Global recruitment leader Greg Savage of the Savage Truth recently posted a video stating that the recruitment landscape is littered with “yesterday’s heroes” – recruiters who don’t evolve and are stagnating.
Here are some of Savage’s warning signs you are becoming one of “yesterday’s heroes”:
• Hide behind email – If your default action is to send an email, you miss the opportunity to influence the outcome of those little moments of truth that allow recruiters to really consult – the opportunity to send a candidate to a client, to qualify a job order. While email is easy and efficient, it’s not as good as picking up the phone or meeting face-to-face to help build relationships.
• Job board addicts — If your default action is to whip an ad up on a job board, you might be on your way to becoming one of ‘yesterday’s heroes,’ Savage says. Be proactive, not reactive.
• Only focus on active candidates – Along with that, if a candidate to you is somebody who comes to you, you’re missing out. The ‘modern recruiter,’ as Savage calls them, will go out and hunt candidates down. “They’ll be skilled hunters, talent magnets, seducers of candidates who will find those candidates that are not actively looking and engage people before they start looking,” Savage said of the ‘modern recruiter.’
• ‘In real life’-phobic – If you steer away from opportunities to sit opposite a client or candidate, and would rather send an email or text, you may be on the way to becoming one of ‘yesterday’s heroes.’ Recruiters who are scared to actually get in front of a person because they lack confidence or they think it’s not important enough and is a waste of time, are going to miss that moment to influence, to make a difference, to be consultative, and to build relationships.
• “Spray and pray” resumes around town – The reason clients come to you is because you are a specialist. You want them to believe that only you will find that “purple squirrel” for them. If you are just throwing resumes against a wall to see if they’ll stick, your client will lose trust in you for wasting their time and not catering to their specific requirements and company culture. Just because you talk to 10 people doesn’t mean you have to send them all along – pre-qualify them and solidify that trust and relationship with your clients.
• Social media-phobes / time wasters – If you think social media is irrelevant, or, on the contrary, if you waste time on social media, you might be heading down the wrong path. Build a brand, and use content effectively. Don’t resist change.
• Treat candidates like cattle – If you herd candidates into your office or schedule calls and interviews with them, only to never follow-up with them or talk to them again, that will breed negativity. Keep good relationships with your candidates, as they might be, or might know someone who would be, the perfect fit for your next job order. Even if they aren’t a fit for this specific job, follow-up with the candidate and keep in touch – they’ll be appreciative for hearing back from you, and you never know, you might get a referral out of it.
Times have changed and the industry has become relationship-centric. It’s all about candidates and it’s about serving your client. Modern recruiters know the importance of adding value and showing what you can do for a client or candidate, not just focusing on how much you can bill. Long term relationships are what keep you in business.
Here in America, it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and a time to reflect and express gratitude for things that give your life meaning. In the recruiting world, this may be a time where candidates assess whether their work gives them satisfaction and if they find it meaningful. With the start of a new year coming up, candidates may be at the point where they want to make a change if they don’t feel they are making a positive impact in their current job.
