The short version: repeat work tends to go to the agency that stayed in touch between roles. Keep one list of every past and current employer client, give each an owner, check in on a set rhythm with something useful rather than "any roles?", follow up after every placement, and note when each client usually hires. Do that consistently and you're more likely to hear about roles before they go to another agency.
Winning a new employer client takes real effort. Yet in many agencies, once a role is filled, that client hears nothing until they call with the next one, if they call at all. Sometimes they call a different agency simply because someone else was in touch more recently.
This guide is about the client side of your agency only: staying close to employers. It doesn't involve candidate data or screening.
Why do past clients go quiet?
- Nobody owns the relationship after the placement. The recruiter who filled the role has moved on to the next search.
- Check-ins depend on memory. When recruiters are busy, which is always, they don't happen.
- The only message is "any roles?" It's easy to ignore and doesn't give the client a reason to reply.
- Client details are scattered. Contacts live in inboxes, the ATS and people's phones, so nobody sees the full list.
- Hiring patterns aren't tracked. If a client hires every spring, you should be talking to them in late winter.
Who should you be checking in with, and how often?
Sort every employer client into four groups. These rhythms are a starting point. Adjust them to your market.
| Group | Who | Suggested rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Open roles with you now | Weekly updates while the search runs |
| Recent | Placed with you in the last 12 months | A useful check-in every 4–6 weeks |
| Dormant | No role in over 12 months | Every quarter, plus before their usual hiring season |
| Lost | Went with another agency or stopped hiring | Twice a year, with no pressure |
What should a check-in actually say?
Give the client something useful or a reason to reply. Three examples you can adapt:
- After a placement (about 30 days in): "Hi [Name], it's been a month since [Candidate] started. How are they settling in? Anything we should know for next time?"
- Market note: "We're seeing [a specific trend in their sector or role type] in the Ottawa market right now. Thought it might be useful as you plan. Happy to talk it through."
- Before hiring season: "Last year you brought on [role] around [month]. Are you expecting anything similar this year? If so, we can start building a shortlist early."
Only share market observations you can stand behind. A short, honest note beats a generic newsletter.
How do you make it happen every week?
- Build one client list. Every employer you've worked with, in your ATS or CRM if it can do it, or a shared spreadsheet if not. Columns: company, contact, owner, group, last contact, usual hiring months, next check-in date.
- Give every client an owner. Often the recruiter who knows them best. One name, not "the team."
- Set next check-in dates. Every time you contact a client, set the next date before you close the record.
- Block time. A 30-minute slot each week where every recruiter works through their due check-ins.
- Automate the reminders, not the messages. Let the system remind people when a check-in is due. Keep the message personal.
- Review monthly. Which clients are overdue? Which check-ins led to a conversation or a role?
What should happen after every placement?
- A thank-you to the hiring manager within a day.
- A check-in around the 30-day mark, and again before any guarantee period ends.
- A note in the client record: what went well, what to do differently, who else in the company hires.
- The client moved to the "Recent" group with a next check-in date.
What should you track?
Keep it to a few numbers you can pull up in a minute each month:
- How many clients are overdue for a check-in
- How many check-ins led to a real conversation
- How many new job orders came from existing clients versus new ones
- Which clients hired again within a year of a placement
The first number tells you if the habit is working. The others tell you if it's paying off.
What does this look like in practice?
For example, an agency with eight recruiters might discover it has around 120 past employer clients, but that only a handful heard from the agency in the last six months. Building one list, assigning owners and blocking 30 minutes a week could mean every one of those clients hears something useful at least once a quarter, without adding a business development hire.
What gets in the way?
- "Recruiters don't have time." Thirty minutes a week with a ready list is far easier than ad hoc catch-up.
- "Our ATS isn't built for this." Many are better at it than they're set up for. If not, a spreadsheet works while the habit forms.
- "Clients will find it pushy." Not if every message is useful and the rhythm is reasonable. Our guide on why good leads go cold covers how to follow up without being pushy.
Want this done for you? The 30-Day Client Revival sets all of this up inside the CRM you already use: your past clients sorted into groups, check-in messages you approve, a same-hour reply system for new employer inquiries, fee agreement follow-up and a one-page Monday view. Live within 14 days, with about one hour of your time. No candidate data needed.