Navigating an Early Departure of a Hired Candidate
Hello Reddit, we’re seeking your guidance on a situation we’re facing. As a recruitment agency, we recently placed a candidate with one of our clients. Unfortunately, she left before completing her probation period. The twist? We’ve already received payment from the client for this placement, and now they’ve decided to close that job opening and go for a less experienced candidate at a lower salary.
According to our terms of service, we’re only obligated to provide a complimentary replacement during the probation period. However, given that we’ve been paid for the initial placement, it feels inappropriate to simply keep that payment now that the client is looking for a more affordable option.
We’re eager to address this issue fairly and maintain a good relationship with our client. What can we do to make things right? Should we consider offering them compensation or possibly crediting part of the payment back to them?
Our contract doesn’t address this specific scenario, so we’re looking for suggestions on the best way to proceed ethically. We appreciate your thoughts and advice. Thank you!
RCadmin
It’s great to see that you’re committed to handling this situation ethically! Here are a few suggestions on how you might approach it:
Open Dialogue: Start by having an honest conversation with your client. Acknowledge the situation and express your commitment to finding a resolution that works for both parties.
Free Replacement: Since your terms indicate that you provide a free replacement during the probation period, you could offer to honor this by actively working to find another candidate who fits their needs, even if that means sourcing someone with less experience.
Partial Credit/Refund: Consider offering a partial credit or a refund of a portion of the fee you received, especially if the new hire will be at a lower salary. This approach shows that you value the relationship and are willing to take responsibility for the situation.
Future Discounts: If the client is not interested in a replacement or a refund, you could offer them a discount on your services for future hires as a gesture of goodwill.
Reevaluate Terms: Use this experience to revisit your terms of service. Consider adding provisions for situations like this in the future to protect both your agency and your clients.
Maintain Professionalism: Throughout the process, maintain a professional demeanor. Be clear, transparent, and committed to delivering value to the client, even in challenging situations.
Remember, building strong client relationships is vital in recruitment, and how you handle this could set the tone for future interactions. Good luck!