In a business world driven by statistics, KPIs and a never-ending push to lower margins, it is not surprising that many recruitment companies have lost touch with the true art of consultation.

Pressured to “make the sale” at all costs, recruitment agencies are sending candidates who are nothing like the “ideal candidate” they’re claimed to be. In fact, in a bid to win the placement, many agencies are sending candidates who are unqualified and inexperienced.

Director of Alexander Appointments, Daniel Negro, explains that clients know when they are being sold to and inexperience is easily identified. Clients can also tell when they’re being shelved or put in the too-hard basket.

This unprofessional approach leads to a breakdown in the client/consultant relationship and results in a distrust of the recruitment industry in general.

“We have a different philosophy at Alexander Appointments which might seem a bit “old-school” but it’s one that has worked for us for 15 years and, we believe, continues to set us apart from many other agencies out there,” says Daniel.

That philosophy is simple: consultation first and foremost.

“We believe that by applying true consultation in our dealing with clients, we may not succeed in winning all placements but there’s a very strong chance that clients will develop trust and reliance on our advice. That’s because we offer them what we believe to be in their best long-term interests,” he says.

“If we don’t have the right candidate, we would rather be honest with clients and lose that opportunity because we know that success will follow with future placements. Being honest means we might not win the current placement, but it may win us the next three or four.

” Instead of pushing them to meet KPIs, Alexander Appointments focuses on training their consultants to provide genuine consultation which includes spending time with clients, listening to their recruitment needs and advising on the best course of action.

“We prefer a measured approach to growth,” says Daniel.

“We never compromise on the level of service we offer. As they say, slow and steady wins the race.”