The Art of Recruitment

"Hire people, who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it...;
Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine."

- David Ogilvy

Why Companies fail to recruit potential performers? Recruitment is an art as well as science. A good recruitment process is the foundation for any company. Intelligent recruiters always see to it that the company should get good performers to meet the organizational goals. World class infrastructure, ergonomically designed seating arrangement, availability of small perks like usage of internet during working hours and excellent employee engagement policies will attract potential performers to any company. Then why Recruiters could not sell their company to attract right talent?

Cost effective thinking or ineffective thinking: Every company has to spend most of its earnings inevitably on salaries of the employees. In any industry, major part of profits goes towards salaries of employees. Equal opportunity and equal salaries for equally qualified and experienced employees should be the success mantra of the day for any company. If companies will not follow this ethical policy, it is really difficult to attract right talent. Recruiters will forcibly, cunningly and manipulatively convince fresher or experienced in the same manner to take them on board, if they find right talent without exposing them to the facts about the company. Many of the companies use their websites only to highlight their mediocre achievements and hide their adversities. This will enhance attrition rate of the companies and decreases retention rate to the amazement of the Management as they compromised on the quality of the candidates and also hide the balance sheet from the piercing eyes of experienced employees.

Referral Recruitment attracts relatives; not talent: It is the latest fad encouraged in the name of another cost cutting measure to attract right talent. This policy also effective only to some extent which has helped employees to bring their relatives on board only to spoil the team spirit and team building efforts of the Companies in which they are working. Recruiting Manager has to take all precautions to avoid mediocre talent to enter the company by not just verifying certificates and should scrutinize like 360 degrees feedback through verifying four sides that is from external resources like private detectives, friends and relatives of the candidates. Some companies are asking astrologers also to find out the compatibility of the candidate and his staying capacity in their company, based on his sign of zodiac and behavioral patterns.

Gap between job description and job advertisement: Many companies write theory in their job description when they give advertisement in the media for the positions required to be filled. There is a gap between job description i.e. job to be performed and the advertisement which they give based on the theory they read during their days of education. For example, a HR Manager's job description is advertised, which is not based on the expected performance, but it is about the general functions of particular position. This will attract thousands of applications from the experienced as well as fresh job seekers, but nobody will be selected finally to the utter dismay of the unemployed who attended the interview. This is more disgusting during the situation like recession where very few companies recruit without much sincerity and honesty. Finally, the candidates are confused about why the companies recruit or why they leave candidates in the lurch only to force them to abuse the system, which is weakening the processes which have to be fool proof especially as far as the basic activity like recruitment is concerned.

A Recruiting Manager must be honest and understand the needs of the organization before starting the process and also understand the sincere needs and requirements of the candidates. Recruiter must be shrewd and impartial in selecting the candidates to help realize the goals of the organization. He should help the company to shrink the gap between expected performance and delivered performance. This will help Management to understand the roles and responsibilities of positions which they wish to recruit. This is the real art of recruitment which enhances the value of the balance sheet of any Company.

Finally, as John W.Gardner said, "When hiring key employees, there are only two qualities to look for: judgement and taste. Almost everything else can be bought by the yard."

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When Recruiters Are Just Not That Into You

You call but hear no answer. You leave a message but get no reply. You email but receive nothing. You send a letter or even call again but you never hear back. You know they're interested, and you know it would be a great match. So why don't you ever hear back?

Face it. Recruiting Directors just aren't that into you. If I've heard one common lament from anyone looking for a job it's this - they rarely hear back on time or at all for the jobs they apply for.

Why does it happen? Why do you get the cold shoulder, and why do they play hard to get? Here are three reasons:

A. Sheer volume.

Most companies, and especially the large ones, get flooded with resumes. When I worked at Leo Burnett, it was not uncommon to get upwards of 500 to 600 resumes for one job opening. The sheer boundaries of space and time do not allow the typical recruiting director to personally get in touch with each and every candidate. To make matters worse, you've all been told to send your resume and then follow up in a week. Don't expect a call back if you do contact a company. There just simply isn't time.

B. There is no job.

Could this be true? Yes, it is. Companies often post jobs when they don't necessarily have an opening. Here's why:

*They want to collect resumes, so when they do have an opening, they have people to consider.

*They have to post the job for governmental or legal reasons

*They forgot to take the posting down from the last opening they had (happens more than you'd think).

In these instances, you will likely never hear back from a recruiting director.

C. Bad business

At some companies, recruiting becomes one of the last priorities. There are client demands, meetings, emails, co-worker issues, etc. Companies then relegate recruiting to the bottom of the list. The fact is recruiting should be the top priority since we all run on brain power - but not every company thinks that way. As a result, you send the resume, you even interview, but you never receive a response.

