Ditch the Lists!

When you were at school, did you know someone (maybe it was even you) who would make the most beautiful study schedules you had ever seen? When exams loomed they were there, with lists of what to study when, and coloured in squares representing different subjects. Although this person appeared organised, they were actually procrastinating, as it is far easier to make lists of what to do than to actually do it. The same applies with recruitment.

Assuming your database is of a reasonable standard (and I know this is a big assumption, as per my previous post in this regard), there is no reason why any consultant should be diligently making up folders, lever arch files, or printed CV's. Not only is this practice extremely unkind to the environment, it is a waste of time as you are effectively duplicating (triplicating?) your record-keeping.

Our in-house database is very good indeed (thank you IT team), and any time you want to bring up clients of a certain industry, location, hair colour (okay, not quite), you can do it - in any combination that you like. That has not stopped some consultants that I have known in my time from painstakingly typing out lists of client names and categorising and sorting them on paper 'because I find it easier to see'.

We also have 2 monitor screens per consultant. I'm not just bragging now - the reason we have that is so that a consultant can view 2 things simultaneously - e.g., a client record on one screen, and a CV on the other. That being the case, a consultant should never have to print out a CV so that they have it in their hand while talking to a client. But some still do.

No, I am not Gen Y, and I did not grow up surgically attached to computers and mobile phones. In fact, my first recruitment job was at an office where CV's were stored in filing cabinets, and we posted them to clients. (The looks I get when I mention that to new consultants are akin to admitting that I used to take a horse and cart to work). I have had to train myself to store and organise information digitally, and reduce/ eliminate where possible anything of a papery persuasion.

Why have I done this? Because a good database has already done (or made possible) every type of filing, attaching, and recording that I will ever need to do. I will be wasting time by keeping paper records. I can access the information on my computer from multiple locations, I can find it instantly, and - thanks to the wonders of back-up systems - it will never be lost. Plus I am being kind to the trees.

Yes, you have to work in ways that make sense to you. But - provided your computer systems allow it - there is every argument for re-training yourself to work smarter.

5 Fears Held by New Recruitment Consultants

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!

My Life as a Recruitment Consultant: Jamie Holden

Welcome to the third installment 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.

Jamie Holden is a Consultant specialising in Civil Consultancy recruitment for QLD. Jamie has a double degree in International Business and Commerce, and is an accredited member of the RCSA (APRCSA status). He has just over 3 years recruitment experience , and when he's not at work he enjoys soccer, playing games, and spending time with friends and family.

How did you get into recruitment?

I was doing work experience in the HR department of an engineering consultancy and they mentioned recruitment as a great way to gain good experience straight out of uni. There were a couple of ex-recruiters working with the company who spoke to me about what the job involved, and it sounded very interesting so I decided to pursue a role in recruiting.

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

Picking up the basics is quite easy and all it takes is a few days training and you can get on the phones in no time. Recruitment is a challenging and dynamic role that actually has a lot more to it than the basics though. It is only through experience that you learn how to do the entire role. Even then, the industry is always changing and there is always something new to learn.

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

Recruitment is a varied role with a lot of different aspects. On a day to day basis the role involves business development, candidate generation, speaking to job-searchers, speaking with clients, writing advertisements, completing reference checks, reviewing job applications and arranging interviews.

What are the best parts of the job?

The best part of the job is arranging interviews and assisting people in finding their ideal job. It is also very rewarding when you can find a perfect candidate for a client that they have been needing for a long time.

And which are the worst parts?

The worst part of the job is informing candidates that they were not successful in their application and also informing clients that candidates have accepted another position. Completing administration tasks is also another aspect that is never fun.

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

There were no major mistakes that I can remember making. Most of my mistakes were based around not getting a full and clear understanding of what is required and then not getting a good match between job opportunity and candidate. I managed to deal with this by ensuring that I am always asking the right questions and making sure I get a good understanding of what both clients and candidates are looking for.

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

I think a lot of clients are coming to realise that we are an important aspect to their business success. There are certain candidates that are very hard to find and they are very valuable to a business. Searching for the right person can be very costly for a company and clients can spend a lot of time with limited success. Having someone that is a specialist recruiter with contacts throughout the industry and that is able to provide the required candidate will save clients a lot of time and hassle.

Candidates also see recruitment consultants as valuable as we are specialists in our field and able to explore multiple opportunities to find the right role for them. We already are in contact with the right people and are fully up to date with the market. This saves candidates a lot of time by having a recruiter do a lot of the hard work for them.

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

I try to ensure that I am always providing the best service to both clients and candidates by working effectively and efficiently at all times. I try to gain a clear understanding of what both clients and candidates are looking for to ensure that I am not wasting anyone's valuable time.

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

Be prepared to work hard. Success does not come easy but it is definitely there for those willing to put in the effort. It is a challenging and exciting role that never gets boring.

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.