Today’s guest blogger is Laura Schmieder of Premier Placement Inc., specializing in manufacturing especially engineering, operations, supply chain, sales and marketing roles globally. She currently serves on the NPAworldwide board of directors.
First, I’m going to admit that I’ve been doing recruiting since the dark ages. Seriously. BEFORE email, fax, social media, Google and instant information. Back in the day, I could either talk the client into interviewing based on my verbal presentation OR send the resume via snail mail and wait a few days. Eventually FedEx and next day delivery emerged, but it wasn’t until the fax machine became reasonably cost-effective that we could instantaneously send a resume…and get immediate response.
I look back and realize that I got many more interviews because I had to use my persuasive techniques or I would be constantly waiting for the mail to arrive. Hiring managers worked with me based on trust and reputation for knowing what they wanted. Access to resumes was not as easy (or plentiful) given there was no Monster or Careerbuilder or any number of resume databases to be searched.
At an NPAworldwide meeting last week which was hosted by Monster, the discussion revolved around how to plan the working day, how to attract the MPC, land new client employers, and build relationships in an age where people rarely answer their phones or return voice messages but prefer either email or texts.
Back to basics is what I heard. Pick up the phone anyway, don’t rely on texts and email solely. Find out what motivates the candidate to want to make a change OR for the hiring manager, not only the technical expertise but what personality best fits the group.
As much as this Information Age has given us instant access to a plethora of data – contacts, resumes, employer details – it can be overwhelming. Data or facts are nothing without knowledge of what drives a decision. What we do with those details is what is important – and getting back to the basics will help us achieve our goals.
Nothing better than keeping it simple and starting with the basics. A phone call works wonders!
Nice Laura — In the words of my first boss in the recruiting business “pick up the phone”
Agree on all, Laura! Same principal applies to working with NPA Partners. We get so much more success with the occasional live phone conversation to discuss candidate and employer needs and communicate how best to work with each other. Happy Holidays!
Good points Laura. Even 10 yrs ago when I started recruiting we were still doing phone presentations on each candidate…and somehow even I lost that (when? the evolution happens so gradually you don’t realize it’s gone). Now, clients are being SO picky about every little word on a resume being there vs the overall “fit”. This is a great reminder to try to blend the worlds somehow, bring those basics back yet mesh with technology for efficiency purposes.
I’d love that! Just people, interviews, a telephone and your magic. Databases/cvs slow me down!!