I was recently asked by a frustrated CEO, "Is it possible to find reliable recruiters that will work for my company's best interest by finding great people?"

One of the most important things a good recruiter must be able to do is recruit passive candidates, i.e. candidates that are not actively looking for a new job, but open to talk for the right opportunity. Good recruiters must be able to quickly identify the motivations of the candidate, present a compelling reason for them to talk with the recruiter, and gain the trust of the candidate. If they can't do this, then those candidates willing to make a job change will tell the recruiter "Thanks, but no thanks." Great recruiters are able to demonstrate to top talent how this opportunity will help them grow, how they will make an impact on the organization and work for a boss they can respect.

Good to great recruiters should add a lot more value to the hiring process than just finding candidates. The best recruiters are trusted advisers to the hiring manager and candidate. The recruiter meets multiple times at the company in order to understand the company's culture and they should spend time with the hiring manager putting together the measurable goals to be achieved by the new person. The recruiter should help to develop an interviewing plan, they should clearly understand the needs of the candidate and communicate those to the company. The best recruiters will personally conduct a face-to-face interview with all candidates before presenting them to the company. A good recruiter will anticipate potential landmines, such as compensation issues, and address them before they explode. Finally, a good recruiter will alert the hiring manager to any issues that would cause the offer to be turned down, before the end of the process. In short, great recruiters do a lot more than just find people. They make sure that all the issues are addressed so the deal comes together and is a win/win for both. If the recruiter does a good job, two things will never happen; the hiring manager will never think, "You're not the person I hired" and the candidate will never think, "This is not the position I accepted" or worse, "You're not the person that hired me."

If you engage executive recruiters as a trusted adviser they can bring value to your organization. Recruiters should be used as a resource when your company has any human capital needs. I am often contacted by my clients asking for referrals to other experts in areas outside my scope of responsibilities. It is just one more way recruiters can be used to bring value.