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Decision-making and Democracy in a Recruiting Network

by Veronica Blatt

ballot-boxOver the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working on distributing proxy authorizations to NPA’s voting members for our upcoming annual meeting. It’s a great reminder for me of the member-ownership aspect of our recruiting network. As a member-owned cooperative, NPA is run democratically. Voting members who attend our annual meeting cast their votes in person. Those who are unable to attend assign a proxy to NPA’s secretary/treasurer, who ensures each vote is cast in accordance with that member’s wishes.

During the annual meeting, audited financial statements are reviewed and discussed, elections are held for the Board of Directors, bylaws changes are voted upon, and members have the ability to bring up new business from the floor. Every member firm of our recruiting network has an equal say in how NPA is run, regardless of the size (or success) of each firm. As with any election, members may not be satisfied with the outcome, but they are certainly an integral part of the process.

Last year, NPA members voted to adopt brand-new bylaws. The old bylaws, adopted in 1981, had become out-of-date, and needed to be “modernized” to fit today’s business environment and the global nature of our recruiting network. Already this year, NPA’s Board of Directors is proposing two amendments to the bylaws based on member feedback. The changes will be discussed and debated, and members will vote on whether or not to adopt these changes. Next year, it’s conceivable there will be further revisions.

While it’s tough to get excited about bylaws (unless you’re like me), this process is an important distinction between NPA and other recruiting networks or recruiting franchises. It’s what makes us different from our competitors. Other recruiting organizations are owned by individuals. While members or franchisees may be able to offer feedback about how those organizations are run, they do not generally get to participate in business and financial decisions that may impact their own businesses. By contrast, NPA’s president and staff do not establish policy; we implement the programs, services, and policies developed by our members.

If you are considering joining a recruiting network, is member-ownership important to you? Or are you more comfortable paying someone else to make decisions? There is no wrong answer, but it’s a point that deserves careful consideration. Click the link below for a checklist that helps you compare NPA to other recruiting networks.

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Starting a Recruiting Business

by Dave Nerz

sticky-notesIf 2013 is the year you will start a recruiting business, here is a very high level look at some things to consider.  The steps may be spelled out for you if you are buying a recruitment franchise.  I would strongly suggest you consider formal and informal network membership as an alternative to purchasing a recruitment franchise.  Here are the high level actions required to get going with your business:

1. Pick a name

Think ahead. Maybe someday after you start your recruiting business you will want to sell it and retire. Do not name the recruitment business after yourself. There is less value to a business called “John Jones Recruiting” when there is no John Jones in the business. At the same time, don’t let name selection paralyze you. The name might help, but look at Google: who would have picked that name? I think they are doing just fine with a crazy name.

Make sure your company name is not already taken with the  U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the appropriate service in your location.

2. Register a domain name

Make sure that the name you selected has available the domain that you want. Even better, think about how people might find you via an online search and see if there is a way you can incorporate your top keyword into your domain name (as well as your company name).

Go for the .com extension. If you must give in, consider .net or .jobs. Try to avoid the dreaded hyphen! Check domain names at Network Solutions. There is nothing worse than a thriving business working on a @gmail.com, @yahoo.com or @aol.com address.

3. Arm your recruiting business with tools

Business cards – Vistaprint.com is a great source of cheap cards.

Accounting Software – Quickbooks is a standard. Freshbooks is an online option.

Applicant Tracking System – I like PCRecruiter. They have a low-cost, highly-flexible tool to track clients and candidates. (Disclosure: Main Sequence Technology, maker of PCRecruiter, is NPA’s technology partner.)

Backup system or cloud-based storage area – Dropbox or GoogleDocs are cloud-based, or you can have a scheduled backup from a service like Carbonite.

Mailing/Marketing Service – try Constant Contact or MailChimp.

LinkedIn – buy the best package you can afford. You will be using it all day, every day, so make it your friend.

4. Set up a website

There are many low-cost tools, including godaddy.com, Network Solutions, and Vistaprint. A word of caution: You don’t want your next-door-neighbor’s-kid’s-best-friend to build you a website, unless that person REALLY knows about websites, responsive design, search engine optimization, mobile interfaces, etc. Economical is smart. Cheap is not.

5. Get connected to the industry

Join the industry trade association – NAPS (National Association of Personnel Services) is in the US.

6. Get trained

Look into a service like Next Level Exchange. They provide training on recruiting from many of the masters of industry.

7. Expand your capabilities/make more money/connect to a peer group

Once established, join NPA, The Worldwide Recruiting Network to enable global coverage to your prospects and clients, do more deals, and gain access to fellow entrepreneurs for ideas and coaching.

