Actual statement of how most of the recruiters are working
After many discussion in events such as #Tru (or NCDR), articles in blogs, twitter feed, which show you the worst recruiters approach, and some personal experience (I asked my team to send me the screenshot everytime they receive a useless email from a recruiter)…
I observed that there is a long way to a real Candidate Caring way of doing the recruitment job…
Why Recruiters are approaching people with the same bullsh*t sentences?
The first answer when you ask this to a classic recruiter is: « I don’t have enough time to personalize or to go deeper in my candidate’s profiles »… My answer is always the same: « so you don’t have (or you don’t take) enough time to do the job you’re paid for… »
Why don't we try, first, to step in the candidate/people’s shoes and start to understand "what the people I try to attract would like to know?"
Definitions
Perhaps we should replace the context: what is the recruitment?
Definition: the process of finding people to work for a company or become a new member of an organization (source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org)
However, I do prefer that one from http://www.businessdictionary.com/, because there is an additional sentence...
The process of finding and hiring the best-qualified candidate (from within or outside of an organization) for a job opening, in a timely and cost effective manner. The recruitment process includes analyzing the requirements of a job, attracting employees to that job, screening and selecting applicants, hiring, and integrating the new employee to the organization.
Moreover, recruiters often forget the attraction part… You should never forget that « people » would become « candidates » only when you will manage to attract them!
My personal definition: Process of finding the right person for the right job and the right job to the right person... Not a matter of skills, experience, or salary... It should be a win-win agreement between the people and the package (which actually includes salary, holidays, location, job nature... but also the manager, the company strategy, the atmosphere, the fact that there is a babyfoot inside the company J and so on...)
It is just a matter of people attraction!
Going back to our first question: What do people want to know?
As my colleague and friend, Guillaume Alexandre uses to say, there are three kinds of motivational factor for changing your job (and they are all connected):
I fully agree with him, but most of the people I spoke to are just thinking that is all... Be aware that you can find plenty of sub-factors for each one!
Be honest and be yourself. In addition, in case this candidate should not match with your actual need, you never know where he will be, and what he will do in the next 1-3 years…
He may become one of your client, or looking for a job in 6 months… At the end, you are talking to human, with feelings, with personal opinion, and he/she should just thank you for saying the truth!
Do you think that he will remember the dozen recruiters who approached him in a « bullshit » way, or will he remember of the only one who took the time to understand what he wants and who he is?
BREAKING NEWS: They don’t care of who you are!
Here is the biggest change: stop talking in order to sell your position and your company... Start by understanding the real motivation of your "candidate"...
It is crazy how many recruiters are starting their interview by talking about themselves or their company. In fact, it is like starting a discussion with a friend of with a girl/guy in a bar…
IF you really want to on-board this candidate (or this people), you should first learn all you can from his personality, his motivations, his past, etc… That will give you many clues to be sure your offer is the best for him/her (and vice versa).
How can we do it?
Walk in their shoes
When you say or write something to somebody… always, ask yourself:
« if I received the same message, would it be interesting? »
You should always try to challenge the statu quo. Things are never the same from one day to another.
That is (in my opinion) one of the best things about our job: we always have to adapt and to change our minds, methods, tools, etc… You’ll never get bored!
From where I was to where I am now
Few years ago, I decided to change my mind and my way of doing my job, just wanted to play a new game and challenge myself!
My former way of thinking the recruitment: I have to fulfil the entire requirement my Managers/Sales/<insert title> gave me, in order to get my bonus...
My old strategy: find people using keywords - contact a maximum in a minimum of time - get 5 to 10 people to interview - present a shortlist - organise last interviews - cross my fingers....
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My new way of thinking the job: I have several needs to fulfil. Where is the priority (in terms of how difficult it is to find some and how critical is the project)? Where should I put my energy?
You have to accept to fail sometimes, but when you win, you should be proud of it!
My new strategy: Better understanding of the position (which means role - skills and responsibilities but also mind-set of the team, global atmosphere, flexibility of the role, soft skills required, etc....)
Now, I really want to find the best people for the position, in terms of skills but also regarding their personal interest, their possible willing for evolution, etc.
And when I am approaching people, I don’t measure the number of contacted, but I prefer to get the higher acceptance and response rate to my approach …
I am now pretty convinced that the best way to reach people’s emotion is to tell the truth (without bullsh*t)
In conclusion, I just keep in mind everyday these three precepts to improve myself (in both my professional and my personal life):
Be yourself and be honest
Do not hesitate to say no if it brings you more quality
Always challenge the status quo
Nicolas Revol
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