I started GSR2R in 2001 after ‘cutting my teeth’ in a fast-paced and target-driven recruitment environment and I have never looked back. Working in Rec to Rec we get an inside view
of what is happening in the recruitment industry, especially what the key reasons are behind why recruiters leave companies- and more troubling, leave our industry altogether.

Why don’t recruiters stay with their companies? Why do so many leave in their first two years on the job? And what can you do to ensure that this drain of quality talent doesn’t happen to you and your recruitment organisation?

This is a field where the opportunities are endless, but many people fall along the way unnecessarily. Your company needs to address how those who chose recruitment as their career a short time ago are walking away- what went wrong?

Top Reasons why your recruiters leave… and how to make sure they don’t.

1. Lack of training and development

The importance of a healthy training budget and a strong career development path for employees cannot be overestimated in a field with high turnover like recruitment. Recruiters tend to like challenges and are adaptable, but also need to feel that their career with your company has some stability, with real long-term opportunities for personal and professional growth. As such, create a mentoring scheme within your company, and sit down with your employees to find out how their personal goals and your company goals can better align.

2. KPI Burn out- Key Performance Indicator Burn Out

An overly-obsessive focus on KPIs that aren’t always logical makes people feel uneasy and as if their career is anything but assured. The last thing you want is your employees dreading coming to work because they fear their targets-even your star performers can only shine for so long before they start to fade and feel worn out by the constant measurements; often of activities that don’t bring results. This is not to say dispense with KPI’s altogether, far from it. Just make sure they are relevant and your consultants understand how they can help them deliver results.

3. Lack of a manager present

Often, we create a very strong training process…but then leave them to it, trusting that they’re capable and don’t need further support. Yet no matter how good your billing team are as individuals, recruitment is high-pressure and everyone needs support sometimes- even if it’s just a bit of encouragement. Make sure that managers are visible and have an open door policy for any issues that might crop up. As well as dealing with potential problems and reaching a better understanding of the team’s strengths and weaknesses, this approach cultivates loyalty between recruiter and their billing manager- which in turn reduces turnover.

As is the cases with most ‘problems’, the first step to the solution starts with a conversation. Take the time to find out how your recruiters are feeling, whether they’re facing KPI burnout or would like some more training.  A well-thought out mentoring process will go a long way towards shoring up your retention levels, while a caring attitude and a flexible workplace culture will show positive dividends by creating engagement and loyalty.

Until next time,

Cheryl

Everyone needs a coach. That’s what Bill Gates says anyway- but hey, what would he know about career success? Richard Branson is another hugely successful individual who credits much of his success to having the guidance of a mentor early in his career, and he continues to surround himself with mentors today.

Mentors lead, they teach, they encourage. Crucially, they point out some of the errors they made along the way, so that you don’t have to make them too. They increase your network, boost your expert knowledge, and give you a realistic view from the top of your game- which is exactly where you want to go. In short, having a mentor can fast-track your career, and make your path to success a whole lot smoother.

So, how can this apply to your career as a recruiter? How do you identify a potential mentor, and how do you get them to take you on? And how do you make sure that the arrangement works for them as well?

Steps to create a great mentoring relationship

1. Identify who in your company or field you admire professionally and would like to emulate. Remember that this can be more than one person: after all, there are probably several people in your company or field with highly admirable skills in different sectors. Also be flexible and alert to learning opportunities from all sorts of people, not just your managers- and also for those that shine at ‘soft skills’ such as negotiating, as well as those who excel at measurable performance targets.

2. Reach out to them to ask if they’ll be your mentor. You can have a fairly informal agreement to bounce ideas off someone in the office and get their feedback, or a more formal agreement where you meet to discuss your career progress once a month or quarter. Be clear as to what you are looking for so they can decide if they have the time to properly support you-the relationship will only work if they are truly keen to help.

3. Come up with a battle plan. You need to know beforehand what you want to learn. Have a list of specific questions or points ready for each time you meet-as you would a business meeting, rather than letting your conversations get sidetracked because you don’t know what you want to know. Explain to them what your goals are in this mentoring relationship so that they are clear on what you want and can tailor their advice accordingly.

4. Be open to suggestion. They got to the top for a reason. Even though I say in the point above that you should be specific about what you want to know, be open to their wisdom on other topics. You might be desperate to know about how they got promoted so you can climb the ladder quickly, but they might also be keen to tell you about how they learnt to take criticism, or how to encourage others. You might not see the connection (yet), but listen with open ears.

5. Don’t get defensive. If you don’t agree with their advice or find some of their feedback insulting, don’t react defensively. Remember that you chose this person as a mentor for a reason, so don’t dismiss their advice out of hand. However, there will probably times when you disagree on how to go about things- and that’s absolutely fine. Make it clear that you respect their opinion deeply, but are going to follow your own instinct on this particular case.

