Recruiter Training: Your Ability To Influence

New recruiters are always worried about their technique, skills, how they come across, and whether they’re doing things right. They obsess about everything related to THEIR performance and credibility. Once one learns the recruiting process and has discovered the power of asking questions and listening, she’s on her way to making placements. In the beginning it’s important to focus on the details of every word that leaves your lips. New habits form quickly and exact wording is crucial to our success.

Our expertise is woven from our experiences.

Words can be cruel and disheartening, so choose wisely. Part of our recruiting duty is to tell good people they’re not going to get an interview or an offer. Be factual and firm but kind.

“While your background is impressive, your skill sets do not match what my client requires at the moment. When I come across a position that incorporates your experience and meets your career aspirations, I’ll be back in touch.”

We have a job to do and people appreciate the truth even if it’s disappointing. A response like this is concise yet leaves us on good terms. Six months later when we call the candidate back to discuss a new opportunity, he will be receptive.

When we handle all phases of the recruiting process efficiently, no one feels his/her time has been wasted. All parties feel respected and valued. Surprisingly, later conversations take on a friendly and familiar tone. You are colleagues and your professionalism does not need to be reestablished.

Choose words and phrases carefully

The words we choose must accomplish what we wish, which is to move the process forward or shut down a candidate or client who is not sincere. When people are ambivalent, they give mixed messages. We all do. Our job as a headhunter is to stay on track so we serve our corporate clients well. Everything we do is centered around how we communicate. Review and revise statements that don't work.

Word choice and phrasing should be clear and concise.

Check for understanding often. Recruiting conversations are not typical conversations. We have benchmarks to meet as we qualify candidates, prepare employers, coordinate interviews, and manage offers and negotiations to the desired conclusion.

We must be truthful and tactful. Changing jobs can be stressful and emotional for all parties involved. We are at the center of the process and those we work with look to us for guidance along the way. Our confidence and calm is reassuring. Our demeanor creates trust. We want to know what’s on everyone’s mind. When all sides are noisy, voicing ideas and opinions, this is a good sign we’re doing our job.

Don’t underestimate your ability to influence an outcome.

Use your power wisely and responsibly. People process information in different ways. Don’t take a person’s reaction personally. Consider outbursts to be a reactionary style. Remain detached. Sometimes our ‘facts’ are based solely on our experience however that does not diminish the relevance of our input. What we’ve witnessed over hundreds of successful outcomes is significant.

When we question and challenge a client or candidate who has lost site of their own objectives, we help the process by bringing the party back on track to what they have defined is their desired result. We manage by asking questions.

Speak the truth.

Part of being a great recruiter is telling the truth, which we all know can be uncomfortable at times. Truthfulness creates trust and tells the folks we’re dealing with we’re committed to doing the right thing, not the easy thing. Truth is a sign of character and leadership. Stand your ground. Ask questions until you fully understand what’s at the heart of each participant’s behavior and motivation to act.

If a candidate’s salary expectations are unrealistic, be direct. Remind him of benefits, or solutions to issues he stated mattered to him personally. Early on in the process, great recruiters uncover the key factors that matter to a candidate. If money is the single most important motivation for a candidate to make a move, you’re in trouble. Personally, if money is the primary motivation of a candidate, I’d shut down the conversation within five minutes.

During emotionally charged decisions, and changing jobs is near the top of big decisions, people can be hyper sensitive. Use that to your advantage by voicing information that may not be welcome. Speak slowly and clearly because your words will be repeated inside the listener’s head, often multiple times.

We all want to do what’s best for our family, our career, and our well-being. As headhunters we play a big part in satisfying, profitable matches between clients and candidates. Recruiting is richly rewarding emotionally, intellectually, and financially and your influence begins with solid recruiter training.

by Kimberly Schenk, Executive Recruiter, Trainer, and Author

Recruit Like Warren Buffett Invests! by Kimberly Schenk

Whether one is recruiting loan officers, computer programmers, engineers, or CEOs, sound, simple strategies always produce desirable results. Warren Buffett has become an investment icon by using what he calls a value investing strategy.  Specifically he advises followers to focus on what an investment will produce.

This is wise advice for recruiters as well.

Great recruiters know their success lies in the quality of their conversations with candidates and hiring managers. The best recruiters follow a proven strategy to match ideal workers to their client’s requirements for a position. To maximize the company’s potential candidates must be a technical and cultural fit. Recruiters invest in their thought process and skill sets to achieve their production goals.

Focus on what a candidate will produce.

Just like Warren, when we listen carefully to our client’s needs we can dismiss the less productive and culturally incompatible candidates. When we understand the big picture of what a company client wants to accomplish, we can better qualify those candidates who are an ideal match.

Luckily, people are not machines.

As recruiters we must interview carefully. Productive thinkers may not be obvious. A productive person employs a combination of intellect, skill, pride in their work, ambition, self-motivation, and ability to communicate ideas. Sometimes a very productive person may need a good coach in the form of management, to produce their best work. It helps if the candidate genuinely loves the work she’s chosen.

