AIRC 2012 Conference Workshop: Best Practices in Building U.S. Partnerships for Recruitment Agencies

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Sharing
Best
Prac/ces
for
Agents

Approaching
New
Ins/tu/onal
Partners

AIRC
Workshop

November
29,
2012

Miami,
Florida

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|

info@airc-‐educa,on.org

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Survey
of
ins/tu/ons
regarding
agent
use

N=31

Q1-‐9
ins/tu/ons
using
agents

Q10-‐14
no
agents

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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Approaching
prospec5ve
Uni’s

It’s
more
courtship
and
less
business
deal

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|

info@airc-‐educa5on.org

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Things
take
5me

• Your
5meline
is
NOT
your
prospec5ve
partners

• Seek
to
understand
your
partners
ins5tu5onal

barriers
to
an
agreement

• This
understanding
will
provide
you
with
an

ac5on
plan
or
roadmap
to
the
geVng
the

agreement
done.

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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Mul5ple
visits
/
mee5ngs

Get
to
know
the
key
players:

• Whose
pushing
this
idea
forward…whose
holding
it

back?

• If
the
opportunity
presents
itself…learn
about
them

beyond
their
working
life.

• Listen
don’t
talk
–
you
were
given
two
ears
and
one

mouth
for
a
reason.

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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Walk
before
you
run

or
limited
basis

• Be
willing
to
start
on
a
trial

• Not
geVng
everything
you
want
during
ﬁrst
agreement

isn’t
defeat…it’s
opportunity.

• This
is
your
opportunity
to
demonstrate
why
partnering

with
you
makes
sense

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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ITY Proposing

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Why
partnering
with
you
(your
company)
makes
sense….

• This
is
your
opportunity
to
make
clear
what
you
can

bring
to
the
rela5onship.

• Evidence
-‐
You
should
consider
oﬀering
data
that
can

assist
your
poten5al
partner
in
winning
over
the
Parents

(stakeholders
)@
the
ﬁancé's

ins5tu5on.

• 
Success
stories
–
Don’t
be
shy
about
providing
your

prospec5ve
partner/
Fiancé

stories

that
they
can
share

to
boost
your
status
as
a
poten5al
partner.

Growing
an

exis5ng
partner’s
interna5onal
popula5on
by
virtue
of

your
partnership.

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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ITY Handling
Rejec5on

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Some
would
say
the
only
way
to
assess
the
value
of
a
poten5al
partner
is

to
see
how
they
handle
rejec5on

What
to
do:

• 
pa5ent
&
open…”Is
there
anything
I
can
do
to

Be

make
this
happen
or
is
it
out
of
my/our
control?

• 

Be
careful
not
to
misinterpret

interest
from
the

person
and
reluctance
from
the
Ins5tu5on/Parent

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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ITY
Do
the
work…then
let
them
come

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to
you

Goal
=
Ins5tu5on
approaches
partner

Why:
Because
they
can’t
see
a
beker
way

forward
(Ins5tu5on
determines
that
this
as
the

most
eﬀec5ve(cost
and
mgt)
way
of
growing

Intl
popula5on

American
Interna5onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


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“Selling” to US Universities
“Two decades of experiences”

Mark Shay
QS Advance
http://www.QS.com

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
1
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|


The world’s leading network for top careers and education

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WARNING
Language used in this session is focused on the
commercial aspects of international education. It uses
words that may be viewed as contrary to the mission and
vision of those who educate students. Those with an
aversion to commercialism may ﬁnd this session offensive.

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
2
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Why Listen to Me? (Bio)
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Mark Shay is a business executive with a long history of success helping higher
education institutions recruit and retain students. In an illustrious career that has
spanned three decades Shay has served thousands of customers, ranging from
individual faculty members and graduate deans, to university presidents and
foreign governments. Mark has served the higher education industry as a
leader and innovator with GradSchools.com and StudyAbroad.com,
international representation through IDP Education and two turnaround
endeavors at for-proﬁt focused universities.

