Thu, 28 Feb 2013One of the keys to being a successful in-house recruiting leader is the ability to build effective partnerships, delegates at Recruiter’s Smart Resourcing conference, sponsored by Eploy, have heard.

At the opening plenary, John Vlastelica, managing director of specialised consultancy and training firm Recruiting Toolbox, told recruiters in London: “We rely on relationships to make things happen.”

Vlastelica went on to identify three key relationships.

1. HR business partners/HR generalists. “I have had these relationships make or break me,” said Vlastelica. “The key is to make sure you are working towards the same goals, so they understand the impact they are having on you and you understand the impact you are having on them.”
2. People in ‘compensation’ [those who decide on pay within an organisation]. Vlastelica said he didn’t want to give them the opportunity to approve hires, and he advised recruiters to set out principles that would give them [the recruiters] some flexibility to make decisions about compensation.
3. People within the finance function. In his career, Vlastelica said, having a good relationship with finance had helped him to prepare reports and metrics for important meetings.

• To keep up to date with news from the event, see our Twitter feed and look out for upcoming coverage in the magazine and online.