When you ask a recruiter to help you fill a position, you are getting into a long-term relationship with your recruiter. Like any relationship, this one too will have its ups and downs. While a company may feel like they aren’t getting the best candidates, the recruiter may be frustrated by the company’s standards. So, here are a few tips that can help you and your recruiter have a smooth relationship while your company gets its dream team together.

Segregate your Needs and Wants

In an ideal scenario, you may want an engineer who’s fluent in a foreign language but is that really a necessity? When you ask a recruiter to fill a position, understand what the core needs of the position are and what can be learned on the job. Create a list of 3 to 5 qualities that the candidate must have. If possible, rank these qualities. You could also create a separate list of ‘it would be nice to have’ qualities. This helps your recruiter know what you are flexible about and what you cannot compromise on.

Tell All

When it comes to recruiting, there is no such thing as too much information. Tell the recruiter everything you can about the position that needs to be filled. Be honest and open about your expectations, budget etc. If something changes during the recruitment process, don’t worry about it but share it with the recruiter. For example, you may have initially wanted a person to work at our home office but later may need him to work offshore. For recruiters like http://www.erikjuhler.com/ who operate nationally and internationally, this will not be a problem as long as you let them know in time. Remember that the more the recruiter knows about your company and the vacancy, the better they will be able to match a candidate to the post.

Give Feedback

You don’t have to hire the first person a recruiter sends across but you must give the recruiter feedback on every candidate that comes your way. Be specific about what you liked and didn’t like. This will help the recruiter screen potential candidates and help you find the right person faster. Also, don’t wait too long before giving feedback. The faster you give feedback, the closer you will be to meeting the ideal candidate.

Listen to the Recruiter

Just as you expect your recruiter to pay attention to you, you must also pay attention to what your recruiter says. Matching people to jobs in niche markets is the recruiter’s expertise. Hence they have a better understanding of the job market, talent available, prices etc. So, build an open relationship with your recruiter and trust their knowledge.