It must be tough for new recruiters when we train them to avoid sending resumes, bypass personnel, avoid cutting fees, and not get stuck on vendor lists. But then, the first thing they hear when they reach out to big companies is: “You must send resumes, go through personnel, we don’t pay full fees, and you must be on our approved list.” Everything we’ve taught them gets immediately challenged by the reality of dealing with large companies.
The issue isn’t that we’re training them incorrectly, it’s that they’re targeting the wrong sized companies. They’re pushing into an area where their services aren’t needed, and of course, they won’t get paid if there’s no real demand. So, when any of us encounter resistance, try this verbiage:
“I hear what you’re saying—whether it’s ‘send resumes’, ‘no full fees’, or ‘you need to be on an approved list’. But from what I understand, you don’t have any urgent hiring needs right now. As a recruiter, I work best when urgency is present. So, if your situation ever changes and you need fast action, I can deliver within 5 business days—10 at most. Please keep me in mind when that urgency arises.”
Then, politely wrap up the call and move on to the next one. And be thankful you identified early on that this situation isn’t worth investing your time in. Now you can focus on the next opportunity without wasting valuable time on a fruitless pursuit.
Next week: Part Three – The Mid-Sized Company
My Best,
Bob
Bob Marshall began his recruiting career over 45 years ago at MR in Reno, NV. In 1986 he established The Bob Marshall Group, International, where he has trained recruiters throughout the United States and also in the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus. With a dedication to executive recruiting, he continues to offer his proven training systems to individuals, firms, and private corporations both domestic and in select international territories. To learn more about his activities and descriptions of his products and services, contact him directly @770-898-5550/470-456-0386(cell); bob@themarshallplan.org; or visit his website @ www.TheMarshallPlan.org.
Bob Marshall
President
TBMG, International
247 Bryans Drive, Suite 100
McDonough, GA 30252-2513
770-898-5550
520-842-5550 (fax)