The Recruiter Campus

Recruiter Success Tips From 14 Successful Recruiting Firm Owners

I would give you a "peak" behind the door of the meeting with my Platinum Coaching Members last week in Orlando, FL.

 

My clients came from as far as Johannesburg, South Africa and Tokyo, Japan to attend this powerful event.

 

There is no way a short article can convey the "power" of 14 owners helping each other strategize on how to grow their business, but I can share with you some quick "take-a way's" that you can use in your business NOW!

 

Here are some ideas my clients are already implementing in their business:

 

1)      Realize the value of your time and delegate activities to free up time for revenue generation, hiring, training, and holding people accountable.  There was a general sense that we get caught in the weeds of our business and allow trivial items get in our way of growing our business.

 

Examples of items to delegate include:

  

a)   Using outsourced research from firms all over the globe to build prospect and candidate lists.  This will significantly increase activity levels, thus placements.

 

b)    Any administrative task other than signing checks can be delegated to a local admin, an intern or hiring a part-time person from a local high school, college, or someone later in their career who seeks part time hours. 

 

 These tasks can also be outsourced using services like O-Desk or Elance.com where experts will bid to do your work.

 

2)      Hiring using a different model.

Calling all Recruiting Firm Owners! Virtual Summit in March

 
One of the largest voids I have found in the recruiting industry is the lack training or recruiting seminars dedicated specifically to us, the owners and managers of recruiting firms.

Well, I am doing my part to change that.  I have gathered some of the most influential thought leaders like Bob Marshall, Bill Radin, Gary Stauble, Bill Boorman, Margaret Graziano, Mark Berger plus several others in a one week virtual telesummit with one purpose:  to give you the tools, strategies, and tactics to emerge quickly and profitably from this recession.

What is a Virtual Telesummit?  The speakers come together every afternoon the week of March 8th for 4 hours each day and present to you in "your office".  No travel or time away, so you have no excuse not to invest the time in your business.  Can't be on some of the calls live?  No problem, you can listen whenever you want.  Recordings will be posted within 24 hours of the presentation. 

I have asked all the speakers to pull back the curtain and share some of their secrets that have made them successful.  If you are looking for innovative ideas in finding, hiring, motivating recruiters you will want to listen in as to what these people have to say.

Check out the conference and the agenda.  Register HERE for free sneak preview calls where the speakers share some of the ideas they will be presenting at the Summit.

Recruiting Firm Owners: Are You Keeping Poor Performers Too Long?

OK, for all you Bleeding Hearts out there, I apologize in advance for what I am about to say.

In my work with recruiting firm owners I see 2 common problems as it relates to tenured recruiters who are producing poor results right now.  In my conversations with the owners they have a sense of loyalty to these people.  I agree.  But shouldn't there be a reciprocal sense of loyalty from them?

I don't mean loyalty in the "hangin' around" mode.  I mean a sense of loyalty in stepping up the activity to help you through the downturn.  Don't get me wrong, many are.  I speak only of those recruiters who have mentally "gone fishing" for the recession because the thought of making 80 or 90 calls again makes them sick to their stomach.

My gut tells me you are paying these people a draw and/or salary.  Correct?  Is this money down the drain?  If you have someone on your recruiting team you owe them leadership and you need to wake them up.

Here's some ideas:

Recruiting Firm Owners: The 1st Step to Attracting Your Next Big Biller

Do you have a defined, strategic interview process or do you just bring Account Executive prospects in and "sell the heck" out of them?  Do you call them in, tell them how much money they can make, ask a couple of brilliant questions like "Where do you see yourself in 3 years?" and make them an offer? Do you then wonder why people turn you down?

On the flip side, do you make someone attend 7 interviews, take 3 psychological profiles and then offer them a $1,000 draw and wonder why they said 'no'?

Both of the above scenarios are extremes of course, but my experience with recruiting firm owners is that many have a number of the above traits in their process.  Why?  They run everything through their own individual filter.  I propose we step back and look at everything through the filter of the employee prospect as well as through the perspective of what we need to make a good hiring decision. 

Step 1, Make them work for the first interview!

Recruiter Training: Great Tips From The Conference

I have just returned from another fantastic recruiting conference hosted by the Fordyce Letter and ERE.  I was priviledged to speak there for the 2nd year in a row.  When I wasn't speaking I put my "student" hat on and picked up some great recruiter training.

Below are just a few tips I wanted to share with you:

Here are a few nuggets from Barb Bruno:
 
"If I am more successful than you it is because I heard more NO's than you."
 
"There are a number of reasons salespeople fail, the number one reason is attitude by 50% of all cases."
 
"Don't allow the luxury of staying in a bad mood for more than 5 minutes.  MOVE ON!"
 
"Instead of reading or watching the news, invest one-half hour per day in training and self-development.  This will add up to 24 days of training after one year."
 
 "Get a coach, I have 3 coaches, a wealth coach, a business coach and a life coach."
 
"Change is a ncecessity NOT a luxury."
 
 Some great ideas from Jordan Rayboy:

Recruiting Firm Owners: Is the Worst Behind Us? This Economist Says YES!

This clip is from the recent ERE conference in San Diego.  This a a great 7 minute investment of your time to get some keen insight into the current economic situation.  It is customized for recruiters.  Watch Dr. Robert Genetski's predictions for an economic recovery this summer and strong staffing growth later this year.

This brings me to the question if you will be the type of recruiting firm owner/manager that waits until all the lights are green OR if you will be proactive and start building expansion into your plans.  Download a free 90 minute audio on how to find and attract great recruiters and get them up, motivated and billing quickly by visiting www.TheRecruiterU.com/Hiring.

Recruiting Firm Owners: It's April, Do You Know What Time it is in Your Recruiting Business?

It's April and the year is one-quarter over.  Time flies!

 

If you have been reading my articles for awhile you know the importance I place on tracking numbers because, when done properly, they can accurately forecast revenue and show you who on your team will make it and who will not.

 

Tracking key recruiting activity numbers allows you to course correct almost immediately.  My recommendation for you today, is to pull out your 2009 business plan and take an honest assessment of where you are at year to date vs. where you WANTED to be at now.

 

If you are not tracking job orders, first time interviews,

Recruiting 101: When seeking Recruiters, I Challenge You to Recruit!

  We are recruiters, why do we not recruit?  Some of you may.  My experience is most recruiting firms do not.  It is like the old saying, “the tailor’s son has no clothes.”  This blows me away because there are some phenomenal targets to recruit out of out there right now.  Professions like mortgage brokerage, investment houses, low end brokers, people that are in these brokerage firms that started in the last couple of years.  They are making a ton of cold phone calls.  We used to do some recruiting of financial advisors; it takes a long time to build a book of business. It takes actually a lot longer to get started in financial services than it does in the recruiting profession.

Another source to consider is car dealers, not the used car dealers, but we found and hired over the years, very bright and intelligent people by physically visiting car dealers.  Retailers are another great source for people.  And you can not just advertise for them because it is just like we know as recruiters, the best people are not looking.  I recommend physically visiting smaller retailers and identifying people who are managers or assistant managers.  Play the role of the customer and see if they have the personality traits, customer empathy, etc. that you would like to see in a strong recruiter.  If they do, put your recruiter hat on and position your opportunity.  We know people in the retail industry have to put in tons of hours and many have to work weekends and holidays.

Investment houses and brokerage firms are another great source.   This profession is mostly individuals that are publicly registered, whose names are relatively available. 

Copier reps are another fruitful source.  Their products are