6. Find out what you can do for them in return. The most successful mentoring relationships have a good balance of give and take. You’ll probably figure out how you can help them in return as you get to know them better, but it might involve alerting them to some good candidates or resources, and supporting any social media or charity campaigns they’re involved in.

Above all, the best way to say thank you to your mentor, is to mentor someone yourself. Not only because it’s the decent thing to do after you’ve benefited from someone’s help, but also because when we teach others, we continue to learn.

Until next time,

Cheryl

With so many demands on Recruitment Consultants’ time, being as productive as possible is key if you want to increase your billings.

Clever use of time is most often what separates the very successful consultants from the rest.

So many of us get bogged down in to-do lists, but is that really the way we want to be running our working lives? Sure, it’s important to keep tasks in line and order of importance, but by focussing on ticking things off lists day in day out and feeling like we’re never making real progress, we’re missing the bigger picture:

Here is the real truth:

The reason WHY we are doing something is our biggest motivator and we need to keep this bigger picture in mind to tear through our everyday work lists in a highly productive and focused manner.

According to time management guru Tony Robbins, if you bear these three questions in mind while approaching your work day, you’ll see a real difference in your productivity.

1. What do I really want? The reason why you are doing this job as a recruiter is hugely important to how successful you’ll be. It underpins every single thing you do at work. When you are considering what it is you really want, make sure that you have specific, rather than woolly objectives like ‘to earn money.’ In order to drive performance, you need to envision exactly what it is you want and figure out how your job as a recruiter will get you there.

2. Why do I want it? It’s very important to look closely at what you think are your goals, both work and personal. Why do you want that promotion? Is it money, is it respect of others, is it self-respect- or a blend of all three? Is this enough of a driver to push your work performance-and if not, why not? Will the attainment of this target make you happy in and of itself, or is it tied into some deeper ‘want’ that you have but hadn’t recognised?

3. How will I achieve it? Once you know the what and the why, it is time to address the how. Formulate a detailed action plan to bring your long term goals to fruition. This means that your mind is clear at work each day because you know what you are working towards and why. This approach brings a sense of motivation and fulfilment to working through those everyday tasks- those same tasks that used to feel like they were taking you nowhere. Consider every step as a step towards your goal, even when it feels like a detour.

It may seem a bit strange at first glance that such deep questions can fuel your everyday productivity, but we all know the difference between our work output when we are feeling fulfilled – (because we know what we are working towards and why)- and when we are just going through the paces in a 9-5 working week.

Keeping the big 3 questions in mind when approaching work and life will give you a renewed sense of purpose and fulfilment.

Until next time,

Cheryl

Being a recruiter is one of the best jobs in the world. It must be I have stayed with it for over ten years and I get bored easily! It is a great career choice and one that will reward you handsomely with: a great lifestyle, development and the opportunity to feel good about yourself and what you do; lets admit it we all love listening to candidates that call us to say; “I got the job!”

That’s of course if you are a successful recruiter. So what is the key? What are the habits, traits or personality quirks that will guarantee your success?

1.They have a goal

That might be; how many placements; a billings figure or a recruitment manager role in twelve months. They have something though. These recruitment consultants are ‘grown up’ about their career. They know that to be successful in business you have to have something to aim for. The thing is as human beings we are set up to have goals. We consciously and subconsciously are wired to be success seeking creatures.

2. They have a positive attitude

Yes it works. Being upbeat and positive attracts, rather than repels people. Think great clients and candidates here as a first step. Then think about all the people in your network that might be able to help you find; great candidates and clients. I am not talking about woo woo ‘stuff ‘here. Positive people have an air of confidence that people admire and makes them more likely to gravitate towards them; remember recruitment is about relationships.

3. They do the work

Being wildly successful usually comes after doing some work. Now I am not talking about grinding yourself into the ground. I am referring to doing the things that create results. A common term for this is KPI’s, in other words doings activates that produce results. Here is an important point; do them consistently. If that means making 10 calls in your first two hours in the office, do it. Why because that is what successful people do. Here is a fact for you; it is well known that successful people carry on when others give up.

4. They look after themselves physically and mentally

It is a well-known fact that the mind and body are all connected. Neglect one and it will have an impact on the other and of course vice versa. To be at the top of our game we need to be healthy and fuel our body with the right ‘stuff’ so it works well. Here is an interesting fact for you. One of the most successful and well known business leaders in the UK is Richard Branson. He is in his sixties. Does he look it? Not exactly. I also know that he has a strict fitness regime that includes swimming around his island most days. I appreciate we all may not have that luxury! However we can walk, cycle, swim or join a gym and look after ourselves.

