If you want to maximize the value of your online social network, there are three questions you need to ask:

Question #1 - Where does my target market interact?

Whether you are targeting clients or job seekers it's important to know which social networks they frequent.  Yes, there are the big social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn; but there are also smaller, more niche online social networks that may be more valuable to you as a recruiter.  For example, if you are looking for clients you may want to connect to social networks that target law firms or even specific legal areas, such as social networks that for litigators, bankruptcy attorneys or immigration lawyers. The same concept goes for find job seekers.

Question #2 - What information do they WANT?

When seeking to maximize the value of your online social network, sharing valuable information is critical for building and sustaining viable communities. Make sure that you are providing information that is valuable to those you are targeting.

Question #3 - What information do they share with others?

Online social networks are viral because their members share information with others inside; but most importantly outside of the network.  This is particularly important for recruiters when valuable information that is passed on to others outside of your network, you increase the chances of connecting to a new client or attracting a high quality job seeker.

What happens when several different recruiters submit a high value candidate for the same job at the same time, a commission war, if the employer decides to hire the candidate? Often disputes can arise about which recruiter submitted first, did the most work or who truly represents the candidate. Commission wars are occurring more often because candidates are submitting their resumes to various recruiters who may all be submitting for the same positions.  There is an article in The Houston Chronicle highlighting how one commission war was resolved, and not in the favor of the recruiters or the candidate.

The article said

The job seemed like a perfect fit. The Port of Houston Authority was looking for a security network engineer, and Michael Garrett figured he had all the qualifications. So did his recruiter, IS&T, who brought Garrett in for an interview, verified his education and job history, ran a criminal background check and presented him to the port. But then the application hit a snag.

It turns out that Garrett, like many job seekers, had posted his résumé on more than a dozen job boards and worked with several recruiters over the years. With so many copies of his résumé floating around, it's not hard to imagine another headhunter hit the send button first.

And that's exactly what happened: Earlier in the day another recruiter submitted Garrett's résumé, which Garrett said was done without his knowledge or permission. By the time Tony Pannagl, managing partner for IS&T in Houston, said he could prove he was the only recruiter representing Garrett, the port identified another candidate for the $80,000 to $85,000 a year job.

It doesn't sound too profitable for anyone involved, well maybe the other candidate.  One way to avoid commission wars is to ask the job candidate where he/she was submitted their resume, including employers and other recruiters. Also, recruiters should really focus on creating relationships with employers so that they give them the first opportunity to fill a position, thus avoiding disputes with other recruiters.

(source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6592376.html)