Become A Better Recruiter: 7 Tips To Make More Placements!

Here are 7 tips one can implement to help to increase the number of placements made each month. They center around working more efficiently, not harder. Quality is far more important than quantity during a search. I’m not knocking quantity; volume can lead to refinement of technique.

1. Control the recruiting process with smart questions. Good questions enable employers and candidates to relax and honestly discuss their goals, dreams, likes, and dislikes. Prepare open-ended questions. ‘Open’ questions require explanations, opinions, and thought process, vs. a yes or no response.

2. Be ready to tactfully challenge ideas without being disagreeable or offensive. Being contrary can obviously hurt your chances of making a placement. We add value to our service when we help employers and candidates see themselves or their actions in a truthful light. We are the experts and our experience has weight.

3. Focus. Don’t allow yourself to be pulled off course. If you plan to get a send-out on a given day stay on task until it’s done. Cut short distractions that will not produce a send-out. When recruiters focus, their performance improves, and less time is wasted. Decisions become sharper and insights keener when one works with clarified purpose.

4. Conclude each encounter with a clear definition of what’s to come next. Don’t let chance ever be the choice. Instead of ‘Let’s touch base tomorrow”, nail down a set time to talk and get the other party to commit.

5. At the end of each day reflect on the day’s interactions. Refine the words and phrases you use. Don’t over-talk. State your thoughts succinctly. Write down phrases and edit them, especially those that address issues that arise daily.

Exact phrasing is powerful. The right words convey professionalism and authority. Recruiters lead effectively by the words they choose. Your words and actions create credibility. 6. Explain what each party can expect to happen next. Ask for feedback throughout the process.

7. Create dozens of small closing statements. “You said you wanted a candidate with at least 4 years of experience. This candidate has 5-½ years experience plus they’ve taken the initiative to pursue a master’s degree from M.I.T. How do you feel about their background? (Close). Let’s schedule a time for you two to meet this week. What times do you have open on Thursday? Every time the process moves forward, it’s a close.

Success in recruiting is a series of small sales. We qualify candidates then close them by scheduling an interview with a client who meets their definition of a positive career move. When a glitch occurs, we use the information we’ve carefully gathered along the way to solve problems and keep both parties moving toward agreement.

Small changes in behavior and word choice lead to more placements. Focus, and phrasing can turn seemingly impossible situations around. Work with intention and watch your closing ratio rise. Cha-ching! That’s the sound of your fee dropping into your bank account.

To become a better recruiter one must be mindful of the impact our statements have on clients and candidates throughout the process. Delete phrases that are unnecessary or work against your purpose. We must not let others waste our precious time. Our livelihood is based on the words we choose to use. Words are at the center of our craft. Choose them wisely.

by Kimberly Schenk, Executive Recruiter, Trainer, Author of 'Top Recruiter Secrets' eBook, In-House Headhunting: How To Recruit Anyone, Cold Call Therapy, and iCommunicate