How to become a broker to the experts

You don’t need to be a superstar to create value

The recruitment process is complicated. Really complicated.

The way I cut it, there are seven stages to the full recruitment process. Each stage has around ten parts to it, which makes an awful lot of things going on.

I’m privileged to work with recruiters who are true experts in some of these stages. If you’ve got it, I help you flaunt it (side note: you’d be amazed how often a super-talented recruiter isn’t confident charging more for their incredible skill set).

However, today we’re going to look at how to create value - and persuade your clients to pay you more - in the areas where you aren’t a superstar.

And when you consider how many parts there are to the recruitment process, you’ll realise that this is your biggest opportunity to position yourself as a valued partner to your clients.

To take advantage of this opportunity, you need to realise two things:

1. You know more than your client in almost every area of the recruitment process

2. You don’t need to be the one adding value for your client to value you

Let’s look at the example of candidate assessments.

You may not feel like you’re an expert in this area. But compare yourself to the average hiring manager you work with, and you’ll soon realise that you know more than they do. 

You’ve had clients who have run certain assessments in the past. You’ve read a few LinkedIn posts from candidates sharing their experience - good and bad - of being assessed. And you’re connected to a couple of assessment experts (this is important!).

Compare that to your average hiring manager. They only know their own processes (no assessments). They don’t spend as much time as you on LinkedIn (their loss). And they’ve never heard of anyone being an expert in assessments. 

Now at this point it’s worth pointing out that I’m not suggesting that your slightly-above-average position makes you an expert. A little knowledge really can be a dangerous thing. 

But, you don’t need to be the expert adding value for your client to value you. 

If you have a client who is interested in adding some serious candidate assessments to their process, you are in a good position to introduce them to experts who can add real value.

By acting as a broker who can make the right introductions to the right people, you’re strengthening your role as a valued partner to your client for the whole recruitment process. 

Remember how I said there are seven stages to the recruitment process? This means you’ve got at least seven opportunities to bring in experts, and increase your value to the client every time you do.

By acting as a broker to expertise, you can add exponentially more value than if you try and become an expert in everything. 

If you want help supercharging the value you offer your clients, simply reply to this email and I’ll explain how a one-off consultation with me will give you the clarity and direction you need.

Jon

P.S. The more you introduce your clients to experts in candidate assessment, or DE&I, or EVP, or any other part of the recruitment process, the more confident you become as a broker to this expertise.

And over time, you become the expert in introducing experts. Most clients don’t have the time to go mile-deep on each specific problem they face, so if they can bring you in to solve any deep recruitment problem then you’ve become more valuable again.

If you want help supercharging the value you offer your clients, simply reply to this email and I’ll explain how a one-off consultation with me will give you the clarity and direction you need.