It is a great time to be a recruiter. It is difficult work, but the demographics are on your side. With millions of boomers retiring each year and companies back into a growth mode, good employees will be hard to find. That’s where you can benefit. Happy New Year and best of luck for a successfully starting a recruiting business.

Evolution of Independent Recruiters

by Terri Piersma

Independent recruiters represent many different work styles. Recently I viewed an infographic by RecruitLoop that summarized work styles of recruitment consultants from the 1980s to the 2010s. While it is admittedly a generalization of recruitment by decade, I decided to share it with you as an example of how technology has played a key role in changing the landscape of recruitment.

The infographic summarized the past four decades as follows:

  • 1980s Recruitment Top Gun
    The tech boom in the ’80s gave high-flying recruiters a chance to spread their wings and headhunt more senior, more technical, and more specialized roles.
  • 1990s Pulp Fiction Recruitment
    With the booming tech industry and growing dot-com bubble, prosperity ensued. Recruitment Consultants rode the wave, worked hard, and played even harder.
  • 2000s Minority Report Recruitment
    Recruiters became far more tech savvy, as print declined. Many created a virtual presence. Intelligent specialist recruiters created a competitive edge.
  • 2010s The Social Network Recruitment
    Gone are the days of an office. The recruiter is a cyber-sleuth, working anywhere and anytime to stay ahead of the game. Being flexible with the latest social networks and apps are a must. They are adapting fast to avoid extinction.

Evolution of the Recruitment Consultant

Image:  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2013 U.S. Job Forecast Positive for Independent Recruiters

by Terri Piersma

December of each year usually brings predictions about jobs for the following year. This December is no exception. Recently, I read Careerbuilder’s 2013 U.S. Job Forecast. Independent recruiters take note! My post today will summarize this forecast which was conducted online in November 2012 by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder and included more than 2,600 hiring managers and human resource professionals as well as more than 3,990 workers (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government).

  • Key Findings
    1. 62% of the companies reported they were in a better position than one year ago
    2. 42% reported sales had increased and another 42% had no change in sales
  • Hiring of Full-time, Permanent Employees
    1. 26% of employers will increase the number of full-time, permanent employees they will hire (up 3% from 2012)
    2. 9% will decrease (up 2% from 2012)
    3. 55% no change
    4. 11% undecided
  • Top 10 Jobs Companies Plan to Hire for in 2013 for Full-time, Permanent Positions

    1. Sales
    2. Information Technology
    3. Customer Service
    4. Engineering
    5. Production
    6. Business Development
    7. Administrative
    8. Research & Development
    9. Accounting & Finance
    10. Marketing
  • Temporary and Contract Hiring
    1. 40% will hire temporary or contract workers in 2013 (up from 36% in 2012)
    2. Among these employers, 42% plan to transition some temporary workers into full-time, permanent employees in 2013
  • Hiring By Region
    Employers  in the Midwest, Northeast, South, and West regions of the U.S. noted if they planned to increase hiring, decrease hiring, or have no change in hiring as well as if they were undecided about hiring in 2013. While all regions showed an increase from 2012 regarding an increase in hiring for 2013, employers in the West and the South responded that they will hire more employees in 2013 than those in the other regions.

To read the complete Careerbuilder 2013 U.S. Job Forecast, click here.

While the forecast shows some employers are optimistic, others are still cautious. However, for independent recruiters, it is good to read that only 9-10% of employers will decrease the hiring of full-time, permanent employees in 2013.

What trends in hiring have you noticed with the clients you serve?

 

Image:  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Common Screening Mistakes by Independent Recruiters

by Veronica Blatt

There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when qualifying a candidate for an open position. Some independent recruiters have a set process they follow and some have a different process for each situation. Personally, I think it’s important for independent recruiters to have a checklist of items that must be completed before a candidate can be presented to a client. Whether you feel the need to complete each task based on the job order or client is up to you. To keep yourself organized a ‘task list’ seems like something all recruiters should utilize. If you start to become sloppy with your process you may commit one of the top 10 screening mistakes listed in the infographic below created by Resoomay. Read the rest of this entry »

Working with Other Independent Recruiters to Improve Results

by Veronica Blatt

Today’s post is courtesy of guest blogger Kimberley Chesney. Kimberley is the owner of Prime Management Group in Canada, with offices in London and Kitchener (Ontario) and Victoria (British Columbia). Kimberley is a long-time volunteer for NPA, currently serving as Chair of the NPA Board of Directors.

Working as independent recruiters can be difficult.  We want to produce excellent results for our clients without the normal resources of large, international firms.  We know, all too well, that our individual reputation depends on the results we can achieve for our clients.  With the advent of social media, we are constantly challenged in differentiating ourselves from our competition.

How are we able to deliver excellent results and earn a respectable fee?

