Sales2fi

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should a prospective client use a recruiting firm?

The simplest answer would be to save time and money. Most clients agree that time is money. Utilizing a recruitment firm eliminates the labor intensive process of locating the most ideal candidate for a particular position. For example, an employer has to advertise a position, sift through stacks of resumes, contact the most appealing candidates, arrange interviews, physically meet with several candidates, check references, extend an offer, hope it is accepted and wonder if the candidate will accept a counteroffer. This is obviously very time consuming. Additionally, the employer is only viewing candidates who are actively seeking new employment. The most highly qualified candidates are not always actively looking for a new position, but will gladly entertain new opportunities if they are approached and the positions are properly presented to them. Therefore, an employer is handicapped right out of the gate with either a print ad or Internet posting in that they are only receiving resumes from one channel, candidates who are actively seeking a new position. These candidates represent a narrow part of the available labor pool and often times are not the most desirable individual for the position.

Why should a prospective candidate use a recruiting firm?

In order to open every door on a job search and view the greatest variety of worthwhile opportunities, it is imperative that a candidate utilizes a specialized recruiting firm. It is a well-known fact that the vast majority of companies use recruiting firms to locate the most talented individuals for vacant positions. Merely responding to classifieds or networking through business associates limits the selection process substantially and may not yield as desirable a position as one found through a recruiting firm. Even more important is the fact that a recruiter will represent the candidate to the client companies throughout the hiring process. This is critical because of the invaluable assistance a knowledgeable company can offer in terms of guidance throughout the process as well as negotiating the terms of the agreement if an offer is extended. Working with a company that can offer counseling both before and during the job search process provides the candidate with additional input from a professional who can act as a conduit of information and assist the candidate in interpreting this information. In the case of a job search, two heads are definitely better than one.

Why use Sales2fi?

If you are a prospective client, then you desire to find a recruiting firm that has expertise in your industry and software application and with the types of positions you are seeking to fill. Also, you'll be seeking a recruiting firm that values your time and listens to your needs. At Sales2fi, we pride ourselves on being able to listen well, share our views when pertinent and locate appropriate talent for our clients in a timely manner. We value our clients' time, as well as our own, and will only present the most highly qualified candidates for review.

We strictly adhere to the axiom "quality instead of quantity." Many recruiting firms practice the shotgun approach and present any and all potential candidates that might even remotely fit the client's specifications, figuring that more is better. At Sales2fi we narrow down the list to as small a group as possible because we know that our clients have better things to do with their time than interview individuals who obviously do not measure up to their needs. Hiring new employees is not an easy task. In fact, endless interviewing is not only a waste of valuable time but tiring and boring as well. So when deciding which recruiting firm to utilize in a search, a relevant question to ask is about "hit ratios." How many candidates will you have to interview to locate the one you will ultimately hire?

If you are a prospective candidate working within the financial services industry, then we can be your representative, similar to a sports agent for professional athletes. We will consult with you as to your needs in finding a new position and then execute based on a mutually agreeable game plan. Having an in-depth knowledge of the industry you are looking at enables us to market you to the most highly regarded companies in a way that lends tremendous credibility to your background. When we locate a position that measures up to your needs, we will then aggressively represent you. We’ll make certain that you are aware of the client's interests and concerns and ultimately advise you as to whether or not we believe the match to be a mutually beneficial one. We will handle the financial negotiations making certain that you are well compensated for your efforts in your new position.

How are your candidates screened?

Sales2fi uses a detailed and thorough screening process for each candidate we represent to our clients. Candidates who are local to our Orlando, Florida office are met with for a face-to-face interview. Candidates are also interviewed over the telephone or met with at industry trade shows. It is important for us to understand the motivating factors for change. This is accomplished by first going over the candidates' employment and educational history and then subsequently delving into the candidates' most recent position. Performance throughout the candidate's employment and educational career are critical. We are firm believers that history can and will predict future success. Personality factors are important and so we seek to determine interpersonal skills with management and peers in each of the candidate's past positions. Creativity is measured by contributions to the company's growth and development of its organizational structure. Many clients view team players as highly desirable and our interview process enables us to determine if the individual is willing to embrace the team concept. True leadership skills are crucial, particularly to young, rapidly growing companies and our line of questioning addresses this issue as well.

What is the appropriate way to utilize a recruiting firm, contingency or retained search?

