Breaking new clients PSLs in new recruitment jobs

That said, I had 'no' database as I was starting from scratch. This meant I still needed to track down more companies with vacancies to add to my list to ensure I could match the few candidates I was gathering to jobs.

I many in jobs in recruitment, I found this type of business development tough. Even in companies where I knew the sales managers, HR professionals appeared rigid with regard to their PSL (preferred supply list) and wouldn't entertain a new recruitment agency no matter how good the pitch was.

If you are doing the cold call rounds to try and supply new companies there are a couple of stock questions I would ask when doing so.

1. Do they always get exactly what they want from their PSL first time? If they answer honestly, it'll be 'no'.

2. What do they do when they don't? and would they accept CVs from you at this stage.

Even this is a numbers game. The problem with and cold calling approach to new business is that it's usually not sustainable and therefore not a good way to extend your business network on a regular basis. Here's a technique I developed that was sustainable and did get results without too much effort or grief involved. Due to the latter here, I did keep doing it.

Candidate reviews

On my cold calls to companies I changed my objective from trying to get agreement to get on the PSL, or even away form trying to get accepted as a second tier to the objective of gaining permission to send an e-mail every 2 weeks. The e-mail was to be brief, informative but easy to ignore if preferred and therefore the success rate was high. The e-mail was to supply a copy of our current 'candidate review', and anonymous summary of our best candidates, on branded electronic headed paper. It would look something like this

Role sought geography current role comments

1. Medical rep SE London & Kent Medical Rep Graduate with 1^st class honours in Biology. Excellent track record on Medical sales looking for career development

In total the review would include anything up to 10 candidates, with a different number supplied each time in order to avoid the appearance of simply grabbing any candidates, rather than selecting excellent ones. We would also aim for a selection of job titles. We mailed this over time to a circulation of around 30 companies from whom I had gained a verbal acceptance to send these reviews.

The results were varied and highly productive

• A company with a Medical rep vacancy in Kent would frequently call out of curiosity. On some occasions they would immediately be aware of the candidate. However, even this began to build a rapport and level of contact that wasn't present before.

• Companies would become more familiar with our brand, almost subliminally.

• Companies would often call to say they had completed round one of there process unsuccessfully, but remembered a profile on a review a couple of weeks back...here we have achieved position on tier two.

• Companies would call and ask to see a candidates full details.

Over the first 12 months, we probably made 6 placements via this route, opening up relationships with 6 new companies along the way. In years to come, some of these became excellent clients. From the strike rate, you'll see it's not going to set your business on fire, but it's certainly a useful additional tool which will bring you new clients and make additional placements without too much effort other than listing a few hot candidates every two weeks and sending a mail. A placement via this route may one of the easiest you will make. Try it, you'll like the results.

Good luck.