Recruiter Chicks

Periodically, we all need to be reminded of the importance of buttoning up in an interview.  An interview is a business meeting where job seekers and hiring managers put their best foot forward to determine if there is a match.  It’s all about making an impression and sharing information in a concise way.  This may seem rudimentary, but I must remind those interviewing that the meeting starts as soon as you park your car.  At the same token, on the company’s side the interview starts as soon as the candidate parks their car.

Interviewing is an assessment of four key areas:

1.  Skills

2.  Fit

3.  Verbal communication

4.  Non-verbal communication

Preparation is key!  In recent years, the way we conduct business has become less formal and so have interviews.  Because of this trend, people seem to be letting their guard down and communicating their accomplishments as well as the overall scope of their job/experience in a less formal way.  Many job seekers are mirroring the communications style or relaxed nature of the interviewer and unknowingly falling short.  The unfortunate side is that there is no second chance and the person doesn’t even realize they’ve done it.  You want to have a solid conversation with someone, while not letting your guard down or sharing too much.

The moment you enter the company’s parking lot, assume that someone is peeking out and already framing their initial impression.  Your communication from start to finish should be positive and upbeat.  If traffic was awful and you’re asked about it, don’t lie just say it was a little backed up but it was nice to look at the Cherry Blossom trees on the way in.  Follow the negative with a positive.

This information is a good reminder to those looking for entry-level positions as well as those seeking corporate leadership roles.  This is a common topic of discussion among recruiters and business leaders right now and it’s something that everyone who is interviewing should be cognizant of.

Your goal when interviewing is to leave a positive and lasting impression in the time allotted.  And please remember to button up and don’t let your guard down.

Please note:  This is a re-post of an article, “Hiring For Keeps – What Does Recruiting Have to Do With Retention?”, that I originally wrote for the Jobsite.com blog , where I am honored to be a regular contributor!

Recruiting is a Business Function

I don’t think anyone who knows me, sees me speak, or reads anything I write would argue the fact that I love the Recruiting Profession. In business, Recruiting is one of the most important functions that ANY of us do — it is the building of our teams, it is how we achieve our goals, our success.  Unless in your work, you only need to count on yourself, a business cannot be successful without doing Recruiting well.  But what does Recruiting have to do with Retention?  I say it has a lot to do with it.

Why Discuss Retention?

Maybe retention is not one of your MBO’s or tied to your fee, but if you want to be the best, if you want to be different from the rest, if you want to last in this industry as the world changes, you should recruit with retention in mind!

What is On the Line? Having “Skin in the Game”

I remember the first time I introduced retention – keeping employees employed with your company – as a performance goal to one of my recruiting teams and they looked at me like I was crazy. I understood their questions — they had no control, they weren’t making hiring decisions, they weren’t managing them or their environment, etc.  The fact is – no one has total control — or as my friend Ed Newman says, hiring is always a crap shoot. But I wanted them to go beyond what other recruiters did – I wanted them to have skin in the game – and that was exactly my purpose.

Recruiters Need to Own their Work.

I talk a lot about how we elevate the Recruiting Profession to match the importance of the function itself. I believe we do that by truly owning it — and by becoming as much a part of the business as the people we are helping to build their teams.  To do that, we have to know the industry, the business, and even the teams — maybe even better than they know (or want to know) themselves. It is not enough to understand the required and desired skills of the job specs and expect to find the right candidate/fit for the role. You also have to go beyond the resume — get to know your applicants and candidates, beyond the check-boxed skill sets. If you take the time, they will often share more with you, the recruiter, than they will with the hiring manager/team, whom they know are the ultimate decision makers.

So, What Does This Have to Do with Retention?

People don’t leave jobs; they leave bosses or companies that don’t fit. There is so much that has to be uncovered to find a fit. You can take an A-player in one company and put them in a similar position in another company and it could be a disaster. Different environment, culture, players, organizational structure, challenges, objectives, performance measures — shall I go on? As a Recruiter, you should know these things about your organization/teams. Do these things align with what the candidate needs or what motivates him? To know all this, one must take the time, be curious, pay attention, listen, ask questions — as well as having the confidence and credibility to advise and consult those who depend upon your expertise.

