Editor’s note: Jeff Allen has heard every employer excuse that you can imagine for not paying up — and dozens more that defy imagination. Over the last 18 months, he’s documented one a week. Because of the importance of collections, Fordyce will periodically reprise the most common situations he addressed. The complete collection is here.
Another recruiter was responsible for the placement.
Executive search is a game anyone can play, and there are no rules. So there’s always some unprofessional, unethical recruiter out there who’ll assist with the “undocumented candidate.” A five-figure fee is motivation enough.
What does the hiring authority get in return? Let’s look at a few of the most popular goodies:
The best way to get paid is to track the candidate closely. It is a constant source of amazement to recruiters when they stumble on “undocumented” candidates working at clients.
Show me one, and I’ll show you a recruiter who:
Do clients pay two fees? Absolutely! You just have to show that they paid the wrong source.
There are probably many placements made that you don’t know about. It’s like panning for gold to go back through your sendouts, focusing on suspicious clients and candidates.
Too many “almost hires”? They’re “probably placed”!
