As a recruiter, one of the most challenging aspects of your job is finding up-to-date contact information for potential candidates. You don’t want to waste your time and resources reaching out to people who aren’t interested or have already moved on. However, finding the right candidate’s information can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Here are ten resources that you can use to find candidate’s contact information, making your recruitment job easier:

1. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms for professionals. It is an excellent resource for recruiters as it lists candidates’ contact information. You can also connect with potential candidates and send them direct messages. Read the rest of this entry »

The recruitment process can be tedious and take a lot of time, from cold calling clients to maintaining a pipeline of candidates that you have to stay in constant contact with… the process of hiring can take weeks or even months before a candidate is actually extended an offer and hired. Not to mention, the whole process can be quite costly when you figure in job advertisements, marketing efforts, etc.  Luckily, there are a plethora of recruiting tools available to simplify the process and save you time to focus on finding the right fit.

Here are some recruiting tools and resources recruiters can use to build business: Read the rest of this entry »

Thanksgiving is this week in the United States. Due to travel restrictions related to Covid-19, a lot of people aren’t traveling to relatives’ houses for dinner, instead opting to stay home and do it themselves.  So this past weekend, I took inventory – I have a roasting pan, a turkey baster,  a thermometer, twine, a carving board, a knife… I’m all set, right? Then I realized… I have no idea how to cook a turkey.

In recruiting (just as in the kitchen), having the tools doesn’t make you a recruiter (or chef). Just because you have LinkedIn Recruiter doesn’t mean you will be sourcing guru. Just because you throw a couple jobs on a job board doesn’t mean you’ll have a 100% fill rate. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s springtime in Michigan and with any luck, we’ve had our last freeze for awhile. This weekend, I’m going to be spending some time in my yard pulling weeds, moving dirt, and getting my tiny garden patch ready for planting. That got me thinking about how HARD some of this work is going to be, so I guess I’ll also be making a stop at my local hardware store to rent a few tools that will make the work easier. And THAT got me thinking about recruiting tools, which some people seem to think are all that’s needed to be a successful recruiter.

Here are three ways recruiting tools are like gardening tools:

Recruiting tools can make the job easier. I need to till the soil in my garden so that I can plant some vegetables. I can till by hand, but it’s hot and dirty, and will take me a long time, so I’m going to rent a gas-powered tiller. I’ll still have to till, but with the right tool, I can till more ground, in less time, with more uniform results. Recruiting tools offer the same assistance. You can use recruitment software to automate some tasks so that you can complete more tasks, in less time, more consistently…but you still have to complete the tasks.

Recruiting tools do not make you a recruiter. Between the skunk that likes to hang out in my yard and the winter snowfall, I need a new cover for my compost bin. I’ve got a brand-new Craftsman© circular saw, but since I don’t know how to build a cover, it’s not going to do me any good. (Anyone want to buy a saw?) Paying big money for a fancy ATS or an upgraded LinkedIn account won’t turn you into a recruiter. You can use the tool to find fertile ground (pun intended), but the tool won’t convince a passive candidate to switch jobs, make an interview happen, or convince a spouse to pack up and move.

Recruiting tools can’t evaluate or fix your process. A couple of summers ago I planted zucchini (or courgettes, depending on where you live). The plants grew huge, with lots of flowers. I had great soil, plenty of sunlight, and sufficient water, but never got a single zucchini. A farmer acquaintance told me the bees probably hadn’t shown up to pollinate the plants. Changing to a new irrigation system wouldn’t have solved my problem. If you think you’re doing all the right things, but your activities aren’t bearing fruit (again, pun intended), you might have a broken process as opposed to a faulty tool. Acquiring a new tool isn’t likely to change your outcome; you may need to reach out to a trusted adviser.

Gardening is a very part-time hobby for me, and I’m not very good at it. If my tomatoes don’t grow, I’ll simply make more visits to the local farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Recruiting is your livelihood. Learn how to be a great recruiter. Work hard at it. Hone your craft. Use appropriate tools to support your recruiting activities. Then you will be in a better position to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

What are you doing to ensure a bountiful yield in your garden?