Why Recruiters Need Good IT Systems

A database is a recruitment agency's backbone - the thing that draws together everything we do, and maximises our chances of success. Why, then, are so many commercial recruitment databases so very very bad? And why are so many agencies content to work with sub-standard technology?

I was fortunate in that the first company I worked for had a bespoke database, which had been written for them to their own specifications. Having never recruited before, I took this for granted, and went about my work blissfully unaware that the tools I had at my disposal were not available to every agency.

When, at a later stage in my career, I joined another recruitment agency I was horrified to be confronted with one of the worst databases in existence. I will not name this piece of software, but let's call it "Obstacle." What were the things I was used to doing that Obstacle did not allow?

• Doing a radius search of an area to find clients or candidates with particular skill-words. E.g., 'show me every 12D Designer, 40km of Brisbane' - Obstacle would not do this;
• Sending emails automatically through the database at the press of a button, instead of having to copy and paste them in;
• Being able to search through my vacancies based on skill words, and then tag and send candidates to several vacancies all in one go (Obstacle had no section for vacancies - you kept paper records);
• Being able to send a candidate to multiple clients at the touch of a button (and have the database automatically record what you have done on all clients plus the candidate);
• Being able to put my clients or candidates in order depending on who was spoken to most recently;
• Being able to pull up statistics about where all my placements came from (e.g., Seek, networking, referrals, MyCareer, etc.);
  
• Much much more!

Recruiters who are not used to having a good database will often protest the need for one. "It's about the people, not the technology," and "Good technology cannot replace good consulting skills," are two (very valid) comments that are often made in this regard. However, if all the tools and processes at your disposal can be made ultra-efficient and smooth running, then you have more time free to be doing what you do best - recruiting!

I have worked at several agencies where the database and/ or computer systems have been a hindrance rather than a help, and where routine and straightforward tasks have taken longer than they should because of poor systems. At the very best, a poor database will slow you down. At the worst, a poor database will not allow you to do basic recruitment tasks, and will not allow you access to essential information that you can use to improve what you do.

When setting up Skye Recruitment it was important to us that we invested heavily in technology in order to streamline processes and enable consultants to concentrate on recruiting. Our in-house software developers have written all our IT systems for us from scratch, and they are continually adding to and improving those systems. This means that consultants can suggest to us exactly what would be useful for them, and highlight any tasks that are currently clunky/ slowing them down. It also means that we have flexibility when a client wants us to integrate with their processes.

I'm not suggesting that all agencies should invest in an IT department. However, I strongly advise that all agencies take time to review the software that they are using, and look at ways that they can use technology to improve consultant efficiency. A frustrated consultant who is impeded by their computer, bogged down in adminstrative tasks, or unable to analyse what they are doing is not going to perform to their best ability for you or for their client.

My Life as a Recruitment Consultant: Lisa Thiess

Welcome to the second instalment of our series "My Life as a Recruitment Consultant", where we give you the chance to meet our team, and also find out more about the day to day life of Recruitment Consultants.

Lisa Thiess is a Senior Consultant specialising in Civil Construction recruitment for QLD. Lisa has a degree in Business Management (HR), and is an accredited member of the RCSA (APRCSA status). She has 5 years+ recruitment experience, and outside of work she enjoys a multitude of activities, including roller-blading, kayaking, competitive target shooting, networking events, mountain hiking, and international travel.

How did you get into recruitment?

I fell into recruitment after being referred by a close friend who believed that I had the right skills to succeed in a recruitment position. I had no previous experience and my working history was in the medical field.

How easy or difficult did you find it to pick up the basics of the recruitment role?

I found with the right training and development recruitment came very naturally to me.

What sort of things do you do on a day to day basis?

Within my recruitment role there is loads of variety from interviewing candidates, client meetings, conducting reference checks, scheduling interviews for candidates and clients, providing feedback and giving advice. I also have the opportunity to learn about the engineering industry, together with building a strong commercial and business acumen around the civil construction sector.

What are the best parts of the job?

The earning potential within recruitment is very attractive together with the sense of achievement and self satisfaction of a successful placement. I also enjoy the interaction with both clients and candidates that are professionals in the engineering field as you gain so much knowledge from just speaking with people.

And which are the worst parts?

The administration to the role and the continuous audits - however both are necessary to ensure quality control within the role.

