Everyone has to start their career somewhere, and for most Recruitment Consultants we begin either straight out of university, or soon after a few 'early' jobs.
For a new consultant the recruitment world can be an intimidating one. High salary figures are tossed around, along with big-name companies, head honcho clients, and high profile projects. Everyone seems to know what they are doing, and it is easy to feel as if you have to become 'one of them' - the sharp-suited, loud voiced, schmoozers - in order to succeed.
Here we examine the top 5 fears held by new recruiters, and explain why they are simply not true:
1. I haven't worked in my industry, so my clients won't respect me.
So you have an English degree, and you're recruiting for Architects? So what? You will quickly learn a huge amount about your new field, but the important thing to remember is that you are the expert in recruitment, and your client is the expert in architecture. You each have separate jobs to do. You need to be able to understand your client's industry, but you do not need to be able to do the job yourself.
2. I'm only 22, so why would my clients trust me to do anything for them?
The question here should be 'Why wouldn't they?' Everyone has to start their career somewhere, and there is no reason why your age would mean that you were not able to do a good job. Many recruiters are in their 20's, so it is also unlikely that your client would expect you to be older. If your client has misgivings based on your age/ juniority, then this is something you can overcome by doing a fantastic job for them!
3. If I phone up my client I feel like I am intruding or wasting their time.
Why? You only need to fear this if that is what you are actually doing. I would like to think that you have an objective (or few) before you pick up the phone to call someone, and if that's the case then your call is valid. You are only wasting their time if your call is meaningless, or if you are calling just to get your call stats up/ keep your boss off your back. A few well-placed high-quality calls mean that you are able to add value to your client's business and get the job done more efficiently.
4. My colleagues all sound like slick sales types. I worry that I'll forget what to say, or not have the right answer if I'm put on the spot.
If you are trying to act like someone else then it is unlikely that you will be as successful as you would if you are just yourself. Why? Because most people are pretty terrible at pulling it off convincingly. You will usually end up sounding horribly awkward and fake, and your clients and candidates will run a mile. We've all been on the receiving end of 'those' calls, where the seller sounds scripted or cheesy. Most people like it when the person they are speaking to sounds genuine and honest. If a client asks you a question and you don't know the answer then say so! Say you will find out, and will call them back.
5. I don't feel like I deserve to charge the fees that I do.
Sure, it might seem like a big bill. You may feel that you are not 'worth' that much money - particularly if you are new to the corporate world and professional charging. But you actually add a lot of value to your client's business. A great amount of work and time goes in to finding a candidate and placing them within a client business. You advertise and you may attend networking events, or offer incentives for referrals - none of this comes cheap, and you (your agency) will pay for this. You will spend time crafting those adverts, and talking to prospects. You will interview candidates, take references, check qualifications, and arrange interviews. You will get to know your client's needs and market place. You will go back and forth between client and candidate answering questions, rescheduling events, and negotiating salaries. You will help your candidate go through a contract. You may even help them to relocate, and will provide local advice about schooling, houses, and visas. After all this, you may not even place the candidate, as you work on a no-success no-fee basis. If the candidate leaves within their guarantee period then you will certainly lose out. And then you will be checking in with your candidate throughout their career, making sure all continues to go well, and liaising with the client about any problems as they occur.
Still think your services aren't worth anything? Yes, some placements go through really fast, but there are others that can drag on for months. Most agencies bill on results rather than on time, and you may find that many of your fees would go up if you started charging an hourly rate!
To sum up...
There are many more things that will come up, and many more times when you will look at the person next to you and think that you will never be that good, or confident, or at ease. But the chances are that the person next to you once felt like that too, and they may also listen in to your calls and think that you are more confident than them! Perservere, have some faith in yourself, and let your colleagues and managers support you. We have all been there!
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