Mentoring/Coaching

Have you ever turned a prospect into a liar? Consider this scenario:

A consultant gets nowhere on a prospecting phone call.Because he thinks he's doing something productive, or he's in a rush to minimize the pain and get off the phone, he uses one of these laughable lines,

"Well, keep us in mind, OK?"

"Here's my number, write it down just in case."

"How about I give you a call in six months or so?"

What do you think is going on in the prospective clients minds

A question posed to me asked, "I've got a lot of prospects pending, but not a lot closing. What should I do?"  This got me thinking about a possible reason, and remedy.

I call it the Cleansing Question. Let me set the scene ...

What percent of the people in your follow-up file at this very second do you feel will ever do business with you? Sixty percent? More? Less?!

You're fairly typical if you answered 50% or less. It's not a good percentage, but typical.

Why? There are several reasons. Consultants like to hang on to prospects, thinking that shred of interest might eventually turn into something. They're right: disappointment, and a waste of time, usually.

Others stake their claim to prospects, tattooing their name on the prospect's record in the "system," just in case divine intervention comes into play and the person decides to call up and order on their own. These consultants then usually pounce upon the order and say, "It's mine. See, it has my name on it."

An entire special section in the Wall Street Journal recently focused on businesses cutting costs.

A USA Today article also recently discussed how more people are opting for credit cards that just don't give airline or other travel points; buy those that can cut mortgage payments, or reduce their monthly interest expenses.

And how many times in the past week have you heard people complaining or taking action on high petrol prices?

Yes, a hot issue today is cutting costs.

Humans are born with only two fears: the fear of falling, and the fear of loud noises. Babies react with a startled reflex to both. I truly believe there's another one: the fear of being sold.

Most people react instinctively with a reflex response if they feel a sales pitch coming on. (What did YOU do the last time you walked into a retail store to just browse and you spotted the sales clerk? Probably walked the other way.)

These are instinctive brush offs we hear by phone:

A Sense of URGENCY when Marketing Candidates to Clients

How many times have you been in a situation where your candidates are chasing you?Or have there been times when your candidates have found another role outside of your opportunities?Strive to be steps ahead of your candidates and clients and act with a sense of urgency.

In this market Recruiters are faced with not only a shortage of skilled candidates; but also more competition. Good candidates are getting a a greater range making this a very tight market.

One of the imperative skills needed in your Recruitment process is "acting with a sense of urgency" when marketing your candidates to your clients.

As you are become increasingly aware of the Recruitment industry becoming more and more competitive, then you must also be aware that you need to tighten your processes to ensure your success. The best way to do that is to create a sense of urgency with your clients, candidates and processes.

One of the most important assets you can have in the recruitment industry is a good memory. Between meeting candidates, visiting clients, taking enquiries about roles and organizing interviews, even the most organized industry professionals can find that details slip their mind. A good memory is an essential prerequisite for a consultant in the recruitment industry as it ties together many of the threads that make an individual successful.

A consultant's measures of success include their attention to detail, rapport building skills and ability to generate new business opportunities through networking. Indirectly it is an individual's memory that affects the quality of the service they deliver and ultimately their ability to achieve sustainable outcomes and repeat business in their chosen field.

Networking.

"Establishing an informal set of contacts among people with common social and business interests as a source of prospects, for the exchange of information, and for support." – Marketing Dictionary, Monash University

One of the biggest questions about networking is how to start or how to potentially find the right contacts for your business or personal needs.

If the majority of people sit down and write down all the contacts or people they know you would be surprised to find out how many different people you know and what type of fields or business specialities they are in. This is a fantastic starting point and place to begin being proactive and starting your networking ability.

Tips for before you even pick up the phone!

Make sure you have a list of employers to call – there is no point in calling employers that are going to be unsuitable for your candidate, challenging for your candidate to get to or with a company your candidate has no intention of working for. The easiest way to get around this is to get your candidate to do the leg work for you (you can even make it part of their jobsearch plan under SO4). Get them to bring in a list of employers THEY want to work for – that way they are fulfilling their obligations, saving you a lot of time and there will be no excuses as to why they can't attend an interview.

Do your research

It generally pays to do a little research on the company you are calling, if your candidate has suggested it for you – you can ask a bit about the role they want, if not a lot of businesses will have a website that can give you an overview of what they do (often the website will be listed in the white pages next to their number)

More than just a Job Title…

When attending a job interview, one of the most important things to remember is to do your research.  Where possible, source a position description and be thorough in your knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities involved.  Pick up a couple of points in the position description that you can concentrate on, points that you can sell yourself on through transferable skills and qualifications, and refer to them throughout the interview.  Ensure that you know as much as you can about the role and show that you have done your research.

If they have provided a selection criteria go through this in detail to ensure that you can answer and provide work related examples for each one.

Read through the advertisement for the role that you are applying; Are there any points that they have highlighted or focused on?  They have done this for a reason and it is in your best interest to spend some time on these points.  Use these points/phrases/words in the interview and relate them to your abilities and qualifications.

Who are these people?

Another must is a thorough knowledge of the organisation; ensure that you have gone through their website and that you are aware of all facets of their business.Who do they service?  What else do they do?  Who are the main players in the organisation?  Are they partnered with any other organisations or do they support a particular cause?  Referring to these during the interview show that you have done your research and that you are taking this role, the organisation and the interview process seriously.

Turn off the Mobile!

Though it might seem like common sense, it is amazing how many times applicants not only leave their mobiles on during an interview, but also answer them.  This is such an important point!Ensure that your mobile is turned off before entering an interview.In the stress of the moment, if you find that you haven't done so and receive a phone call; apologise, make sure that you turn the phone off and return to the interview.  DO NOT answer the phone!  If you are expecting an important phone call, ensure that you have a suitable voice mail message and check it after the interview.

Understanding the Importance of Active Listening by Channon Goodwin

The reality of the other person is not in what he reveals to you, but in what he cannot reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says but rather, to what he does not say – Anonymous.

Communication skills are an integral part of any recruiter's career. While we often hear about the importance of written and verbal communication skills, seldom do we hear about the true importance of listening.

Listening is described by most communication experts as the quintessential communication skill. Poor listening skills are often the biggest contributor to overall poor communication.

As recruitment consultants, our need to communicate verbally is paramount, however, our first task should be to listen. Tuning out or simply hearing a message, aside from being rude and unprofessional, will hinder your success - How many opportunities have you overlooked because you simply didn't listen?