What was the biggest mistake you made as a novice recruiter, and how did you deal with it?

I actually forgot to invoice a client for a placement. This was easily rectified by sending the invoice with an immediate payment date, and the client was understanding. However I was not the most popular person in our accounts department!

How do you think the recruitment industry is perceived by our clients and candidates?

There is a mixed response to that depending on an individual's experience with an agency. I think in general the perception of clients is that we are a necessary evil and a great help, and for candidates most view agencies as a time saver to secure the right position.

How do you differ from your competitors in the same field?

I personally take the approach of being efficient and helpful rather than a hindrance. Also by being proactive for candidates in their job search and completely thorough with the recruitment process, whilst remaining completely transparent and consultative

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in recruitment?

It is important to be strong minded and be able to pick yourself back up when things get tough. The key is to remain positive and have thick skin. This role has many highs and lows, and it is imperative that you don't make the mistake of focusing on the lows.

My Life as a Recruitment Consultant: David Styles

Welcome to the first installment of our upcoming series "My Life as a Recruitment Consultant", where we give you the chance to meet our team, and also find out more about the day to day life of Recruitment Consultants.

David Styles is one of our senior Consultants, who manages teams recruiting for a variety of engineering and technical disciplines. Dave is degree qualified, and an accredited member of the RCSA (APRCSA status). He has 10 years experience recruiting in the UK, Middle East, and Australia, and when he's not at work he enjoys travel, socialising, and playing guitar.

How did you get into recruitment?

I have worked ever since I was old enough to do so and found that I very much enjoyed dealing with people. Once I completed my degree I joined Hays as a trainee consultant and worked through their fast track program to become a Consultant and then Manager.

How easy or difficult did you find it to pick up the basics of the recruitment role?

I picked the basics up quickly, but I still endeavour to learn from the people around me each and every day. Recruitment is an art - it can be learnt fairly quickly, but takes time to master.

What sort of things do you do on a day to day basis?

I set up the teams working with me in the morning and then review their progress with them throughout the day, offering guidance where requested or required. I still actively recruit and in this capacity I split my day into business development in the morning and candidate generation and interviewing in the afternoon.

What are the best parts of the job?

I love the pace of recruitment: to be successful you need to be able to work in a rapid environment and have the ability to prioritise your workload and then focus on the task in hand. I also enjoy the fact that no two days are ever the same. Put simply, I love this job.

And which are the worst parts?

Working in recruitment is like riding a roller coaster, it has highs and lows. When things do not go your way and you get knocked down you need to pick yourself back up, dust yourself off and push on through to make sure you get back on to a high as soon as possible.

What was the biggest mistake you made as a novice recruiter, and how did you deal with it?

One mistake I made as a novice recruiter was trying to take on too much at once and the end result is that you spread yourself too thin and in turn do not achieve your goals. I learnt to break things into small, manageable chunks before I try and tackle them.

How do you think the recruitment industry is perceived by our clients and candidates?

Clients and candidates who have worked with us before understand and value the service that we provide, which is why a large percentage of our work is repeat business. People who are not familiar with what we do may have other perceptions, which I would welcome them to speak with me about.

How do you differ from your competitors in the same field?

Outside of our exceptional database and significant advertising spend, we also have ongoing day-to-day mentorship for trainees and consultants as well as a formalised training program. In addition to this our single site base ensures the free flow of information between consultants, which offers candidates the best choice of roles and clients the best selection of candidates.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in recruitment?

If you are tenacious, ambitious, resilient and determined come and speak with us: this could be the perfect career for you.

Why Counter-Offers Don't Work Out

I had been with my first agency for more than 5 years. I had seen the company grow from a medium-sized agency into a giant mega-agency, and had lived through many changes of staff, management, and policy. It was with some sadness that I decided it was time for me to leave. My company had merged with what was then our sister company, and my department had inherited a manager who was already occupying the exact role that I had been working toward, meaning that my promotion opportunities had taken a knock. I had received a good offer from a rival agency, and all that was left was to hand in my notice to my employer.

And here's where it got difficult. All my bravado filled evenings of discussion with significant others (often over a glass of wine or three) had not prepared me for the fact that I would feel quite emotional when push came to shove. A Cab Sauv inspired "They'll be sorry!" did not quite cut it when sat across a table from the MD who had been the very person to take a chance on me, hire me, and train me in the first place.