What Really Matters -

The simple fact is it does not matter if the company thinks the candidate is a perfect fit for them, if the company is not a fit for the candidate — and vice versa. Unfortunately, neither side (jobseeker nor recruiter) usually takes the time to make sure it is a fit on both sides. The Recruiter can play that devil’s advocate or objective party — that person who is not too emotionally (or conveniently) invested in filling the seat or getting the job. I am by no means saying that this is how it happens — I am simply saying that in order to elevate this profession – that is how it should happen. Where there is fit, there is retention – so I ask, why wouldn’t recruiting be relative to retention?

Have you ever noticed that most places, when you get into an elevator, there is NO eye contact, no hello, just an unwavering focus on the NUMBER.  Which is so interesting when you think about the concept of the Elevator Speech.  And, of course, the endless questions and guidance…

Do you have one?  How long is it – 30 seconds? a minute?  two minutes (GASP)!?!?!  Do you have a business card that reinforces or supports it so they won’t forget you?  Does it cover every single scenario that could potentially need to be addressed?  Try and Google ‘Elevator Speech’ or ‘Elevator Pitch’ some time.  There are pages of tips, outlines, templates, secrets, and must-haves to sham-wow just about anyone.  Yet what happens when you get in an elevator?Exactly.  When is MY number going to be next?  Is some idiot going to stop this elevator and impede my progress further?  How much longer can this possibly take?  I HAVE NO CELL SERVICE – ARGH!!!

But one of the things I love about the South is just how darn friendly we can be…I can tell you that the Recruiter Chicks have never met a stranger.  We get in an elevator, on a plane, waiting for a table, or at whatever game or event is happening — it is an opportunity to smile, say hello, and figure out if the story we have instantaneously crafted in our head about you is anywhere remotely close to reality.

I was riding down the elevator today at my client’s office and sure enough, the elevator stops at the very next floor.  Within 10 seconds I know that my new elevator mate is actually an employee of my client.  Been there 10 years — working in an area of the business I have yet to touch. Next stop, two more join us.  The door shuts just as I start to tell my new friend what kind of work I have been doing with her company.  At which point, our newest elevator mate shares that the other person who has also just joined us, sings — and is amazing.  Random?  Yes…but…guess what?  My new client friend just so happens to really need a singer for an upcoming event.  Numbers are swapped, as is a promise to call this evening at 7pm.

And I have a blog post written in my head by the time I get to my car.  That was a very productive few minutes.

So…my point?  How many of us really ever take any one of the many chances we have to connect with others to do anything like this?  I have a hundred stories like this — and I know my blog partner, Teela Jackson, probably has twice that.   My question to you is — When are you planning on using that Elevator Speech?  Just sayin…

Some of you I have helped with a job search will have seen this before, but the advice is sage and certainly worth a post.  Time and time again I have seen this process work.  It happened again just this week –a friend called me and said he was ready to embark on a discrete search for a new opportunity.

“Hey Chris, I know you ‘re a Recruiter…can I pass you my resume?”

This is actually how most people utilize their network.  It could even be a blast from email or Linkedin.  And likely, it is probably not giving you the results you would have liked or anticipated.  If you really want to turbocharge your networking efforts, try these following steps — it will take some work on your part, but it will be worth it.

1. Decide what you really want to do.  Ideally.  Not what you would be willing to do — but really what you would do and why.  Jot this down – the role you would love — and for what you are most qualified , have the most accomplishments doing, and where you’d add the most value.
2. Decide where you want to do it.  Not just where you would be willing to work — but really where and why.  What is your pressing criteria — Industry?  Business Function?  Company Size?  Company Stability?  Culture?  Commute?  Benefit Package?  Travel?  Match that against companies that would find you the most valuable to them based on your background or past experiences.  Maybe it is a competitor?  A vendor?  A supplier?  You get the drift, right?  Jot this down too.
3. Come up with a target list of companies that fit the criteria you outlined above.
4. Check their company sites, Linkedin, Google, and/or external job boards (Monster, Dice, Careerbuilder) or aggregators (Indeed, Simply Hired).  Note any jobs you see that are open that fit your criteria.
5. Use LinkedIn, your social networks, your email contact list, your neighbors, etc. to give people in your network direct, easily actionable tasks based on what you have outlined above.