Understanding the complex needs of our clients is key to producing the outcomes that they are expecting from us.  Taking the time to meet with our clients (either face-to-face or online) will be essential if we truly want to put ourselves in their shoes.

Working through the process of recruiting, rather than seeing it as a transaction, is very important.  Aligning ourselves with other independent recruiters who value the personal nature of our role can be extremely helpful. It is essential to use every tool available in order to produce the results we are expected to deliver.

Often, we focus entirely on the “client” part of the placement and virtually ignore the needs of the candidates we are presenting.  If we would only stop and remember that we are in the “people” business and that both parties have special needs of their own.  Learning what your candidates are looking for as a package is much more than hearing about their salary expectations.  Often there are many other factors which affect the candidate’s desire and ability to say “yes” to an offer and yet we don’t take the time to really learn what is important to them.

If we are fortunate to have other independent recruiters as partners who want to assist us, we can better navigate through this complex business relationship.  If they have an existing relationship with the client or candidate, it increases the odds that you will be able to close the placement.  They may have some information concerning the client or candidate which provides the basis on which you can close the placement.  Imagine the power of knowledge gained in working in a cooperative placement process where your partner helps you with the entire recruitment journey!  Imagine if they have access to excellent candidates who provide exactly what your client is looking for.  You would be more than happy to share the fee and ensure you are serving your clients so they come back to you over and over again.

Being an independent recruiter can have its advantages, but networking with other recruiters who are like minded provides for excellent scope and results and keeps not only your clients happy, but your pocketbook too!

Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Independent Recruiters and Networking: 5 Quick Tips

by Terri Piersma

December and January are great months of the year to network as many holiday events are held and the mood is typically festive. Recently, I read a Forbes.com article by Darrah Brustein titled 16 Quick Tips to Become a Better Networker.

Darrah provided a non-recruiter perspective of networking. I thought her list was crisp and clear and explained well the value of networking. You will find below the five tips from her article that I believe are great reminders of how to effectively network your way through the holidays:

  • Remember that at a networking event, everyone is there meet new people.
    Going alone and walking up to strangers is the point. Everyone has some apprehension. Take the initiative.
  • Ask, “Why should they care?”
    Do you know how to describe yourself or your business in one sentence that demonstrates some value to the listener, not couched in industry-speak? Or, can you explain it so that they might be interested in continuing the conversation? Example: I help people to  . . .
  • Ask questions that are deeper than, “What do you do?”
    When possible, begin conversations with questions about someone personally, not necessarily their profession. Get to know them and attempt to find commonalities. They will tend to remember those conversations best.
  • Remember their Rolodex.
    The power of networking is the people your contacts know, not always your contact directly. Keep that in mind as you help guide people towards how to help connect you.
  • Listen more than you talk!
    People love to talk about themselves, and you can’t learn about the other person if you’re doing all of the talking.

If you would like to read the entire article about the 16 Quick Tips to Become a Better Networker, click here.

Are there any other of the 16 tips that you have found effective while networking? Do you have any additional tips not listed in the article?

Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a Prosperous New Year!
Image:  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

 

 

Independent Recruiters: What Decade Are You Recruiting In?

by Veronica Blatt

I has a conversation with a friend the other day and she was saying that  her VCR broke and she was going to look for a new one. I thought to myself  “she means DVD player” so I corrected her and it turns out I was wrong. She was looking for a VCR because I can only presume that she’s been living under a rock for the past decade (my apologies to those of you that still own a VCR). I started thinking of all the great movies she is missing out on because she hasn’t adjusted to the changing technology.  I found this infographic, published by Atenta, this afternoon and I thought it would be interesting to post to see how many independent recruiters are still recruiting in the 1920’s.

If you don’t keep up with the changing times, you will be missing out on great candidates and opportunities. As an independent recruiter I can understand it might be hard to invest in every technical change that occurs so maybe you  need to do your research and pick the ones that will be most useful to your company. The latest wave of recruiting includes sourcing through social media channels, including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Make sure that, at least, your visible through each of these platforms.

What are some of the archaic tools or systems you are currently using that might need a little makeover?

