Why 59% Of Recruitment Business Owners Struggle To Fill Their Headcount
This article previously appeared in Global recruiter.
As a member of APSCO I receive the latest data on trends within our industry. As a Rec 2 Rec owner the latest Recruitment index figures caught my attention.
Many companies are reporting an increase in net fees while others are thinking of mergers, acquisitions and opening new offices abroad.
A positive financial glow is bathing us all; in theory, provided we can attract talent into our respective organisations. And that is where the issue seems to lay.
According to APSCo and Deloitte 59% of recruitment business owners see their main challenge this year to be attracting great recruiters that will fuel their own growth.
Yet why? The talent is out there and willing to move to your organisation. This was confirmed in the latest LinkedIn recruiting trends report. Interesting fact for you that only 15% of those surveyed said they would not consider a move. It’s an easy calculation to work out that 85% will.
All that’s required is for you to meet ‘their’ needs.
Having worked in the Rec to Rec industry for a long time I have spoken to thousands of recruiters and they haven’t changed that much over the years.
The challenging question for you and your recruitment organisation is how are you performing against the ‘must have’ criteria that high billers are looking for?
In my experience these are the four key areas that always make a difference.
Do you have a structured attraction strategy to communicate your brand?
The first thing recruiters do when we tell them about different opportunities is pull out their mobile phone and start searching. They are checking you out.
– What level are you playing at?
– Are you moving with the times; upbeat and a ‘nice’ place to work?
– Any pictures of the team or a ‘feel’ for what it might be like to work with you?
– Are you active on social media; so they can experience how you communicate?
Tick these boxes and you are past first base. Sorry to say for today’s modern recruiter the old saying of; “don’t judge a book by its cover”, isn’t true, they do and unfortunately quickly.
What are you providing to support them?
Money and the ability to excel is important. Make sure your salary and commission structure is comparable to the market. Reward performance and make it fair.
Complicated incentives that will never be achieved aren’t going to hit the mark. Instead make sure they know exactly how they can progress up through the 30-40% to 50% commission band and beyond; remember big billers are still out there.
Here is where your support comes in. Show specifically how you will help them smash their billings. Give them the latest software, databases and marketing support. Because if you don’t I guarantee they will find it elsewhere.
Do you have a career development programme? A real one.
The more I am in this game the more I appreciate that all human beings, deep down, want to be successful, get on and have a happy life. That might be buying the latest designer suit, or blowing their partner or parents away with that surprise weekend or wedding.
Make sure they know what they have to do in your organisation to get on. Be transparent. Let them be mentored by one of your stars. Most of all be consistent.
Have a specific process and clear path that leads from; trainee, consultant, senior consultant, billing manager and then director level, if appropriate.
Manager’s matter
One of the main reasons employees leave organisations is because of their poor relationship with their manager.
The truth? A great billing manager can make the difference between success and failure.
We have heard some horror stories over the years. Managers never speaking to consultants. One manager emailed instructions and feedback; that was it! No face to face meetings.
Never being patted on the back for a job well done or any coaching support about what to do to excel and be praised. Then the crazy one about managers who never say thank you; ever.
Finally a story that sums it all up. I recently met a long established client of ours. He was most concerned and said he wondered how we were still in business. He assumed rec 2 recs were finding it tough.
I had placed 15 recruiters with him and none had left. I told him the truth that he was an easy company to recruit for; why?
He ticked all the boxes above and more.
He had a transparent commission structure, everybody had an induction process and a development plan. The managers were outstanding, highly trained and decent human beings that cheered on their team. They had access to all the software and tools they would ever need. It had an outstanding culture.
Is this making sense? I hope so because it is common sense.
Best wishes,
Cheryl Wing
M.D. GSR2R- London’s Award Winning Rec To Rec Company