Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to industry trainer Mark Whitby speak to independent recruitment professionals about How to Hire Top Producing Recruiters. Although his list of tips was lengthy, every point was valid and he provided great insight to how recruitment agency owners should hire, develop and hang on to their employees. Because there are 15 tips, I am going to break them up into three separate posts with 5 tips each.
1. Make Your Recruiters Your Top Priority
When you are ready to start looking for new recruiters to represent your firm, be sure to keep in mind exactly what you are looking for and what you value in your recruiters. Take stock of what your current top producers are generating and what the cost in dollars and in time is to you if you hire the wrong person. If you keep these things in mind, you will probably be more conscious of the qualities you are looking for and be less easily persuaded towards candidates that don’t fulfill your requirements.
2. Set Specific Objectives for Headcount
It’s important to create a hiring plan. Take a look at your current staff and have an idea of the areas/niches you are looking to expand. Are you going to hire 5 new recruiters in the coming year? Do you want to hire them all at once or spread the hires throughout the year? By how much do you want to increase recruiting revenue? Be sure to align this plan with your budget for the same time period.
3. Assign Ownership for Internal Recruitment
Set up a process for hiring and make sure someone is held accountable. If you are a sole owner, it’s obvious that you will be held accountable for the hiring. However, if there are several owners and recruiters, assign a manager to be responsible for hiring a new recruiter. This way, you have one point of contact and the process will be less complex and more streamlined.
4. Write the Job Specifications
When working with a client, you expect to get the job specs that include details about the position and what attributes a good candidate would have – do the same with your position. Once you’ve created specifications, role-play a mock interview with a current employee or other owner. Ask the same questions you would ask a client. Why is this position open? What are the consequences of not filling this position? What is the ideal personal profile? What is the position title? This way, you will be able to more clearly define what you are looking for.
5. Be Open to Hiring Rookies and Tenured Recruiters
Most recruiting firms tend to polarize toward one or the other when it comes to their recruiters but each type brings different advantages. Be sure to identify the pros and cons of rookies and seasoned veterans and try to have a balance in your independent recruitment agency.
How do you find great recruitment professionals to work in your recruitment agency? Stay tuned for the next 5 tips on How to Hire Top Producing Recruiters…
Mark Whitby, The Recruitment Coach, helps recruiters and recruiting firm owners to maximize their billings and business performance. His recruitment training course “Recruiting in Tough Times” has been downloaded by 2500+ recruiters worldwide. Get your FREE copy here: http://www.RecruitmentCoach.com.