I receive calls daily from owners and managers who ask the same question:
“What billings goal should we have for our consultants?”
This is a fair question. As a prudent business owner, it’s important to understand the billings/cash-in numbers required to support your operational objectives. This includes determining your monthly operational break-even point or “nut,” as well as calculating revenue projections and profit margins.
From that point, you can establish minimum and targeted production figures for each position in the organization and for the organization as a whole. However, in managing your staff, focus on unit placements first and dollars billed/cashed-in second (number on assignment, length of assignment, and gross margin for temporary staffing).
The fact remains that most of the experienced producers in our industry, if allowed to concentrate only on dollars billed/cashed-in, reach a production comfort level somewhere between $100,000 and $200,000 per year. With an across-the-board average fee of about $15,000, that equates to little more than one placement per month.
A specific example is an experienced consultant I spoke with last week who is on course to bill approximately $192,000 this year. However, his average fee is $32,000. That means he will finalize only six deals/placements this year.
Although the overall billing numbers do not look bad, consummating six placements within a twelve-month period of time means this consultant is continually walking the fine line between success and failure. If one or more of these deals do not come to fruition, his overall billings number shrinks dramatically.
As an industry, we tend to recognize high billing numbers, and to some extent, we should. However, as owners, managers and producers, a more accurate picture of our capability is reflected in our number of unit placements. This is why recruiting firm owners and recruiters should think in terms of units . . . not dollars.
In those recruiting and staffing firms where the focus is on unit placements, minimum individual performance standards generally align with the following numbers.
Professional Search and Placement:
- By the end of their first year, producing at the minimum rate of one full unit placement per month
- By the end of their second year, producing at the minimum rate of two full unit placements per month
Clerical and Office Support:
- By the end of their first year, producing at the minimum rate of two full unit placements per month
- By the end of their second year, producing at the minimum rate of four full unit placements per month
Calculate your average fee and multiply it by the minimum numbers listed above. How do you and your firm measure up? Remember, these are minimum numbers.
Focusing on unit placements and not just billing/cash-in dollars sets a performance standard that more accurately reflects competency, effectiveness, and efficiency.
Most recruiting and staffing firms are handicapped by operating with performance standards based on billing/cash-in numbers. In many instances, meeting these standards provides the owners and producers with a limited return for the investment of their time, effort, and resources.
The first step toward realizing your full potential and that of your staff is to establish realistic performance standards. Basing those standards on unit placements allows the billings/cash-in number to adjust naturally based on your average fee. The focus is on achieving results (i.e., unit placements). The billing/cash-in numbers will take care of themselves.
As an additional benefit, having performance standards based on unit placements allows you and your staff to better understand the importance of effectiveness ratios and activity numbers. On a daily basis, these are the figures that really count.
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Terry Petra is one of the recruiting industry’s leading trainers and business consultants. A Certified Personnel Consultant since 1975 and a Certified International Personnel Consultant since 1989, Petra has extensive experience as a producer, manager, and trainer in all areas of professional search, including retainer, contingency, and contract, as well as clerical/office support and temporary. For more information about his services, visit his website or call 651.738.8561.
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