Many of our clients work with us on an exclusive contingency basis. This is a hybrid approach that is quite literally the "best of both worlds" for both parties. In a traditional contingency search, the recruiting firm is in competition with other firms for a fee that is earned upon the placement of a candidate with the client. The client is dealing with several firms who are all presenting candidates of varying qualities and frequently there is overlap with two or more recruiting firms representing the same candidate. Dealing with the barrage of phone calls, arbitrating which recruiting firm has first referral and ultimately spending more time screening resumes and interviewing more candidates than is necessary, leads to squandered time. In a retained search, the client selects one recruiting firm and pays a portion of the agreed upon fee in advance, with the balance paid upon completion of the search. The benefit is that the recruiting firm has control over the search process by being the only firm dealing directly with the client and this enables more effective management of the client's time. Fewer candidates are presented to the client, so therefore less time is tied up interviewing, which enables the client to spend more productive time with his or her primary responsibilities. The downside of retained search is that the recruiting firm is being partially paid in advance for a function which may not be completed for several months or yield the desired results. There is a risk that the firm may not handle the search correctly, providing less than the expected services and thereby forcing the client to start the process a new with a different approach. The client has not only wasted company funds, but precious time as well. By utilizing the exclusive contingency approach, a client does not pay a retainer, but agrees to work with the recruiting firm on an exclusive basis. This does not prevent the client from seeking referrals from employees, but stipulates that one recruiting firm will be the sole external source of all candidates for the position. The benefit is twofold; the client does not pay in advance for results that may not be forthcoming and the recruiting firm has an incentive to complete the search in a timely fashion to earn the entire fee. Of course, the critical element is selecting the appropriate recruiting firm for the search. The combination of presenting the right candidates and doing so in a timely fashion is the key to the outstanding reputation.

As a prospective candidate, what happens if I contact Sales2fi and there are no suitable positions available for me at that moment?

There are two approaches to uniting candidates with clients. The first and most commonly used method is client driven. With this approach, Sales2fi solicits both established and new clients and upon receiving a new position, proceeds by matching it with candidates in the database. The second approach, which we utilize as well, is to market the candidate to prospective clients. However, we are very pro-active in securing new clients as well. When contacted by a candidate who is in search of a specific opportunity, we will check our database of client companies to find a suitable match and discretely market the candidate's background to the appropriate parties. If a highly qualified candidate contacts us and we have no current opportunities of interest, then we will carefully market the candidate to prospective clients in an attempt to solicit new positions specific to his or her needs. This approach not only assures the candidate of a rapid response, but also enables Sales2fi the opportunity to be stimulated by consulting with new clients and building upon their base of business. However, there are no guarantees that an appropriate position will materialize quickly for a candidate with specific requirements, as positions cannot be manufactured. Sometimes the process of securing a new position requires more time and patience than initially anticipated. However, since we want the candidate to step into a career enhancing position, we believe it is in their best interest to allow us the time to research and locate the correct opportunity for them.

How do I start the process of working with Sales2fi?

If you are a prospective candidate seeking to utilize our services to find a new position, simply go to our Sample Positions page and e-mail or fax your resume to address listed or complete Resume Submission Form. Your resume will be reviewed and you will be contacted shortly. A thorough assessment of your background will be conducted either by phone or in person and at that time a mutually satisfactory plan of action will be developed. With your approval, we will discretely market your background within the financial services industry. We will be in constant contact with you throughout the job search process, discussing various opportunities, offering constructive suggestions, and ultimately helping you select the right opportunity.

If you are a prospective client seeking to determine if Sales2fi is the appropriate recruiting firm to fulfill your personnel needs there are two options. You can conveniently complete and submit a Search Inquiry form and we will contact you within 24 hours. You can call our office as well. With either option, we will listen very carefully to the job description, take notes, ask questions, make suggestions and then formulate a game plan that we will implement with your approval. Our expertise and experience, will immediately make you feel comfortable with our ability to successfully meet your expectations. After extensively discussing the position, we will search for candidates that fit the job description and then narrow the group down to a select few. We will present only the most highly qualified candidates to you and subsequently arrange meetings with those you select. We will work patiently with you throughout the interviewing and hiring process, providing you with reliable candidate feedback, offering suggestions when desired and if you choose, help you negotiate the appropriate financial package when the time arises to generate an offer. Please remember that we are a specialized firm. If after discussing your needs with you, it is determined that Sales2fi cannot properly handle the assignment, we will explain why and make an effort to refer you to a firm that is better suited to the project.

Why is the "hit ratio" so important?

The importance of the "hit ratio" is simple to explain, but critical in choosing a suitable recruiting firm to utilize. Comprehensive screening is essential in the selection process of candidates we refer to our clients. To properly justify the utilization of a recruiting firm and the associated expense, the firm must be able to produce a select group of highly qualified candidates to meet with the client. We pride ourselves on being able to refer a minimal number of candidates to our clients, yielding a high rate of job offers. It is not unusual for Sales2fi to refer two or three candidates to a client and have the client feel comfortable in extending an offer to one of the candidates. This approach saves time and ensures that the hiring process is easy as well as enjoyable. While our preference is to earn our fee by eliminating the vast majority of prospective candidates from our presentation list, we take direction from the client. If the client feels more comfortable in interviewing a larger number of individuals for a given position, then we will do our best to accommodate his or her wishes and screen a greater pool of candidates to yield the desired number. Our preference and the preference of most of our clients is to allow us to narrow the group considerably, because we believe this is best way to utilize a recruiting firm and build long term relationships. Less is more in most recruiting situations. Since we are constantly screening potential candidates for our clients and then funneling a select few to them for interviews, we are enabling them to manage their time more efficiently and clearly justifying their use of our services.