The importance of third party recruiting is at an all time high. Even companies who have taken extreme measure to cut out the middle man and establish their own elaborate talent acquisition team are returning to working with third party recruiters. Why? The market of attracting talent is forever a moving target as a generation retires and another enters the workforce. We headhunters can find the sharpest needle in the stack of needles. We go straight to the source. Head hunters have access to a strong network of professionals. We are not limited to one job or organization. This gives us access to potential candidates in the entire industry, giving us a higher likeliness of finding an A player even if they are not active. I have closed countless deals with that perfect candidate who is “not looking.”
I have been recruiting for six years now and this is my attempt to help out my young recruiters and give a fresh perspective for my experienced ones. I know I haven’t recruited for very long. No, I wasn’t around when they had to sign up on index cards. I have never mailed a resume to a client. I do know how to use a fax machine, though. If you have more years than me correct me if I’m wrong. I respect all recruiters young and experienced. I have great mentors and have learned so much from everyone I have encountered. I know we all can agree this industry is always evolving.
This career can be everything you want and more. I have seen recruiters next to me purchase a boat while they should be making calls. I’ve also seen my fair share in this career chewed up and spit out. As I can attest I myself have been chewed up multiple times. I always pick myself up and dust myself off. These are my 5 tips to anyone starting out or reorganizing their desk.
5 tips to becoming the recruiter you want to be:
Consistency:
This is where the work begins. To be successful in anything it will take hard work. Recruiting is no different. Being consist in making the calls and emails will separate you. The best advice I received as a young recruiter was to manage my day and not let the day waste away. When it is going horrible, and trust me it will have its days, do the exact same things you were doing when it was going great. Your consistency will provide success even when the market changes.
Matchmaker:
Being a matchmaker can be fun. Especially when you do it effectively. The biggest complaint my network mentioned to me they had about recruiters reaching out is, you guessed it, they reach out with jobs that aren’t relevant to them or their skill set. This is where match making can separate you from your counterpart. Even when the candidate is not interested in your job today, they know you have jobs that match their background and interest. This will position you as a relevant source in the industry. They are more than likely to reach out to you when they are looking for their next opportunity. Think of it as bait. The second reason is after you place a person. You want that candidate to be happy with their new job. If they are, they are more likely to refer you or return than if not.
The experience:
Third party or headhunter recruiting is very competitive and often recruiters are working on the same jobs. Giving a candidate a good experience with follow up, honesty, and timely feedback will help create an experience that will speak volumes to candidates. Obviously, this will be different for everyone, but for me I strongly recommend putting on your customer service hat and treating individuals how you like to be treated while making one of the biggest decisions of your life. My dedication to this has allowed me to stay in touch with many candidates, even the ones I did not place. Meeting face to face can help but is not necessary if you can build rapport through their experience working with you.
Network:
Your network is the biggest play on your success. Ever hear the expression “your network is your net-worth?” I think whoever said this had to be talking about headhunters. This describes to the T the importance of your network as a recruiter. In this career, talking to any and everyone will undoubtedly help you. Leveraging your network to make placements is the most essential part of recruiting on the client and candidate side. A strong network will help you get connected with the appropriate sources to be successful on a consistent bases. Strengthen your network and get your name/brand out there.
Luck:
Last but not least is luck. Yes, you need luck in this business. Sometimes you can do all the right things and it still not be enough. I think we all need the ball to bounce in our direction at times. What is luck to you? Luck to me is when opportunity meets preparation. I stay prepared so when it’s time for my bounce, I take full advantage of the opportunity. The first thing my mentor told me in my early career was there are no short cuts or secret ingredients. You must work hard.
Thanks for reading!