Mark's recent focus has been in the international student recruitment sector and
has recently joined QS, the well-regarded producer of the QS World University
Rankings. In his role as Business Development Director, he helps universities
develop solutions to their international brand and international student recruiting,
exploring the broad QS product line in a consultative approach. Very few
people know the commercial side of international student recruiting sector like
Mark.
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC) 3

4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Why am I here?
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•  AIRC has established a trust with US higher education and has
provided a blanket of protection to those operating as university
agent. Agents should stand behind this effort.
•  Competition is key to any industry’s success as it builds buyer
conﬁdence, agents should show support of their industry.
•  Today’s market has changed – American university “Land Grab”
is gone, industry is under great scrutiny, has active and
motivated opponents. Agents need respect.
•  The better everyone does at “selling”, the better the credibility
of the industry and the more receptive the market is to my
company
•  “Rising tide lifts all boats”

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
4
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Why Listen to Me? (Stuff I’ve Sold)
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•  Poster distribution services
•  Advertisements in 11 different university’s “Directory of Classes”
•  Web links in online academic directories
•  Web site development services
•  Online advertising media buying services
•  Online marketing consulting services
•  Academic Brand Strategies
•  CRM (student inquiry management) systems
•  Internet generated student leads
•  Database of student proﬁles
•  Association partnerships
•  Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index
•  Student placement services
•  International student recruiting “solutions
… but ultimately, what I really sell…
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
5
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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What really you sell is you!
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Because no matter how good the
product,

no matter how great the value,

if they don’t trust you,

they won’t buy from you.

Mark Shay, circa 1968
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
6
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Personal Trust
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Academics buy from people they trust.

They greatly value the advice of their peers

They value “honesty” and candor instead of boldness and hype

The respect patience and they appreciate support of their
academic values

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
7
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Risk Adverse Clients
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University Culture:

Proﬁts don’t drive learning, don’t serve the student

You don’t SELL education

It’s worse to make a mistake than it is to underperform

“Academics like to buy, they don’t like to be sold”

Business protects intellectual property (protect conﬁdentiality),
universities share best practice (collaborate, share)

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
8
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Organizational Trust:
Responsibility to the student
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The wider responsibility of institutions and agencies is to the student.

Trust develops when institutions and agencies work in
partnership to fully meet the needs of foreign students.

•  Commitment to ethical practice
•  Student support infrastructure
•  Recognition of cultural differences

Despite a desire to achieve numbers, university
administrators are bound to serve the student.

It’s a trust that is build into their value systems.

It is part of their ethics.

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
9
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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“Educational Ethics” versus
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Teaching is often referred to as “the noble profession”

They deﬁne “proﬁtability” as an “ethical challenge”

They don’t like to consider themselves part of an industry.

Many senior administrators still hold faculty positions and consider
themselves educators

Mission of American higher education is demonstrated by
EducationUSA’s inclusion in the Department of State as opposed to the
Department of Commerce (Ministry of Trade)

In the United States, there is pressure to have educational institutions act
like a business, but not to have businesses run educational institutions

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
10
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Colleges Get Refunds After Translators
at Chinese Fair Turn Out to Be Recruiters
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The Institute of International Education is reimbursing several American colleges for
the fees they paid to participate in a recent college fair it co-sponsored in China, amid
complaints that translators hired to work with the Americans there were actually
student-recruiting agents who took advantage of their position to
sign up students.

The nonproﬁt organization, which holds higher-education fairs in countries around the
world to bring together colleges and students, forbids third parties to seek to represent
colleges or potential students at the events.

… told him she could "smell" the recruiters. "If you've gone to one fair, you can
discern them in a second," he said.

The use of paid recruiting agents is one of the most controversial issues in
international education today. Universities in Australia, Britain, and elsewhere
commonly use overseas recruiters to attract foreign students, but the practice is not
widespread among American institutions. Critics worry that agents may take
advantage of students.
- The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 29, 2009
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
11
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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State Department Issues Guidance
on Student-Recruitment Agents
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The State Department has waded into the contentious issue of international
student recruitment, issuing policy guidance that bars its EducationUSA advising
centers from forming partnerships with commercial recruiting agents who have
contracts to represent specific American universities.