I have heard stories of candidates going on two rounds of office interviews, and then they never get a response. To me, that's bad business.

So given that most recruiting directors are not that into you, how do you deal?

1. Don't take it personally. It's going to happen. Assume no one will get back to you, and then you can be pleasantly surprised when one does. Don't get discouraged; rejection is just part of the game.

2. Let your friends do the dirty work. If you have a friend or acquaintance working at the company, don't be afraid to have them check in for you. It will seem like less of a nuisance to a recruiting director if his own employee checks in.

3. Be persistent, not a stalker. If you're applying for a job by sending your resume online or in person, make the call after a week to check in to see if they received it and to see if they want to talk. Don't expect a response, and don't follow up again.

If you've actually interviewed for a job, you can be more persistent. After every interview, ask when you can expect a reply, and then feel free to follow up if you have not heard back. I'd call, then email, then call again. Feel free to contact them every 3 or 4 days, but switch up how you reach out.

4. Know when to take a hint

Just like the guy or gal who never calls, there is a time to move on. You need to think to yourself, "Do I want to work for a company that doesn't have the common decency to even call me back to tell me if I have the job after an interview?" You may wonder how they treat their current employees if this is how they treat their recruits.

The truth is the job search is a lot like dating. You may have to deal with a lot of rejection before you find the right match.

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Sales Recruiters - How to Be an Effective Sales Recruiter

Are you interested in sales? If you are trying to enter into the job market then you might be aware of the kind of competition present in this market. If you want to survive in this competition then you need to make sure that you are the best in your field.

One of the most popular fields these days is sales. Lots of people are showing interest in this field. To be in the sales field you need to have certain qualities.
If you have been given the duty of sales recruiters then you must make sure that you know what the qualities that you need to look for in the sales representatives are. There are various companies present which require sales representatives. Medical companies require these sales reps for selling their medicines as well as devices.

Medical device sales recruiters must make sure that these sales people know different medical terms and they are well equipped with different kinds of medical devices. If you are the sales recruiter of a medical company then first of all you must select the resumes of people who have an idea about sales.

The resume must include the skills that are required for sales. The recruiters must also check for any kind of experience in sales. Pharmaceutical sales recruiters should check whether the applicant has an idea about the medical terms. Pharmaceutical sales recruiters must have an experience in direct sales.

If you are looking for sales jobs then you can search for them on the internet. The recruiters usually choose the candidates from the internet. There are various websites which offer a list of companies where you can submit your resume.

It is very important to find out the websites which offer the best jobs. If you want to be an effective sales recruiter then you must make sure that you are capable of choosing the best candidate for your company sales.

First of all you need to check out the track record of the applicant. If the sales person is good then he must have a strong track record. You must even ask for these records during the interview. Secondly you need to find out whether the applicant has a good amount of energy.

The person must have passion as well as energy regarding his work. Thirdly as sales recruiters you also need to check whether the applicant is focused. A good sales person will always be dedicated as well as focused in their job.

You must also make sure that these sales applicants are well trained. If they are not well trained then they might not be able to perform their job properly. As sales marketing recruiters you must be capable of reviewing different kinds of resumes written by the applicants.

Good sales reps will also have a proper outside network. He must also be interested in outside activities. Medical device sales recruiters must have all these qualities to get recruited in the best pharmaceutical companies present in the country.

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Revamping Company Recruiting Strategies to Attract Top Female Talent

Developing an effective strategy for the recruitment of top female talent is incredibly beneficial for businesses. Women make up approximately 51 percent of all workers in upper management and professional occupations. Currently, there are more women in management positions than men for the first time in American history with projected increases in the total world labor force by 2018. They are projected to account for 51.2 percent of the increase in total labor force growth by 2018. Many new start-up businesses are operated by women. Women make up 66% of the university population receiving the majority of college degrees. More women are attending and graduating from universities than ever before changing the make-up of our current workforce. These trends will greatly affect recruiting and hiring practices for businesses and organizations in the future. Companies that want to stay competitive should actively develop strategies or change their current one to help attract top female talent.

