Today’s guest blogger is Tim Lane founder and director of Park Lane Recruitment based near Manchester UK.  Park Lane Recruitment is a specialist recruiting firm in the technology space with niche areas of cybersecurity, fintech, space and defense IT, as well as generic IT sales, tech and managerial.  Tim is also an NPAworldwide Board Director with responsibility for the EMEA region and a 30+ year veteran of the recruiting industry. Today Tim gives us a lighthearted look at the serious topic of business development.

Welcome to the wild, sometimes wacky, world of B2B business development! This isn’t your ordinary, dry-as-dust, business tutorial. Oh no, we’re about to dive headlong into a tongue-in-cheek guide that reveals the lighter side of building successful business relationships. From mastering the art of the ‘Zoom mullet’ to the delicate dance of the follow-up email, we’ll explore the top ten things you need to do for successful B2B business development. So buckle up, grab a notepad (and perhaps a cocktail), and prepare for an irreverent romp through the often-hilarious reality of B2B networking. After all, who said business had to be boring? Read the rest of this entry »

Back in 2020 during the pandemic, business conditions changed rapidly for recruiters. From a screeching halt to hiring to a rapid change in attitudes about work, anyone who works a recruitment desk has had to adapt to new ways of working. We started offering a monthly webinar series to offer free training to NPAworldwide members, which has been wildly popular and continues to offer great value. Earlier this month, Barb Bruno from Good As Gold Training offered a session on subtle tweaks to business development tactics. This was a really dynamic presentation, full of practical, no-nonsense advice. I’d like to share some of my favorite tidbits: Read the rest of this entry »

The new year is a great time to take stock of what you do successfully and what areas might need some shoring up. Here are a few things to consider in your business plan:

People

Make sure you have your team optimized for success. Do you have the right mix of remote work built in for yourself and staff? Remote work can be more productive than in-the-office work, but the right mix will optimize your team’s outcomes. Don’t forget rewards and incentives. Monitor successes and areas for improvement. Make sure you plan time for yourself and team members to think. Thinking is underappreciated and often not planned. Change that in 2024. Read the rest of this entry »

Our guest blogger is Pam Robison of J. Gifford Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. J. Gifford Inc. is a small, quality conscious firm providing highly individualized recruiting services to clients on a local, regional, national and international basis. The firm’s recruiting activities are focused on professional, technical and managerial placement, as well as contractor and international staffing for clients. Pam is currently Chair-Elect of the NPAworldwide Board of Directors. Read her thoughts on business development in the recruiting industry below.

In the ever-evolving landscape of talent acquisition, recruiting firms are constantly seeking innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve. Business development in the recruiting industry is not just about meeting targets; it’s about building relationships, harnessing technology, and understanding the dynamic needs of both clients and candidates. In this article, we explore key strategies to foster growth and success in the recruiting sector. Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s guest blogger is Phil Chappel of P. Chappel Associates in Basking Ridge, NJ. Established in 1996 and a member of NPAworldwide since 2003, P. Chappel Associates is a boutique search firm specializing in the software and electronics technology sector—recruitment and placement of engineering, design/development, management, marketing/sales, manufacturing, etc. professionals. Phil is currently serving on the NPAworldwide board of directors. Below, he shares his thoughts on how strong relationships can help you maintain recruitment revenue during an economic downturn.

Recruiters need external partners and a large, solid client base to maintain recruitment revenue in challenging job markets.

My intent was to talk about the importance of having external recruiting partners in a down job market, but it has been written about many times recently. Even though I will address that, I’ll also include the importance of having many clients and why it is imperative to have both of these in place during good markets so when downturns hit, you can leverage these relationships.

Whether you are an independent recruiter or in any size recruiting firm, if you have not been in the recruiting field for at least several years, you have not seen a market downturn. Even though the slowdown of 2023 will likely be a blip and certainly nothing like what we experienced 15 or so years ago when many firms went out of business, you still may have to tighten your belt. The good news is that there is still business out there and if you have been preparing for a time like this, you can make it through successfully. Read the rest of this entry »