Recently, two of NPAworldwide’s most successful members hosted a topical call, “Business Development- Let’s Grow!” They covered topics like: How can you set yourself apart from other recruiting agencies? And how do you get started with business development? Here are some of their tips:
How did you get started doing business development? Read the rest of this entry »
Some job orders on a recruiter’s desk are easy sells – the ones for companies that offer generous packages and great working environments with on-site gyms, or roles in locations that are hotbeds for that industry, or clients who hold spots on “Best Places to Work” lists. Then… then there are the other orders – positions in rural areas, roles at companies that aren’t so “sexy,” jobs that require long hours or lots of travel, etc.
How do you post the job order or present it to a candidate when you don’t have a great first line like: “Work for a booming startup in the heart of Manhattan; this client offers great perks like a company vehicle and generous PTO policy…”?
Of course, you have to be honest… you can’t tell a candidate that your client offers something that is totally false. But there is always a way to spin a negative into a positive (for example, rural areas can be lauded for their low cost-of-living, and long hours might be the first steps in a company with a road to advancement). You need to be up-front about any drawbacks regarding the role — 1) to prevent a potential fall-off, because 2) the candidate will eventually find out anyway, and you will likely ruin the relationship with them because they won’t trust you anymore.
Here’s some tips on selling your “less-than-perfect” job orders:
As a recruiter, you must be honest and point out your client’s challenges and shortcomings, but also do some research to emphasize the overall opportunity for the candidate.
What do you do if your client comes to you with a job order that you don’t have the bandwidth to help fill? How can you keep your client happy without adding to your costs by hiring another recruiter or opening a branch in another location?
Many recruiters turn to a split placement network, which gives you access to trading partners all over the globe, to help gain more clients, get more work from current clients, and start to broaden their reach nationally and even internationally. While some recruiters may balk at having to split a fee, recruiters who do splits understand that half a fee is better than no fee at all.
Here are a few recent examples of how NPAworldwide members were able to help fulfill their clients’ needs by utilizing network resources – and pocketing part of a split fee they otherwise would not have been able to obtain: Read the rest of this entry »
As a member engagement specialist with NPAworldwide, I spend my days talking to recruiters about their jobs, their candidates, and connecting them to other NPA members who may be able to help them with their reqs. After I clock out, it doesn’t mean work is over… I have a 2.5 year old son. Currently, his favorite book is the classic Goodnight Moon. I’ve read it so many times, that I thought it would be fun to re-write it as an ode to recruiters everywhere. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s hockey playoff time, and it got me thinking about how hockey can draw comparisons to the recruiting world.
In a huge upset, the record-setting Tampa Bay Lightning (who were the best team all season) were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round. How did they fail to win a single playoff game and get swept by the eighth-seeded Columbus Blue Jackets? Read the rest of this entry »
One of NPAworldwide’s most successful members recently hosted a topical call on leveraging recruiting networks.
Despite only being a member of NPAworldwide for less than 3 years, he has done 26 splits with 22 different affiliates in 4 countries over 3 continents. He’s helped affiliates earn a total of $361,772. This year, NPAworldwide has accounted for 100% of his business. So what makes some recruiters more successful within a recruiting network than others?
Here are a few of his ‘best principles’ that keep him inspired and drive his success: Read the rest of this entry »
Recruiters spend a lot of time and money on new business development and marketing to try and win new clients, but have you tried getting more work from your existing clients? Think about it… you already have a relationship with this client, and they know you can deliver. So, it might be time to teach them that through your membership in a recruitment network, you can help them with all of their staffing needs — whether it is outside your niche or your hiring contact’s department.
For example, maybe your client, an accounting firm, doesn’t need any more tax people right now… but you might be able to get work from a different division of the same company and help them fill roles outside of your typical niche. For example, they might need IT people or lawyers.
You can also try getting more work from your clients if they are an international company, or if they are expanding overseas. Yes, you might be their resource to fill all their roles at their NYC headquarters, but if they have an office in Spain, you can let them know that you have a trusted network partner right in that region that can help with unfilled requirements there.
An international network partner has the expertise and knowledge of that local market, and can help you make your clients happy.
Here is a great example of how to leverage your membership in a recruitment network to get international work:
An Australian NPAworldwide member had a Technical Manager role for a client based in Melbourne, which was given to them after their client had tried for 6 months to fill the role themselves.
“We were asked to assist because we are industry experts in their field,” he said. “We explained to the CEO that there are no Australians willing to relocate to Melbourne to fulfill this role (most live in Sydney). I informed him that he needed to go global. He said that he had thought of this but did not know how. NPA and our expertise were his answer.”
He posted the role onto NPA’s internal job board for members, and a number of recruiters responded with candidates. The best of them came from a firm based in Romania, and they placed the candidate, an Italian citizen living in Italy.
“A truly global effort!” the Australian member said.
NPAworldwide membership gives independent recruiters and small firms a way to compete in a global marketplace, be more effective and efficient to clients, and enhance revenue-generating opportunities.
NPAworldwide recently held a Topical Call where some of NPAworldwide’s most successful members gave quick tips on growing your business and how to find success in a split placement network network.
The following tips were provided by NPAworldwide’s Hall of Fame members, which represents lifetime achievement in NPAworldwide split placement activity, achieving cumulative salaries of at least US$10 million of placed candidates. Read the rest of this entry »
Recently, we had a staff meeting centered around establishing our goals and values as a team — while each staff members has their own set role and responsibilities, the purpose of this meeting was to discuss how we all view the “bigger picture” of our purpose and view for the organization. It got me thinking about how it applies to a recruiting firm. Within a recruitment firm, recruiters work as part of a larger team, but because this industry is so cut-throat and quote driven, it could be perceived as every person for themselves. And a little bit of healthy competition is great, but it’s important that your team is focused on working towards a common goal.
Your recruiting team are the people who are going to help you succeed in finding talent and keeping your firm’s clients happy, so it’s important to make sure you are all on the same page. It could be useful to hold a team meeting to discuss your recruitment firm’s goals, values, purpose, and expectations. As an owner/manager, here are a few things to consider:
How do you keep your recruiting team motivated? If you’re part of a recruiting network, what is your process for getting your recruiters involved?
On our recruitment network forum, one recruiter asked recently asked: “Do you read the Resume or Cover Letter first?”
The overwhelming response was, with all the applications recruiters receive, most do not have time to read a cover letter at all. So, does that mean a candidates shouldn’t write one at all? Not at all.
While many recruiters don’t read them, many do expect to get one because most employers and hiring managers still expect one. Crafting a cover letter also shows that you have put some time and effort into applying to this specific job, rather than just sending out your resume to the masses.
Here are some tips if you want your cover letter to be read: Read the rest of this entry »