Getting to Know your Client in Facilities Management

There’s no one definitive way to describe our clients at Maxwell Stephens. Every kind of company needs a Facilities Manager (whether they know it or not!). That means there’s no singular type of industry, or building, or business, or team that our candidates always work with – it’s always very varied.

Even the needs of our clients can differ tremendously. Hard FM or soft FM needs, large company or small, whether they want an interim or a permanent fixture; it’s impossible to generalise!

That’s why a strong Facilities Management recruitment firm will always get to know the client individually so that they only provide the very best candidate for a role. Here’s why you should also get to know your client. 

The only way

The only way a recruitment firm can effectively select the most suitable candidate is by knowing what the client wants, and what they need.

Since Facilities Managers cover such a broad range of services, very few companies can actually put everything they need into words. In lieu of an exhaustive letter to Santa (a warehouse the size of his must have its own FM team!) on the kind of Facilities Manager they want, much of the criteria for a company must be based on knowing expectations.

The range of clients can be extremely vast. Hospitals, airports, offices, warehouses, stadiums, and many more all require some kind of FM. They are all operated differently, but must all be operated correctly.

If a Facilities Management recruitment firm understands what the client wants, what their property requires, and what the business needs, selecting the right candidate is a walk in the park.

Be it strong financial returns, quality products, or anything else, once the recruiter knows what the desired outcome the right appointment can bring, they can start looking for traits within their candidates that’ll help them provide the business with what it needs.

An educated decision

Every recruitment firm should get to know the company instead of just handing their candidates over.

Simply accepting a job and sending over the first candidate that walks through the door will result in very generic work. They may be capable of doing the job, but their abilities may not be quite up to the very highest levels required in a given role.

Facilities Management is a very intricate and tricky industry to work in. Every FM requirement and how they’re applied in role means each individual job requires exactly the right person.

An FM candidate will generally need to be self-motivated, organised, and good with communicating with others. But then there are the additional skills dependent on what the client wants and expects for their business, i.e. a solid understanding of financial management, a background in food and beverages, the ability to analyse statistics or any other such information.

Chances are, they’re not going to get that from a random candidate picked out of a hat.

That’s why, when a Facilities Management recruitment firm like Maxwell Stephens takes the time to really know what a client is looking for, a carefully selected candidate can be presented.

A win-win situation

The more qualified for a specific job the candidate is, the less training they will require before they can start performing the job they were hired for. Furthermore, a truly experienced will be able to provide insight to the business, and grow within the company.

This is the perfect outcome for both the candidate and the client, and why it is critical for the recruiter to understand the client’s needs entirely.

Facilities management recruitment is not something that every recruiting firm does well because of its complexity. Experience and understanding of the industry goes a long way, but understanding the client and their needs is the only way to choose the right candidate for that company.

For a match made in heaven, call Maxwell Stephens, the leading FM-only recruitment agency, on 0207 118 48 48 or email info@maxwellstephens.com. 

If you’re interested in getting your hands on more valuable facilities management tips, then this resource is for you. Download our handy e-book below to help you on the road to success!

30 Steps to Success in the Facilities Management Recruitment Process

The process of looking for a new in job in Facilities Management can be frustrating, disappointing, and sometimes it feels like you’ll never achieve the results you want. Download our free e-book for expert guidance on how to succeed in the field.

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