…saying that such recruiters lack objectivity and may restrict foreign
students' college options.
.
… the directive reflects the attitude of many in American higher education, who
see the practice of commercial recruiting as improper and even unethical. The
idea of awarding commissions to agents to sign up foreign students has
long been controversial in the United States:

College associations, such as the National Association for College Admission
Counseling, have been critical of the practice, arguing that when recruiters are
being paid by colleges, students' interest is no longer their first priority.

"Working with agents narrows that mission and confuses students,”

- The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 2, 2009
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
12
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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So, Now Do You Trust Me?
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In the USA, agents have a
soiled reputation.

Media paints overseas
recruiting practices as
aggressive, ruthless even
ethically unsound.

As an industry, we have an
image problem.

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
13
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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AIRC Provides Industry Integrity
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The AIRC certification process provides a “seal of approval” for student recruitment
agencies to be considered by U.S. institutions, students and families, government
agencies, and other organizations concerned with quality and transparency in the
international student marketplace.

Applicants for AIRC certification must undergo a background check, a rigorous self-
study based on the AIRC standards, and a site review. They must demonstrate their
capacity for ensuring the standards are adapted throughout their agency and that
counselors and agents have a full understanding of the American higher education
system.

AIRC’s Standards for Certification call for a certain level of quality practiced in five
operational areas:
1.  Organizational Effectiveness
2.  Integrity of Recruitment Process
3.  Institutional Engagement Pre and Post Enrollment
4.  Institutional Engagement Pre and Post Recruitment
5.  Complaints Process
- Source: American International Recruitment Council

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
14
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Pre-enrollment Responsibilities
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The AIRC statement of rights and responsibilities asks institutions to assure that:

•  Marketing information is of a high standard, professional, clear and
unambiguous

•  Prospective students can access information about the institution’s academic
program, fees and refund policies, facilities, services, resources and policies, as
well as information about US education and living in the US

•  The integrity of the recruitment process is upheld, including ethical practice in
admission and transfer

•  Students who are admitted are adequately prepared for post-secondary
education, including appropriate language skills and age consideration

•  Accurate information is shared transparently with recruiting agencies

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
15
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Best Practice Outcomes
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Securing universities as clients comes from a trust, that leads to strong
partnerships between agencies and institutions.

•  Cooperation in areas such as marketing and application
processes

•  Agency brings market intelligence, local experience, trained
counseling staff and established infrastructure

•  Agency adds ‘eyes and ears’ to the institution

•  Agency supports institution building its brand in the market

•  Institution supports agency in providing clear and transparent
information to students

•  Institution provides quality post-enrollment support services
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
16
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
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No Brainer?
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It is not wise to assume there is no risk to the university in using an agent.
For many, it is more than reluctance, it is fear. For them, their fears are
very real and recognizing this is very key in starting to establish a trust.

The risks to a university include:

•  Brand damage – Exaggeration of the stature, reputation and
recognition of a universities degree
•  Liability – Misrepresentation and false statements about to
program offerings, admission requirements, eligibility
•  Orphaned Students – Arrival of sub-standard students and
problems that need resolution
•  I-20 License Suspension – Fraudulent documents and immigration
scams risk suspension of the university’s ability to recruit
international students.
•  Professional Reputation – Picking a bad agent could be a career
ender.
American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
17
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Recruitment Agency Checklist
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Institutions should focus on a few quality agencies that meet the check list
below:

Do they:
Do your agencies have:
Work in partnership with you
Established reputation Build on your brand strength
Institutional client base Provide market feedback
Large footprint Provide market research
Experience
Market knowledge
Trained counseling staff Can they:
Effective infrastructure
platforms Deliver your desired student proﬁle
(eg volume, diversity)

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
18
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



