You’re searching for the elusive purple squirrel. You know what I’m talking about … the candidate who
works across several of today’s hottest technology platforms, lives in the local area, and is willing to
work below market value. You’ve worked tirelessly on this search, and finally, finally, you’ve found two
candidates. Two brilliant, beautiful, well qualified, interested candidates and now you feel at peace with
the world!

So now it’s time to deliver the candidates to the hiring managers. Oh no! What will they do with these
candidates? Will they love them as much as you do? Will they treat them with the same TLC you have
over the past few weeks? Here are some steps to take to help support this tough engagement:

Recap your recruitment findings

Recruiters are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to understanding the talent marketplace, which
is valuable information for hiring managers. It gives them a frame of reference. Recap the following
information for Hiring Managers:

• Sourcing data, including job postings, resume databases, cold calling, etc.
• Number of applicants posted to the job
• Number of candidates screened
• Duration of the search from engagement to candidate presentation
• Other market data you’ve generated through this search, such as compensation, certifications,
  years of experience

Outline what was needed and how your candidates’ measure up

Show your understanding of the hiring managers’ business by presenting candidates based on what is
needed. If hiring managers are looking for candidates with specific experience or certifications, point it
out. Providing candidate data in conjunction with market data provides hiring managers a full picture of
the recruitment landscape.

Prep your interviewers

Sometimes, interviewers need help interviewing – both hiring managers and candidates. Help hiring
managers be successful in this process by providing tools, such as an interview guide or sample
interview questions related to the job. Tell them where to probe into the candidates’ strengths and
weaknesses related to the job. On the flip side, prep candidates on what parts of their experience
is especially relevant to the role, and what types of questions they should ask of the hiring manager.
Finally, work with hiring teams to maximize the candidates’ day to limit multiple onsite visits – a big time
waster for hot candidates and busy hiring managers.

The habitat of the purple squirrel is very dynamic. Helping your client company understand the “care
and feeding” required to find and obtain this special candidate will help you and your organization be
more successful.