5. They follow their own drum

Yes they do and definitely not anyone else’s. It is far too easy to get caught up in what everyone else is thinking or doing. Let’s be honest here, some people can be quite toxic and less than supportive when it comes to encouraging you in your recruitment career. You have to have the strength of your own conviction in what you are doing.

6. They are always learning.

A business mentor of mine pointed out an interesting fact to me one day. That was; if we are not growing by definition, we are shrinking. Think about it? If you are not the person learning the new selling strategies or how to use LinkedIn someone else is. That will mean you get left behind. There is nothing more predictable than change and recruitment is one business sector when change will always happen rapidly. The remarkable recruiters make it their mission to be ahead of the pack. They buy the latest books and attend the webinars where they can learn new skills that will make a difference to their performance.

Till next time,

Cheryl

There’s no tougher or more rewarding career than recruitment. You can see that by the sheer number of consultants chasing every vacancy and the amount of recruitment start-ups that are springing up at a rapid rate; the latest data says 1500 a year in the UK. Add this to a predicted market growth rate of 30% over the next few years and you will appreciate the opportunity for recruiters.

Most recruitment consultants are taught that business development is the key part of being a successful recruitment consultant. It’s crucial that you are always seeking out new opportunities on a daily basis to ensure that your business development pipeline is full. But the really savvy recruiters know that something else is just as important; client retention.

Think logically about the growing recruitment market; if you’re not spending a significant amount of time servicing your regular clients every month (even if they are not recruiting), you’re giving other recruiters an opportunity to get a foot in the door.

So what’s the key to retaining your clients and ensuring you stay a big biller?

Exceed your client’s expectations

If you’re doing what is required by your client, great. But lots of other recruiters can do that too, so you still risk losing your client. But what if you exceeded your client’s expectations in everything you do? By doing this, you’re shutting the door on every other recruiter out there. What possible reason could your client have to leave you for when they are getting such a premium service?

But how, in practical terms does exceeding your client’s expectations look?

It means in everything you do, going the extra mile. It’s also about attention to detail, as this can really mark you out as a professional who cares. For example:

– Instead of simply emailing a handful of CVs to your client, if they are reasonably local why not print out some hard copies and take them to your client personally. You can discuss the merits of each candidate in person and you’ll be strengthening the relationship between you and your client

– Visit your client and find out about their business; in detail. Face to face wins out every time above a phone call. If you want to establish a long term relationship showing an interest in the business its goals and aspiration will make you stand out

– Make sure candidates are fully prepared; I mean FULLY. In one of our recent case studiesa client of ours referred to the fact that we stand out because all our candidates are fully briefed on the role and exactly what the client is looking for. Is this part of your process? If not, make sure you give it more attention.

The benefits?

Retaining clients means you can plan ahead with a reasonable amount of confidence. It’s a well-documented fact that regular clients are over 4 times easier to sell to as you already have an ongoing relationship. Imagine getting into the position eventually where you could hit your target Month on month simply from your regular clients?

Until next time,

Cheryl

How do you get clients at the moment? Most recruitment agencies get them from a variety of sources:

– Cold-calling: The tried and tested technique that is labour intensive but ultimately very effective at starting those conversations that lead to new business.

– Incoming: Clients that come to you, as a result of your marketing activities. This could include traditional advertising, your website and social media

– Referral: Business professionals talk to each other, so provide a good service to one person and they may refer other departments/businesses to use your services.

These are all good, solid ways of getting new business and continue using all of them, if they are producing consistent results.

But don’t rely on these channels alone. We all know the effectiveness of cold-calling for example, but if you’re using data that you’ve had for a while, you will be missing out on  new companies that have opened more recently.

Now is the time to diversify how you get clients, because few recruiters do. Think laterally and you will uncover new channels others don’t take the time to find.

Trade press: Offline and On

An obvious one but reading their sector’s trade press is something that a surprising number of recruiters don’t do.

Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments not only enables you to spot possible opportunities where companies are expanding, but it can give you professional depth. Some people love to talk shop, so if you can portray yourself as someone who actually knows and cares what goes on in your sector, it will differentiate you from nearly every one of your rivals and make you the ‘go-to’ person for recruitment in your sector.

Exhibitions and conferences

Getting clients is about ‘fishing where the fish are’. And where are you going to find more hiring managers than a sector specific conference or event? Networking like this can get you in front of people who would never take your call and will mark you out as someone who is knowledgeable about the industry and that will differentiate you from most of your rivals.

Out and about

This one might surprise you. Its old school and seems to be working better than ever. Next time you’re out on a client visit, take a couple of extra information packs with you. In fact, keep several in your car. Maximise your time out of the office by calling in at any other nearby potential clients. What’s the worst that could happen? You may not get many people coming down to see you, but you will get a decent response to leaving a hand delivered information pack. Include things like:

– An introductory letter

– Candidate profiles that are particularly suitable for their business

– Testimonials

– Case studies

– Business card

A hand delivered pack such as this has a much better chance of landing on your targets desk. Follow-up a couple of days later and you may be surprised!