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Selling Tactics: Step One
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Establish Trust (personal, company, industry)
- “Academics like to buy, they don’t like to be sold”
- Understand the value of personal referrals.
Testimonials and introductions from other clients are
important door openers and conﬁdence builders

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
19
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
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Selling Tactics: Step Two
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Understand the Need
When possible, Listen, don’t speak.
“Tell me your pain.”
Patience, take notes, be deliberate.
Ask for examples to understand their bias

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
20
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
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Selling Tactics: Step Three
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Address the Objections
Identify and re-state the clients objections
Debate if cordial DO NOT ARGUE
Provide truthful answers where possible
Recognize unknowns where necessary
Defer answers if further research, proof is needed
DO NOT INTENTIONALLY MAKE FALSE
STATEMENTS

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
21
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
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Selling Tactics: Step Four
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Present the Value
Interpret the client fears, create new ones such as:
Risk of being stagnant
Risk of falling behind competitors
Risk of loosing travel justiﬁcation
Create Pain, Create urgency, Be the solution
Trust builds over time, ask for a chance to prove
yourself through a three year plan
Discuss the contract, deﬁne non-negotiable terms
Set reasonable expectations, plan to slightly over
perform

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
22
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
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Selling Tactics: Step Five
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Close the Deal
Validate the client, focus on the students
Ask for references
Visit the campus
Finalize contract terms
Understand the decision making process, work the
cycle

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
23
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
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It Takes Over 7 Contacts to Make a Sale

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Almost never does a relationship consummate in one call, it takes a dialog.

It is best to step through the 5 steps of a sale as efﬁciently as possible,
mindful of the client’s mindset and role within the institution.

It is good to ask how much time they have to talk today and then watch the
clock. Meetings are a real part of university culture and folks are very used
to operating in blocks of time.

End each call/discussion with a summary of decisions and action items
including next call date if possible. “Got your calendar?”

Respecting their time goes a long way toward building conﬁdence in you.

Callback when prompted to, it’s your opener. “You said to call today, so I’m
here to pickup where we left off last time”

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
24
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
S TA

Know Their Process, or Deﬁne One
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School processes are often deﬁned. Don’t forget the basics:
•  Is their an agent application or questionnaire?
•  Do you have a standard contract?
•  Is their a decision making committee or who issues the ultimate
approval of new agents?

Agent business is often personal and they are buying from you. Be
friendly, but not their friend.

Listen to what they are trying to say. Diversions, avoidance, lack of
candor don’t help either you or the school.

Let them know it’s OK to say no to you, you might also say no to them.

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
25
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
S TA

Agree on the Language
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Third-party representative: An all-encompassing term identifying a person or group of
persons offering international student recruitment services for a fee. This can include
agents, counselors or other such positions.

Agent: A single entity, often a sole-proprietor, able to assist institutions in international
student recruitment. May work on behalf of an institution to ﬁnd students, may be hired
by a student prospect to give advice on schools, or may charge both parties for bringing
the two together.

Counselor: A professional responsible for giving guidance and advice to international
students and their families, often to help choose a college or university. May be
separated for ethical reasons from the business aspect of the student placement industry.

Advisor: A professional able to provide standard information on the U.S. options
available to an international student prospect, but not necessary able to offer actual
counseling and guidance or help with choosing an institution.

Marketing representative: A full- or part-time employee hired by a U.S. college or
university to work overseas in an effort to recruit students from a particular region or
country. American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
26
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



NDARDS
S TA

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Good Selling!

Mark Shay
Business Development Director
QS Advace
http://www.QS.com | http://www/TopUniversities.com/QSAdvance
+1-610-357-4648
Mark.shay@QS.com

American
Interna,onal
Recruitment
Council
(AIRC)
27
4710
Rosedale
Avenue
|
Bethesda,
Maryland
20814
|
Tel.
+1
240
547
6400
|



AIRC 2012 Conference Workshop: Best Practices in Building U.S. Partnerships for Recruitment Agencies

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AIRC 2012 Conference Workshop: Best Practices in Building U.S. Partnerships for Recruitment Agencies