I had prepared my letter of resignation, and I managed to keep my cool as I explained my reasons for leaving, and admitted that I had accepted another job. I anticipated that they may be sorry to see me go, and perhaps be a little annoyed that I was 'disloyally' going to a competitor. I did not anticipate that my MD would be kind, that he would listen nicely, and then bring in other managers who would all do the same. I certainly did not anticipate that the MD would seem genuinely disappointed that I had not talked to him sooner, and would then ask me what they could do to make me stay.

If the problem was lack of promotion opportunity, then they could give me a new section. They had another department which already had 2 more junior staff on it, and they needed a more experienced consultant to steer it in the right direction. They said nice things about me, and made me feel warm and fuzzy and wanted. There was talk of my earnings potential being revised upward. I began to feel very sad about leaving this office behind, with all these nice people who had known me for so long, and valued me more than I had realised. I had been to people's weddings... birthdays... what was I thinking? Why would I leave?

As I visibly wavered and wibbled about my decision, the MD very kindly gave me some time to think things over. Did I use this time to get a grip, and keep a clear head? Not exactly. I used the time to phone my dad (hey - I was 26, and sometimes you need 'dad advice'), and after that I phoned the competitor agency and politely declined their offer. I then happily announced to my MD that I didn't really want to leave, and would love to take on their new team.

I lasted less than 6 months. The team had changed, but many of the factors driving me to leave had not. I did not suddenly begin earning more money (I needed to prove myself in my new team - if anything it was a slight backward step), and I did not enjoy the new sector as much as I had the old one. My frustrations with company policy were still there. I still felt stale and, worse, I felt that management knew that I was looking to leave and would be keeping an eye out for my replacement. I was repeatedly asked (by different managers) if I had plans to leave / to work overseas, and word got out to all my colleagues that I had been looking to move on.

When I handed in my notice for the second time, it was a sad moment (and I admit that I had to work hard not to get teary), but this time my MD agreed that perhaps my heart was not in it, and that I needed a fresh challenge.

National Employment Association statistics show that over 80% of people who take a counter-offer and stay are no longer with their company 6 months on. Many of these will (as I did) discover that the counter-offer is not a fix. Others will be on the receiving end of their company replacing them now that they have demonstrated their lack of commitment. If a company offers you $5,000 pa to stay, they will only have to pay you a small amount of that if they find your replacement swiftly and, in doing so, will have avoided being left in the lurch 'between' workers.

Many companies will not make counter-offers. If your company does then be sure to consider what is motivating them to do so, what is motivating you to consider it, and what life will be like now that they know you are unlikely to be a long-term prospect in the company. Better still, prepare for the fact that you will often feel sad when resigning, and that you may be offered alternatives to stay, but that accepting a counter-offer is very rarely the right decision.

Business Ethics Sink or Swim in Floods

The floods in Queensland last week caused immense damage to numerous properties and infrastructure, with people losing homes, belongings, and loved ones. The community spirit demonstrated by vast numbers of Queenslanders both at the time of the disaster, and in the subsequent clean-up, has shown how powerful a community can be when people pull together.

When the river began to rise did your workplace become a hero or a villain?

How a business responds in times of crisis can be an indicator as to the ethics that underpin the culture and environment of that workplace. Many businesses were forced to close due to premises flooding, or workers being unable to get there. Of these businesses, the majority worked through these conditions as best they could - allowing stranded workers to have paid time off, demonstrating compassion to workers affected by the floods, and closing premises to ensure no one was stranded at work when the flood was predicted to be highest.

However, this was not the case for all businesses. There were those who insisted that stranded workers forfeit holiday or pay, those that showed little to no tolerance of someone being unable to come to work, and those who refused to shut up shop even when it meant that workers ran a risk of being stranded at work, or driving in dangerous conditions.

Small businesses cannot always afford the financial burden of an absent workforce - whatever the cause. However, a business that values the people working for it will always treat their safety with the utmost regard. For a business to treat workers with a lack of compassion at this time also demonstrates a short-term approach, as dissatisfied workers will vote with their feet.

Queensland has a long road ahead in terms of cleaning up and recovery. We would urge all businesses to show tolerance and understanding for those workers affected by the floods. A business cannot exist without the people who work for it. Support those people, and you build a team striving to hit mutual goals. Let them down, and your real business values become very transparent to all.