The first step toward marketing and recruiting women to work at your company is to review your company's strategy. A comprehensive recruiting plan should include retention, diversity training and community involvement. As you review your recruiting plan, it is probable that you will see very traditional elements focused toward hiring male candidates. You might even find assumptions built-in to your verbiage expecting employees to work traditional hours; eight-hour days and forty-hour work-weeks with bonuses and vacations. Several recent hiring surveys show that when women look for positions, they look for different benefits than men. Flexible work arrangements have been listed as a main factor in what attracts women to a company and why they would stay with a company. Many companies are now developing female specific and targeted recruiting plans. Top companies with the best record of promoting women, outperformed competitors on average from 41 to 116 percent. In a study conducted by Pepperdine University. Another study indicated that companies with the highest representation of women in their senior leadership had better financial performance as a group than those with the lowest number of women. Sounds like a no-brainer to me?

Other research suggests however that men and women use the same search mechanisms to find a job. This leads us to believe that it is how we market the job that will become critical. Be considerate as to where you post your job advertisement. There are specific websites that cater to certain groups or types of professionals. Universities and Colleges are also great places to find candidates from relevant disciplines as are professional groups or affiliations. What about the tools that are used to screen applicants? In 2006, approximately 80% of companies listed that they used some type competency-based-selection in their hiring process. The competencies however, were based on traditionally male associated behaviors. When interviewing, have the candidate give you specific examples of what they did in a particular situation, not just a certain skill that they have listed in the job description. Surveys have also indicated that even your website can be designed to appeal to men or women. Maybe a focus group may be able to help to see if your site is on the right track? The point is to be aware of simple items within your process that may alienate potential new-hires. What about looking within for existing employees? Many recruiters and hiring managers do not actively seek out female talent already working in the organization. Talk to board members or senior leaders in your organizations. They may know potential candidates already working in your company that may not be actively seeking positions. Internal hiring and development of women are critical to support and advertise your brand image which will help you attract more candidates.

A company's brand can also make a difference when marketing to women. Few organizations take the time to review how their public image is viewed by women in the market. Women often feel underserved by recruiters and organizations. This fact makes it very important to think about how your message can appeal to women. You will want to reflect that your company is a wonderful place to work and employees are valued. Specific items that women look for in job ads or during the interview may include job sharing, telecommuting, flexible work hours, and options for child care and elder care. IBM Intranet highlights over forty different examples of flexible work-arrangements in the recruiting packages. Microsoft offers the opportunity to choose what parts of flexible work arrangements they would be interested in as part of their yearly benefit allocation. Deloitte has offered changes in paternity leave and an emergency childcare plan for working parents under six-years-old. Fujitsu offers 120 percent of a mother who has returned to work after maternity leave until the child is fifteen months old to keep valuable employees.

Companies that provide collaborative work environments also seem to be good at attracting female talent. Being a socially responsible organization and demonstrated diversity practices by management may also be important factors to attract female applicants. Consider how your image reflects women in a variety of roles. Recruiters have to understand how women contribute to their organization and their communication styles. Consider using testimonials and interviews that showcase what you are doing and reinforce how work is rewarded and appreciated.

Training for your recruiters to understand the specific needs of female candidates is invaluable especially in hard-to-fill positions. Adapting your company standards and recruiting practices to be reflective of your diverse workforce might be the difference in attracting more female high potential employees. Fujitsu Services redesigned their recruitment literature for job fairs. The company feels that it has doubled the number of applications from women for their graduate programs since re-doing their brochures. The recruiters also describe what they do at their job instead of just saying they are technology consultants. This simple communication style change when delivering the message has made a huge impact. Another important aspect to include in interviewing is to explore the transfer of knowledge by asking for real-life examples. This will help find quality candidates who may have been out of the work force at different intervals in their career. Even widening the range of college degrees that qualify for a certain job may provide you with more candidates in the pool. Some computer companies have added Latin, Philosophy and Law as potential backgrounds in one IT company. They have seen a 46% rise in female applications for their company. The point, one size might not fit all.

When reviewing and developing your own strategy, consider what your company's needs are when you create your advertisements. Thoughtfully place the job posting strategically on sites or in publications that meet your placement needs. Factor in flexibility and other work benefits that will be attractors instead of detractors. Carefully review your processes to see if they alienate certain candidates from the process. Even the competencies that are used to screen applicants should be carefully reviewed for bias and fairness. Ensure that your recruiters are trained to effectively work with female applicants and meet their needs. Finally, don't rule out looking in non-traditional places for unexplored talent like internal employees, other fields of study, or employees that are returning to work. The main thing is awareness. As the work force changes and more and more women are the managers and leaders within your companies, the methods and recruiting practices that you use to attract them will have to change if you are going to stay competitive.

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Organizational Management - Performance Management

In this installment of our guide to organizational management we look at performance management...

Performance management plays a key role in ensuring that an organization, including its subsystems such as employees, teams, departments and processes, are working in a way that achieve the overriding goals of the company. Performance management comes in the form of general reviews, or more specific reviews of quality, quantity, time-frame relevance, or cost.

