How to Discuss Billings in Interviews and with Recruiters
Hey everyone!
I started my career with a recruitment agency right after university, and I’ve been with my current company for about a year now. I’m casually exploring new opportunities because I feel there’s a lack of direction at my current place. Each week feels random, with no clear training or structured plan, which I believe is crucial, especially when starting out.
I’ve had conversations with a few recruiters about potential moves, but the topic of billings often comes up. At my company, we don’t receive commissions until we’re promoted; instead, we earn a flat bonus for each placement. Only after promotion do we transition to a commission-based structure.
In my first year, I successfully made around 7-8 placements, a mix of permanent and contract roles. Since my promotion, I’ve completed approximately 10-12 contract placements. The challenge I’m facing is that these contract placements are recent, so the billings haven’t been realized yet. However, I do have a strong run rate for contractors.
How should I present my billings for the year to prospective employers? Should I include the standard percentage of the total placement fees I’ve contributed to this year, or should I focus solely on my current contract rates? Right now, it may seem like I haven’t achieved much this year on paper, even though I’ve successfully made placements. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, especially considering I’m in the UK! Thanks!
RCadmin
It’s great that you’re being proactive about your career and seeking clarity on how to represent your accomplishments during interviews and recruiter calls. Here are some suggestions on how to approach the topic of billings:
Clarify Your Structure: Start by explaining your company’s unique commission structure to the interviewer. Highlight that you have a flat bonus system until promotion, which might differ from the norm in other recruitment firms. This context helps them understand the framework within which you’re operating.
Highlight All Placements: When discussing your performance, emphasize the total number of placements you’ve made (both prior to and after your promotion). You can say something like, “In the past year, I’ve successfully made 7-8 permanent placements and around 10-12 contract placements, with the latter showing a strong run rate that suggests substantial future billings.”
Estimate Current Billings: Since you mentioned that the billings for your recent contract placements haven’t come through yet, you can estimate what your billings would be if calculated at the commission rates applicable to the placements. Present this as a projection based on the typical percentages, showing a forward-thinking approach. For example, “If I were to calculate my placements at the standard commission rates, I would expect billings in the range of [insert estimated figure].”
Focus on Contributions and Pipeline: Instead of just focusing on numbers, talk about your contributions to the team and your ability to build a strong pipeline. Discuss any strategies you’ve used to secure placements and your success in matching candidates with roles, which reflects your recruiting skills.
Quantify Success in Other Terms: If numbers are not as impressive now due to the structure, try to provide qualitative achievements or metrics, such as customer satisfaction ratings, candidate retention rates, or testimonials from clients or candidates. This can bolster your profile even if the raw billing numbers are still pending.
Be Honest and Transparent: It’s crucial to be upfront about your situation. Recruiters and potential employers appreciate candidates who can explain their experiences clearly and honestly.
By providing context, emphasizing your achievements, and presenting a forward-looking perspective, you’ll be able to frame your billings discussion in a way that’s favorable to you. Good luck with your job search!