I'm not gonna break any new ground with this post, but it's worth saying anyway: My fellow recruiters, be sure to take good care of the people who refer candidates to you. Anytime someone refers a candidate to me and I use that candidate to close a search, the referrer gets a nice Amazon gift certificate.
I'm not talking twenty bucks, either.
I have sent out thousands of dollars worth of (tax deductible) Amazon gift certificates this year, and it's the best marketing money I spend. People are so appreciative! Plus it's just plain nice manners.
People don't have to tell their friends about me. But they do, and I want to show them my sincere appreciation -- partially because I'm nice, and partially because I'm smart. Recruiting is a people business, and A-players know other A-players (and B-players know C-players). Moreover, everyone knows that recruiters make 20-30% of a candidate's first year base salary, and referrers often resent it when we make twenty grand on a deal and don't show them any love whatsoever. Can you blame them?
I've heard stories about recruiters who closed searches with referred candidates and not only didn't send a thank you note, but actually forgot who referred the candidate to them in the first place! Believe me, that kind of ingratitude gets talked about in the marketplace.
You recruiters spend some real money on your referrers. Show them a good time! What goes around, comes around.