New Ideas for Independent Recruiters

by Dave Nerz

Effective independent recruiters need to stay current on the trends, tools and ideas being used by the competition.  With the growth of competition locally and from international recruiters looking to expand their coverage areas, it’s wise to be on top of all the ideas that might be used to maximize success.  Everyone uses the traditional tools of recruiting like referrals, LinkedIn, Twitter and all the other more traditional sourcing methods.  Here are a few off the wall ideas for the open-minded and aggressive independent recruiter to find and close new candidates:

  • The Buddy System.  When you find a good candidate, find out who their best friend in the workplace is and make an offer to both.  You will hopefully get a strong and effective team of new hires and instead of just one your client will get two.  Your fee?  That’s up to you but maybe this offers an opportunity to show the client a savings?
  • Push News and Openings.  If you are not sharing with the best candidates the placements you have made and the best opening you have, you need to start doing this.  A simple email list and newsletter can get it done quickly and effectively.
  • Create Skill Challenges and Contests.  If you hire accountants, create a contest that will challenge their knowledge and experience.  Offer a $500 to the best response to a question or problem.  You will engage many that are employed and top thinkers.
  • Create a Talent Space.  If you can create a space on social media like LinkedIn for people with the skill you seek to gather and connect, you will get a stranglehold on those in your targeted profession or skill area.
  • Experiment with Traditional Media.  No one is doing so any more so you will stand out.  Include direct mail in your efforts, now a days it is a unique way to capture those you seek.
  • Offer Interview Options.  Make the interview easy to do.  Offer interview outside of work hours, do it in casual setting on a Saturday morning, do it by Skype, do it at a location your candidate selects…you will learn something about them from each of these options.
  • Side-by-side Comparison Worksheets.  Create a sheet that describes what the new employer is offering…upside, benefits, market share, working conditions, hours, etc.  Let the candidate complete how the existing employer stacks up right in front of you.  It lets you know where the issue are in an instant.
  • Know Why They Said Yes.  As an independent recruiter are you doing ‘post-mortems’ on successful placements to see what were the 3 to 5 most influential things said or done to get a yes out of the candidate.  If you know what works for one the process may be more repeatable for many.
  • The Diminishing Offer.  I personally love this one.  Because you know candidates will string you out to get as many active offers in before deciding do this…make the offer tiered.  If they accept within 24 hours of the offer it comes with a signing bonus of X.  If they take from 24 to 72 hours it is X – 25%.  And if it is more than 72 hours it is X – 50%.  If it is more than a week it is X – 75%.  You will quickly know how serious the candidate is and they will be explaining the issues holding them back with greater urgency.  It is a gimmick but it is hard to create urgency particularly when the candidate is employed in a border-line acceptable existing situation.

Independent recruiters need to try new things. The competition from other recruiters including international recruiters is certainly not going to get much easier.

 

Recruiting Resources: Understanding the Millennial Generation

by Veronica Blatt

Young and old business peopleToday’s guest blogger is Rick Corey with OpticsProfessionals, LLC in Rochester, New York, USA. OpticsProfessionals specializes fields of optics, photonics and imaging technology. OpticsProfessionals, LLC assists employers in staffing key talent, while helping individuals with career transition and growth opportunities. Rick is the immediate past chair of the NPA Board of Directors.

Recruiters who have been in business for some time understand the differences in the expectations of “Baby Boomers” (born 1946-1964) and “Gen Xers” (born 1965-1979). A new challenge for recruiters is being able to understand the next generation… the Millennials (born 1980-2000). How we connect with them, what their needs and expectations are, and what type of corporate culture is the best fit are all recruiting resources that will help you work effectively with Millennial candidates.

The Millennial Generation is the most connected generation in history, with connections and networks globally through social media, young professional organizations, alumni networks, etc. Partially because of this, they are group/team oriented, and believe a team can accomplish more and better things. They are confident in their abilities, and are ready to take on the world. Millennials are multi-taskers on a scale never seen before. (I learned this when my daughter was in high school…doing homework, playing Xbox, and texting with friends all at the same time.) The first recruiting resource that will help you is to master social media to connect with Millennials.

When it comes to their work life, Millennials seek challenge and do not want to experience mundane assignments or boredom. They seek leadership, and even structure, from their older and managerial coworkers, and expect to have their ideas respected. If older senior management does not relate to them, or understand the way they use technology at work, they will look for new opportunities. Effective recruiting resources include ensuring that your client is equipped to welcome Millennials into the work environment.

Millennials prefer to communicate electronically at work as opposed to face-to-face or even over the telephone. They routinely make use of their own technology at work and most believe that access to technology makes them more effective at work. However, technology is often a catalyst for intergenerational conflict in the workplace and many feel held back by rigid or outdated working styles. From their employer they want to see where their career is going and to know exactly what they need to get there. At least 70% want assignments abroad to enhance their career. So, another recruiting resource is to help your client understand that “different” doesn’t always mean “bad.”

Millennials are used to balancing many activities such as teams, friends and philanthropic activities, and they expect flexibility in scheduling and a life away from work. If their needs are not met in their current work environment, they will network their way out of that workplace and into one that meets their needs. Recruiting resources will need to accommodate these increased demands for balance and flexibility if Millennials are part of your candidate pool.

Millennials are… Confident, Connected, and open to Change. What recruiting resources have you used to source top-notch Millennial candidates?

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