I always push back on people to help me help them.  And what is helpful to me — and will be to the people you are hoping will help you — is to have this pretty solid idea of the type of role you want and your ideal target companies.  Thus the exercise above.  It will keep you focused and it will keep your network focused too.  And not just the why’s — know what you don’t want and why as well.  This will make it easier for you, me, and anyone else helping you, to take a targeted approach — that also just happens to have the benefit of showing you know who you are, what you are seeking, how you can/will add value, and why these organizations have to have you to take their teams or organizations to the next level.  It also can help you figure out who all can best help you and how — and then you can use your network accordingly.

I know this pushes some of the ownness back on you to think through all of this and do some research and footwork, but doing a job search is just like building a business — it needs to be focused and frankly you don’t want somebody else assuming what your vision, values, and goals are…or where you should work.

For instance, there is a big difference between…

“I am looking/open to new opportunities, here is a copy of my resume — Could you please keep your eyes and ears open?”

…and what happened in my example from this week.  I had told my friend that reached out to me to do exactly what I have described above.  As it turned out, I didn’t know anyone at his target company — but I saw through LinkedIn that I had a connection there.  Because I had the information I requested, I was able to still send this email on his behalf:

“Hi _________!  I am trying to help a friend make a connection with someone at ____ .  I am reaching out to you as I noticed you were a second level connection to me via ___ and a fellow ____ member.  He is currently working so he was hoping to make a discrete inquiry regarding potential job opportunities in _____.  Through our discussions, it was clear has a strong respect for and interest in _____ as an organization.  He also has experience calling on the same customer base and your products are either linked to or used with the tools he currently sells today — which would make for a very easy transition and short learning curve if there are opportunities. He also happens to reside in the same area as your ______ division, headquartered in_____.   If there is an interest, I’d be glad to forward you, or anyone you deem appropriate, his resume and contact information.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks in advance for your attention — have a great rest of your week! “

And for those of you who favor the blast on email or social media, you could do the following…

“Hey Friends, do any of you have a connection at ________?  I’m looking for a Sales Manager position and would welcome an intro”

(please note I did not say reference/referral, save that for the people you have direct work experience with that you can ask personally/directly).

As for my example above, that very same day I received a response.  My friend sent his resume and the rest is now in his hands.  The best part is, he has done the work upfront to identify a great match — and he is prepared already for an interview.  And because I was armed with the information, I knew what to do when he sent me his resume.  No assumptions — and frankly not a lot of work on my end.  I was glad to help because I knew exactly how to help him.

Try this and I promise you, you will have a much greater chance for success in your job search.

I read a lot.  I especially love blogs — if you saw my reader you would probably shudder.  I skim it daily and pick out the things that look most interesting, but there are just a handful of blogs that I read daily and religiously — HR Bartender being one of them.  When we set out to start the Recruiter Chicks blog, Sharlyn Lauby was one of the first people I called for advice and thoughts.  I have had the opportunity to get to know her through her phenomenal writing and insights she shares online and the welcome chances I have had to interact with her offline as well.  As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance to collaborate with her once again on a piece she wanted to write in response to a reader question…

The reader wanted to know, “What is the difference in a 1st, 2nd and 3rd interview? What is the purpose?  How should a candidate prepare for them?”…

This is such a great question — and I was honored to be asked to help share insights from a Recruiter’s perspective, along with  Hannah Morgan, Job Search , Career and Social Media Strategist – founder of Career Sherpa.net.  If you are in a Job Search, I encourage you to check out this post over at the HR Bartender — and be sure to add it and Hannah’s great blog to YOUR reader, if you haven’t done so already!!