Last year around this time I saw an article about how difficult it is for people to keep New Year’s Resolutions. The article then offered ways to make stickier resolutions – making them specific, measurable, and so forth. But it also raised another idea that really resonated with me – so many resolutions are framed negatively, such as “don’t eat sweets” and the negativity makes them harder to keep. Switching the framing from a negative framework to a positive or abundant framework switches your whole mindset. So “don’t eat sweets” turns into “eat more vegetables” where you are perhaps rewarding yourself with “more” as opposed to punishing yourself by taking something away. I think this could also be an effective strategy for New Year’s Recruiter Resolutions.
So if you are planning some recruiter resolutions, what could “more” look like in your desk or business? Here are some ideas:
- Get more specialized – I believe the most successful recruiters in the future will be those who are niche-specialized. If you already have a defined niche, how can you deepen that? If you have more of a generalist focus, how can you start to tailor your focus to a specific industry or a small handful of roles? Can you get down to the level of a micro-niche? How would your business change if you knew all the major employers and all the top candidates in a specific niche?
- Increase candidate engagement efforts – In the US and many other countries, there is a real lack of candidates that is going to last for the foreseeable future. Recruiters who have deeper, better relationships with candidates are in a much better position to succeed than those who do not. AI and other tools can help by automating tasks that improve communication with candidates. Provide more ways for candidates to interact with you. Focus on your marketing efforts.
- Double down on data – Do yourself a favor and dig into revenue modeling if you’re not already doing that. Barbara Bruno from Good As Gold Training has some great information on how to do this for your business. To paraphrase an old saw, you can’t manage what you don’t measure.
- Prioritize personalization – this goes along with increasing candidate engagement. Find out how your candidates want to hear from you, how often, and modify your practices accordingly. Develop a mix of content that includes short-form video as well as web and written content. Don’t forget mobile. Gen Z has entered the workforce and it’s only a few short years before Generation Alpha joins them. Your one-size-fits-all approach to candidate attraction isn’t going to work anymore.
As you make a conscious commitment to do more of these items, you will naturally have less time to devote to outdated practices that hinder your future success. I wish you a successful and prosperous New Year!