A predictive benchmark of one’s ability to produce is past performance.

We often embrace the work ethic of our upbringing. Being from the Chicago area I can joke about the mid-western work ethic with others from the region. We get up and work everyday until we die. It’s ingrained no matter what level of success is achieved. We work at our education, hobbies, on our homes, and we help others. Of course many cultures and areas have similar philosophies so ingrained they seem natural.

Productive people have this:

Productive people believe they will produce. They almost cannot produce because the drive is so strong. Some people need training, and wise companies provide instruction. Some gain confidence by doing so it’s important to have standards and pinpoint areas to improve. We all have the potential to become experts. At the core of recruiting is identifying those who possess the internal conviction that they are productive beings. Productive people have tenacity to stick to a project until it's done well.

When recruiting trainees look for signals and proof of prior accomplishments that point to the caliber of person being hired. Productive people won’t be slotted into a wasteland position. Make sure your company is equipped with vision, purpose, and opportunities for advancement if you want to retain the most productive workers.

By following Warren Buffett’s advice to focus on what an investment will produce, a recruiter will do well. New hires are the most important investment for a company. Refine your recruiting process to incorporate strategies that lead to high quality hires and watch your dividends grow.

Kimberly Schenk, Executive Recruiter, Trainer, Author of Top Recruiter Secrets, In-House Recruiting: How To Recruit Anyone!, I Communicate, and Cold Call Therapy

Tips and Interview Strategies For Successful Hires

Great interviews do wonderful things for a company and the candidates involved. The purpose of an interview is to: 1. Make sure a candidate can do the job in question, and 2. Fit into the culture. When these two criteria are met a match is made. Why companies complicate the process is a mystery. If your company has more than 10% turnover there’s a hiring problem.

If a company has defined systems they need employees to follow with a religious zealousness, don’t hire people who like to think and solve problems. Hire folks who are willing to follow your rules and be happy doing so. Don’t utilize panel interviews and implement behavioral techniques for positions that require basic skill sets a good percentage of the population possess.

If your cookie-cutter process fails to limit the revolving door of turnover, it’s time to get real.

What’s needed for a good interview is common sense and thoughtful preparation. Why does someone need good communication skills if they work alone 90% of the time? Will you hire a talented techno geek or a social butterfly for the position? Who will get the job done on time and without mistakes? The social butterfly will probably interview well and score high on likability. You’re not hiring a new friend; you’re filling a position.

Think backwards and forwards about who the candidate will work with on a daily basis and what kind of thinker is best suited for the position. What skill sets is the company prepared to enhance to help the right candidate achieve an outstanding performance?

Too many companies look for clones when we all know inbreeding is not healthy long term. If some tech people need better communication skills so what? Hire the best person for the job, identify areas that need improvement, and provide training. Basic training in communication is good for everyone and cheap.

Speak with the hiring manager and find out her managing style and what kind of employee responds well to her style. If her style is the problem, let her know. Does your company ask for feedback from employees on how management is doing and what they could improve?

The secret to a great interview is to make a genuine connection with the applicant. Is that so hard? Smile, offer a firm handshake, describe what will take place during your time together, and what the candidate can expect at the end of the interviewing process.

1.     Ask questions that reveal whether the person can do the job. Dig deeper if answers seem superficial. Get specific.

2.     Ask questions about the candidate’s views on life, work, their role in an organization, immediate goals and long term goals.

3.     The candidate should do 80% of the talking, so establish rapport and make them comfortable. 30 – 45 minutes is plenty of time to understand if the candidate has the basic skill sets required, and assess their basic outlook on life and personality. Ask point blank questions if the candidate is skirting the issue.

Prepare questions ahead of time. Many HR departments have an ivory tower image. Often they’re perceived as drones who don’t care about anyone but themselves. They’re seen as marching as many bodies through the mill as possible to meet their own objectives. When the attitude is resumes matter, not people, you're in trouble. ersumes are worthless in defining a person’s character and ability.

Maybe the metric to evaluate HR performance should be based on the longevity and expertise of new hires. What gets measured gets noticed and results follow. All departments should provide feedback to HR on their ability to assist department heads with hiring high caliber talent. If turnover at your company is greater than 10% truly there’s room for improvement.

The truth is most hiring practices are inadequate. Poor matches create unhappy employees who are less productive. Poor hiring practices produce turnover. Everyone loses when the wrong person is hired for the job. Find the best person, not the most available one.

Great hires start with a great interview. Let the candidate know what will happen after they leave. They should feel great about you and your company even if they don’t get the job. Treating people respectfully builds a true positive brand. It’s also the right thing to do.

by Kimberly Schenk,

I train recruiters and companies on how to hire the best candidates.

Top Recruiter Secrets, and  In-House Headhunting