Seeing the Off-Platform Hire tag is the beginning of the process, not the end. Here's how to move from signal to action.
Step 1: Pull the evidence before you do anything else
Before reaching out to the client, gather everything you need from Recruiterflow:
Candidate name and their full profile
Submission date: when your firm formally submitted the candidate to this client
Rejection date: when the client rejected the candidate
Detection date: when Recruiterflow flagged the potential off-platform hire
The specific job the candidate was submitted for
Export or screenshot this information. If a dispute arises, you'll want a clean record of the timeline.
Step 2: Check your contract
Pull the client agreement and find the off-platform hire or "candidate protection" clause. Key things to verify:
Is the detected hire within your contract's protection window? (e.g., your contract says 12 months from submission; does the timeline in Recruiterflow fall within that?)
What role does the clause cover? Some agreements protect for any role at the client company, not just the role submitted for. Others are role-specific.
What fee is specified? This is typically a percentage of the placed candidate's first-year salary, or a flat fee agreed to at contract signing.
RF detects within a 12-month window by default. Your contract may specify a different period (6 months, 18 months, etc.). Always defer to your agreement, not the detection window, for legal purposes.
Step 3: Validate the hire independently
The tag is a signal to investigate, not legally actionable on its own. Before contacting the client:
Check the candidate's LinkedIn profile: has their role and employer changed to match the client company?
Look for the candidate on the client's company website or LinkedIn company page.
If you have a relationship with someone inside the client org, you may be able to confirm informally.
Once you've independently verified the hire, you have a much stronger foundation for the conversation with the client.
Step 4: Contact the client, calmly and professionally
Lead with the facts, not accusations. A suggested approach:
Reference the specific clause in the contract.
Present the timeline: when you submitted, when they rejected, when the hire was detected.
State the fee owed per the agreement.
Give them an opportunity to respond.
Most fee recoveries start with a clear, evidence-backed email, not a legal letter.
Step 5: Document the outcome in Recruiterflow
Whatever happens, whether the client pays the fee, disputes it, or you decide not to pursue it, log the outcome in Recruiterflow. Add a note on the candidate's profile or the relevant job. This creates an audit trail and helps you track patterns across clients.
Proactive step: Review JCA pages regularly
Don't wait for a client conversation to surface this. Make a monthly habit of scanning your JCA pages for the Off-Platform Hire tag, especially for roles that had strong candidates who were "rejected" by clients.