I came across a blog entry from Greg Savage (The Savage Truth), 10 massive blunders I have made in recruitment and wanted to share some other ideas. Greg is the founder of leading recruitment companies Firebrand Talent Search, People2People and Recruitment Solutions. He is an established global leader of the recruitment industry and a regular keynote speaker worldwide. (Disclosure: NPA has hired Greg as a professional speaker/trainer on several occasions. NPA gets nothing from Greg for reading his blog and sharing comments here.)
Greg maintains that it’s difficult to run a successful recruiter organization. There are a lot of variables that can impact business growth for recruiters. I agree.
His list of 10 massive blunders includes the following:
- Focusing too heavily on recruiter activity levels
- Conversely, focusing too little on recruiter activity levels
- Allowing recruiters to function as generalists who attempt to be everything to everyone
- Hiring recruiters based on past success or education in the field for which they’ll be recruiting … instead of focusing on sales and recruitment skills. Industry knowledge can be learned.
- Adding remote offices without strong, committed local management.
- Waiting too long to cull mediocre performers in the hopes you can someday convert them into recruitment superstars
- Compensation that is paid in the form of a high base salary, instead of offering a commission structure linked to high performance.
- Getting top-heavy with managers who don’t run a desk
- Assuming that a good recruiter will make a good manager
- Taking his successful start-up company through an IPO
I love Greg’s list, and think it shows the kind of acumen that leads to business growth for recruiters. I would add the following:
- Waiting too long to course-correct when the market fluctuates. Too many times I’ve seen owners of recruiting firms hamper their profitability by not cutting costs quickly or deeply enough when business is soft.
- Failing to act boldly to take advantage of an economic recovery. There is a prime window to increase recruiting revenue at the early stages of an upswing. Savvy owners aren’t afraid to take a calculated risk by either adding rainmaking recruiters or branching out into a developing niche before the competition beats you to it.
What do you think of this list? What else stalls business growth for recruiters?
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