It should be undertaken at regular, pre-determined intervals, and also if it becomes suddenly apparent that a particular subsystem is underperforming. The same standard procedure is followed in most organizations, though exactly how the steps are carried out can vary widely, depending on the focus of the performance efforts and who is in charge of carrying it out.

Step one in the process is to prepare a documented plan that sets out the desired results, the way the results will be measured and the standards the performance are based on. The plan needs to be prioritized with first-level targets being at the top, and drilling down for each first-level target where it makes sense to do so. The results must be realistic and able to be achieved or there will be no value derived from the exercise. Finally, staff needs to be made aware of what the performance goals are.

Ongoing observations and measurements should then be conducted to track performance over the allocated timeframe. Feedback about performance should be exchanged throughout in order to maximize performance level.

Once the stated time frame for review is up, a performance appraisal or review should occur in order to analyze the results of the review and determine if the performance meets or exceeds the expectations, or if performance has fallen below the expectations.

Ideally, when beginning the process, an incentive should be established for performance that meets or exceeds the applicable standard(s). That incentive needs to be given once the review has concluded. In cases, however, where performance is judged to be inferior, then the performance plan can be tweaked to act as more of performance improvement plan. The process must then start over and be repeated until the performance meets the stated goals or until the subsystem or standard has changed.

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Fake Recruiters Vs Genuine Ones

The Internet is a new marketplace for business of this generation. It is a frontier that many have made millions, either through legitimate business or for some through unscrupulous means. In order to find out which ones are real recruiting systems and which ones are fake. Here are some telltale signs that indicate the genuineness of the recruiter for your services.

1) Advance deposits up front

Real recruiting firms would only require fees for your personal membership and not for others that you would still have to seek out and register. So be wary of those that require advance payments for prospects. This would place you in a situation that you are already indebted without even any work done on your part.

2) Personal financial information

Register only your personal information. Once they require your personal financial information, like credit card information or bank account numbers, then be put on guard as this information may be misused to drain your already meager resources.

3) Require mailing lists

The prospects that you have are entirely your own and this is the cornerstone of the recruiting business. If you are required to register your mailing list, then what is being done is that the firm would be tapping your financial resource that would end up in you being eased out of the picture. Remember, prospects are the individuals treasure trove, so do not just give it away.

4) Research on registrations

Check on the registrations of the Company to see if they are reputable or they have been subject to complaints for unscrupulous activities. This is but responsible business sense as you would be carrying their name and if there were issues then your name would be sullied by their controversies.

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If You Are Serious About Becoming A Recruiter - Become One!

As a recruiting industry consultant, trainer, author and recruiter, I receive numerous e-mails daily from individuals who want to become recruiters. Many have already spent hundreds to thousands on training materials. While it is easy to spend money on hopes of becoming a recruiter, it is not easy to actually become one.

Given that the recruiting industry currently has no barriers to entry, a host of recruiter wannabes flock in on a daily basis, but the door they come into this industry through is a revolving door. They leave at the same rate only to return in a few months or years and then to leave again. They keep coming back because they know that a career in recruiting is achievable, and that for those who have mastered the ropes, the sky is the limit. There is a general belief amongst newcomers that there has to be some secret formula to the process that consistently puts millions in the pockets of a significant number of recruiters. These people have to know something that they are not telling, and if only they too could find out what the secret to successful recruiting is, they could also pocket millions (or maybe more realistically, just a quarter of a million) annually.

Apart from the right training, to be successful in this industry you need to come in with the right mindset. This will speak to your dedication, your perseverance, your creativity, and your will to succeed. You do not need to go back to school to become a better recruiter; you do not need any new certifications or special licenses. The entry barriers are low and glass ceilings are virtually non-existent. Still like most new-comers know by now, recruiting is not an easy profession. Employers pay recruiters anywhere from $6,000 - $45,000 (or even more) in fees for each candidate that they hire through the recruiter. If recruiting were easy, employers will fill their open positions and keep these significant fees to themselves.

Successful recruiters through knowledge, creativity and perseverance manage to acquire strategies with which they approach both clients and candidates that works consistently. They reap huge rewards in the form of a steady career, and deposit a predictable amount of income in their accounts every month. Come into this industry with the right attitude, not just knowing which strategies are effective, but also with the ability to implement them, and you too should be able to succeed.

The training materials you purchase may give you strategies, jump-start your knowledge and certainly may help you hit the ground running; but true success in any field comes from the individual. Make sure you get this straight before you consider a career in recruiting.

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