“HOW TO” SERIES: v1
Treat Customers Like ‘Gold Bars’
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In the recruitment industry, there are typically 2 customers:
· The candidate, seeking new employment in their field of expertise.
· The hiring manager, seeking talent to join their department or organisation.
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In some recruitment environments; the customer held in the highest regard is the client – (i.e. the hiring manager) – and the justification is because they are the ‘pay master’.
In other recruitment environments; the customer that is held in the highest regard is the candidate – (i.e. the person seeking employment) – and the justification is because without the skilled individual there is ‘no talent’ for a decision to be made upon.
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The reality is that both customers are vitally important to the success of any recruitment outcome. Without the hiring manager / employer and without the job seeker / potential employee; there is no currency to trade from, and so it is extremely important to treat each party with the respect they deserve, as this respect develops trust and in turn, is more likely to generate a successful outcome for all parties involved.
THE ‘GOLD BAR’ THEORY
If you were given a gold bar, would you leave it on the side of the road, go home, watch a bit of TV, call a few of your friends to see if they want to ‘hang out’ and then go back late at night to see if it was still there?
Of course, you wouldn’t.
If you did, then by the time you return, the likelihood is:
– Someone has taken it, or;
– Dirt & debris from passing traffic, may have damaged it
The gold bar(s) would go wherever you go and be kept safe. You’d polish and/or repair it if necessary. If something got spilt on it, you’d clean it, and it wouldn’t be handed over to anyone else without it’s value being made apparent.
The Candidate:
Make sure your candidate feels like you have their best interests at heart. If they are unsure about the opportunity that you are presenting to them, take time to explain in further detail. Maybe even get someone who currently works for the organisation you are representing to speak to them.
Have detail on the culture of the organisation, the history, the team size(s) & the future growth plan of the company that you are representing.
Leave no stone unturned when it comes to making sure your candidate is well prepared to answer questions at interview stage.
Stay in touch with them, making sure you do everything in your power to ‘arm’ your candidate with the relevant facts & stats
The Client:
Understand what and why your hiring manager is looking for new talent in the first place. Get ‘under the skin’ of the vacancy. Try and visualise yourself in the job role/position itself, by asking ‘challenging’ questions that will get the hiring manager / employer to really think hard about what is important for the role (i.e. needs vs wants).
Once the client ‘feels’ that there is a genuine vested interest in their business on your part, they are more likely to share additional information with you that will help and support your quest to find the perfect fit for their business.
Educate your client on market trends and update them regularly with your findings as this will facilitate the best possible and most realistic outcome.
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These are just some very basic tips that we utilise at Jonothan Bosworth in order to make sure that all parties involved feel like part of a process with a deeper purpose.
If you are either looking for a new recruitment partner, or a new career challenge, we’d like to support you.