In the world of recruitment, a reflection is required on the approach we adopt: is the incessant pursuit of quantity really beneficial, or should we redirect our focus towards the quality of interactions?
Experience shows that the pressure of KPIs and objectives, often unrealistic, pushes many recruitment professionals to favor volume over substance.
The constraint of objectives and the quality of results
Recruiters are frequently judged on metrics that favor quantity, such as the number of interviews completed per week (among other meaningless examples).
This approach can overshadow the importance of the quality of the candidates and the interactions the recruiter will have with them.
Let's take a numerical example to illustrate two distinct methodologies:
Quantitative Approach : Source 100 profiles, send 70 messages, obtain 30 responses (interested or not), carry out 8 interviews to result in 1 hire.
Qualitative Approach : Source 60 targeted profiles, send 23 carefully written messages, receive 17 responses (interested or not), conduct 9 interviews and successfully hire 1 person.
These figures, taken from a real sourcing mission, highlight the effectiveness of a strategy focused on quality rather than quantity.
Furthermore, the good news is that this approach ultimately saves time.
Of course we spend more time understanding the profile and writing our approach and argument, but this time is also saved since contacts are multiplied with people who are really in the target group.
The application of Pareto's law: a bad idea?
Pareto's law, or 80/20 principle, is both particularly relevant in this context and a false good idea if taken the wrong way.
It suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts (and vice versa).
When applying this principle to recruitment, many managers keep in mind the commercial rule saying that the more prospecting volume we do, the more chance we have of winning clients.
But for me it is a mistake in sourcing and recruitment.
For my part I apply Pareto as follows:
I concentrate my efforts (sourcing, making contact, follow-up, discussion, etc.) on fewer candidates (let's say 20%) to obtain the highest possible return rate (close to 80%).
Indeed, we find that focusing your efforts on the most promising candidates - those who precisely match the criteria for the position - can produce better results than spreading your attention over a large number of less suitable prospects.
And above all, we have more arguments to arouse their interest (since they correspond to the position!)
The 3 pillars of Talent Acquisition
The recruitment process is broken down into three essential phases:
identification of the ideal profile,
his attraction towards the company so that he becomes a candidate,
and his transformation from candidate to collaborator.
And moving from one phase to the next successfully requires a deep understanding of the motivations of the people you approach, which transcend just technical skills.
Will this person be more sensitive to the quality of life, remuneration, mission, atmosphere in society, etc...
Rethinking the approach: Quality vs. Quantity
For example, instead of asking if a candidate is open to an opportunity, it would be wiser to ask what factors would encourage them to consider a change.
(and what's more, it's an open question to which the person cannot answer "I'm not open"... which risks ending the relationship!)
Adopting this kind of perspective means embracing a more nuanced and empathetic approach, fostering quality conversations that truly resonate with candidates' aspirations.
Because our basic job is to change people's lives... and not to make them less good than they already are.
The right method is therefore to understand what could improve the lives of your prospects/candidates!
Towards a more humane methodology
Adopting a personalized and human recruitment strategy not only benefits candidates, but also enriches the professional practice of recruiters.
This allows us to really know the people with whom we interact. This gives us market information. This makes us feel closer to these people (and therefore we will avoid “forgetting” to give them feedback for example 😊).
This facilitates the attraction of the most suitable talents and contributes to building a positive image of the company, strengthening its employer brand thanks to a human and empathetic candidate experience!
Conclusion: A necessary paradigm shift
It is imperative to question traditional methods that favor quantity and adopt an approach that values quality and authenticity.
By integrating these principles from the start of our professional journey, we can significantly transform our recruitment methods and, by extension, the image of our profession.
It's not surprising that so many young recruiters change career paths after one or two years... If you study and take on a job like this, it's not not motivating to say that every day of the week our only objective is to contact as many people as possible in the hope that (by chance) one of them responds....
By prioritizing quality, we don't just fill positions; we build strong, motivated teams aligned with the values and objectives of our organization.
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