This really reframes the whole recruiter relationship in a necesary way. The inventory metaphor is blunt but accurate. Most professionals don't realize they're competing not just for roles but for being fee-worthy enough to justify the time investmet. The expectation that recruiters should coach for free while being paid by someone else is wild when you spell it out like this.
Thanks for sharing. While there should be a basic duty of care when working with candidates in and around the process... a lot of time expectations go way beyond this. And then you have those with a warped sense of their value. Or those who are seeking free career counseling (perhaps not always realising it). They're not role adjacent, not fee-worthy for the most part but misperceive themselves as being a 'candidate' (despite not viable) and therefore a recruiter owes them time and expertise gratis.
There's an economic reality to the agency model which is reinforced by hiring companies. Retained search allows a higher touch approach because you're paid for the process. Success fee only sees $$ on placement. Good success firms often see a conversion of 20% or lower as competing against direct apps, other firms, referrals... Or even a change of direction by the hiring company. Time becomes a recruiters most valuable commodity because it's needed to mitigate that risk.
This really reframes the whole recruiter relationship in a necesary way. The inventory metaphor is blunt but accurate. Most professionals don't realize they're competing not just for roles but for being fee-worthy enough to justify the time investmet. The expectation that recruiters should coach for free while being paid by someone else is wild when you spell it out like this.
Thanks for sharing. While there should be a basic duty of care when working with candidates in and around the process... a lot of time expectations go way beyond this. And then you have those with a warped sense of their value. Or those who are seeking free career counseling (perhaps not always realising it). They're not role adjacent, not fee-worthy for the most part but misperceive themselves as being a 'candidate' (despite not viable) and therefore a recruiter owes them time and expertise gratis.
There's an economic reality to the agency model which is reinforced by hiring companies. Retained search allows a higher touch approach because you're paid for the process. Success fee only sees $$ on placement. Good success firms often see a conversion of 20% or lower as competing against direct apps, other firms, referrals... Or even a change of direction by the hiring company. Time becomes a recruiters most valuable commodity because it's needed to mitigate that risk.