Why is Crawford & Carruthers Inc. turning away clients?

Imagine Jack approaches Crawford & Carruthers Inc. with a new vacancy, offering to settle recruitment fees only when the candidate signs a contract. However, Jack has also approached five other recruitment firms with the same terms. Additionally, due to a client oversight, to bcc we have witnessed over 30 firms are simultaneously working on the same vacancy.

Crawford & Carruthers Inc. accepts the project, adding it to the 40 other open projects their team is already juggling. The team then works tirelessly, putting in long hours, including weekends, without any guarantee of compensation. This situation raises a glaring question: who works without getting paid?

Operating under a contingency model feels more like gambling than delivering a professional service. It entails investing time, effort, and resources with the hope of a payoff—a successful placement. However, there's no assurance of receiving compensation for the extensive work put in.

Now, let's explore why the contingency model is detrimental:

1. **For the Client**: Clients may receive subpar service as recruitment firms prioritize vacancies with higher likelihoods of yielding payment. With multiple firms working on the same vacancy, communication may become convoluted, leading to inefficiencies and delays.

2. **For the Candidate**: Candidates may not receive personalized attention or suitable opportunities tailored to their skills and preferences. Recruitment firms operating under the contingency model often focus on quick placements rather than long-term career matches.

3. **For the Recruitment Firm**: Working on a contingency basis places immense pressure on recruitment firms to deliver results quickly, compromising the quality of the candidate sourcing and selection process, leading to potential mismatches between candidates and roles.

In contrast, retained models offer a more sustainable and collaborative approach. Under a retained model, the client pays a fee upfront, ensuring the recruitment firm's commitment to providing dedicated, high-quality service, and the client's commitment to the project. This model fosters stronger partnerships between clients, candidates and firms, allowing for a more thorough understanding of the client's needs and a tailored approach to candidate sourcing.

In summary, while the contingency model may seem enticing with its promise of payment upon successful placement, it often leads to inefficiencies, compromises in service quality, and undue pressure on both recruitment firms and candidates. Retained models, on the other hand, promote transparency, accountability, and mutual success for all parties involved.

Over the last 15 years Crawford & Carruthers Inc. has paid school fees, are recognised in the industry and renowned for quality of service. Why would we work on 40 projects like gamblers, instead of a handful of projects where we can excel in excellence?