What other methods do you use to get clients? We’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Cheryl

Because of the competition for skilled candidates, a common occurrence is for a company to engage multiple recruiters to fill vacancies. They do this for a number of misguided reasons not based on fact, including…..

– Having multiple recruiters working on a vacancy increases competition and will stimulate a better standard of service

– More recruiters = a better spread of candidates in a candidate lead market

– No recruiter has ever pointed out that using multiple agencies is unproductive

The last fact is telling. Do you ask every client for exclusivity on every vacancy? Many consultants don’t and it immediately reduces their chance of placing a successful candidate. The clue is in your job title. Recruitment consultant. Clients go to a consultant because they are experts in recruitment. They want advice and guidance to ensure they get the best candidate available. So that means you have to explain to them just why you need to be the sole recruiter. It benefits both of you.

Let’s take the first two reasons listed above that clients often cite to explain their decision to use multiple recruiters and how you as the professional you are can position why exclusivity is the best option for them.

Increases competition?

On the face of it, it looks like a compelling argument. Surely every recruiter is going to be giving 100% to ensure they get the candidates? The reality is different though. Why should they when they may have other clients who are working exclusively with them. Any successful recruiter will prioritise their top clients first when it comes to delivering the best passive candidates they find. Logically they will spend more time on those vacancies. What the client will get is consultants throwing CVs at them as quickly as possible hoping they get in before the competition. They’ll end up with a poor service from everyone and it’s up to you to explain this to them.

A better spread of candidates?

Once again, it does seem a compelling reason. It isn’t though. Whether they appoint 3, 6 or ten different agencies, because of the need for speed mentioned in the previous point, they’re all going to be looking for candidates in the same active talent pond; because they don’t have time when they are in the scenario well known by many recruiters of ‘fastest finger first!’

What the client wants is the best person for the job. Not the best person who is looking for a job; a subtle point that many clients don’t understand. It’s up to you to explain the difference between active and passive candidates and tell them that you need exclusivity to be able to dedicate the resources to talk to passive candidates too.

Don’t be a recruiter who is just thankful for any vacancy. It’s time to start being a consultant and show your potential clients your expertise. By getting more vacancies that are exclusive means you are spending your time productively. You get more time to concentrate on getting the best candidates who will be as success in the role. And what does that mean? You’ll be on your way to being a big biller.

Until next time,

Cheryl

I talked in a previous article about how top billing recruiters don’t just focus on new business, but also focus on client retention, which brings in a consistent supply of placements to fill. By doing so, they  build themselves a foundation of regular work that can free up their time to develop new business and consequently bill even more.

In this blog I’d like to focus on another key strategy of top billers and that is the power of building sales pipelines.

A common scenario

We’ve all been in this scenario at some point in our recruiting career. We’re rushed off our feet sourcing the right candidates for clients. So all our time is taken up delivering great candidates and all that goes with that; screening, interviewing, matching, preparing them for the interview, the list goes on. You’re good at what you do and you’re placing candidates on a regular basis and your bonus is, reflecting all the hard work you’ve put in. This might go on for a few weeks or even months but then, all of a sudden, the work drops off. But why?

You’ve done nothing wrong have you, so what’s happened? There are several possible reasons:

– Most companies will have quiet periods, they don’t recruit consistently every month

– Your key contact has moved companies

– The industry you recruit in has seasonal fluctuations where they don’t need to recruit more staff

These are all possible reasons, but the most probable scenario is this: You neglected your sales pipeline.

Why you should never neglect your sales pipeline

Have you ever analysed how long it takes you to get a vacancy from a client? From initial contact to getting the business? If you haven’t you should, because it’s essential in planning ahead.

Of course there will be variations, but if you look at enough data, you’ll find that a pattern begins to emerge. Let’s say that you find it takes on average two months to secure a vacancy from initial contact. That means everything you do today is ‘looking’ after you in two months’ time.

Yes you need to deliver for your current clients. But you should never forget about developing new business. It is something that you should prioritise as a task every day, regardless of how busy you are.

Pipelines need daily activity

Always keep it in your mind that you are looking after your own future. So set aside part of your day to get on the phone and talk to potential new clients

A strategy top biller’s use is to allocate 90 minutes a day, every day for new business development. Like all habits consistent activity will bring results. It’s well known that working for 30 days on a specific activity starts to ingrain it as a habit.

Running your own desk is like running your own business, there will be ups and downs. The good news is that when you implement a strategy like this you might have the odd bad day though rarely this won’t turn into a bad month or quarter; why? Because you are implementing strategies that work-daily. That way momentum builds.

Until next time,

Cheryl