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Global Recruiting Agencies in a Mobile Recruiting World

By Dave Nerz

As if the pace of change and demands of a talent short market are not enough, global recruiting agencies must now add integration of mobile recruiting to their project list. My advice is that we all get busy doing this because as the infographic from Hirerabbit shows below, mobile recruiting is a growing trend and it will impact access to candidates. I hope the data you find in this infographic gets you thinking about the importance of a mobile strategy for your independent recruiting agency. Let me know what you think by posting a comment or sharing this with your fellow recruiters.

The Keyword Mistake That Wouldn’t Die

By Annie Weller

A few months back I wrote a blog about aligning independent recruiting with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (referred to as “the keyword that shall not be named” moving forward). Boy, was that a mistake! Not that the content wasn’t good or the topic wasn’t interesting, but it generated so much traffic to NPA’s blog that was completely irrelevant because of the use of “the keyword that shall not be named.”

Below are the reasons the use of “the keyword that shall not be named” turned out to be a disaster.

It drove the wrong traffic – the people who searched for “the keyword that shall not be named” and found my blog post were not actually looking for it. For the most part, they were probably looking for a definition or the history of “the keyword that shall not be named”
It was unintended – “the keyword that shall not be named” was not used intentionally to increase traffic, but by using such a well known topic, it literally became the focus keyword. It probably didn’t help that I used “the keyword that shall not be named” in the title of the blog post.” I definitely wouldn’t suggest doing that.
It skewed our website analytics – everything from page views, to bounce rates, to duration on our website, to engagement was out of whack due to the high volume of bad traffic caused by this particular blog. Eventually we decided to remove the post from our website and it took several months for us to recover and receive accurate analytics.
The topic was too broad – “the keyword that shall not be named” is taught in grade school and high school and for the most part is a topic searched upon far more broadly than the content we write about to attract independent recruiters. By including “the keyword that shall not be named” in a blog post, I would venture to guess that the majority of the traffic I generated was from students doing research or looking for more information on “the keyword that shall not be named” and not on “independent recruiters” which was the keyword I used for the blog post.

If I had to do it all over again, I might consider writing on the same topic but I would definitely not include “the keyword that shall not be named” in the title of the blog and also do a little keyword testing to see if “the keyword that shall not be named” was overshadowing the intended keyword of “independent recruiters.” Keyword Best Practices: Part II of the Seven Habits of Highly Successful Search Engine Marketing might help to point you in the right direction as you navigate the keyword seas.

Share this post with your fellow independent recruiting colleagues and keep them from making the same mistake I did!

Recruiting Tools Don’t Equal Recruiting Success

By Veronica Scrimshaw

It’s springtime in Michigan and with any luck, we’ve had our last freeze for awhile. This weekend, I’m going to be spending some time in my yard pulling weeds, moving dirt, and getting my tiny garden patch ready for planting. That got me thinking about how HARD some of this work is going to be, so I guess I’ll also be making a stop at my local hardware store to rent a few tools that will make the work easier. And THAT got me thinking about recruiting tools, which some people seem to think are all that’s needed to be a successful recruiter.

Here are three ways recruiting tools are like gardening tools:

Recruiting tools can make the job easier. I need to till the soil in my garden so that I can plant some vegetables. I can till by hand, but it’s hot and dirty, and will take me a long time, so I’m going to rent a gas-powered tiller. I’ll still have to till, but with the right tool, I can till more ground, in less time, with more uniform results. Recruiting tools offer the same assistance. You can use recruitment software to automate some tasks so that you can complete more tasks, in less time, more consistently…but you still have to complete the tasks.

Recruiting tools do not make you a recruiter. Between the skunk that likes to hang out in my yard and the winter snowfall, I need a new cover for my compost bin. I’ve got a brand-new Craftsman© circular saw, but since I don’t know how to build a cover, it’s not going to do me any good. (Anyone want to buy a saw?) Paying big money for a fancy ATS or an upgraded LinkedIn account won’t turn you into a recruiter. You can use the tool to find fertile ground (pun intended), but the tool won’t convince a passive candidate to switch jobs, make an interview happen, or convince a spouse to pack up and move.

Recruiting tools can’t evaluate or fix your process. A couple of summers ago I planted zucchini (or courgettes, depending on where you live). The plants grew huge, with lots of flowers. I had great soil, plenty of sunlight, and sufficient water, but never got a single zucchini. A farmer acquaintance told me the bees probably hadn’t shown up to pollinate the plants. Changing to a new irrigation system wouldn’t have solved my problem. If you think you’re doing all the right things, but your activities aren’t bearing fruit (again, pun intended), you might have a broken process as opposed to a faulty tool. Acquiring a new tool isn’t likely to change your outcome; you may need to reach out to a trusted adviser.

Gardening is a very part-time hobby for me, and I’m not very good at it. If my tomatoes don’t grow, I’ll simply make more visits to the local farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Recruiting is your livelihood. Learn how to be a great recruiter. Work hard at it. Hone your craft. Use appropriate tools to support your recruiting activities. Then you will be in a better position to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

What are you doing to ensure a bountiful yield in your garden?

5 Reasons Independent Recruiters Don’t Return Candidates’ Calls

By Terri Piersma

An independent recruiter is someone who is hired by an employer to find a candidate for a specific job and who does not work in-house for an employer. After almost seven years working for a split placement network consisting of independent recruiting firms, I’ve learned a lot about independent recruiters.

One of the most frequent complaints I hear or read about recruiters is that they do not return candidates’ telephone calls. If you are a candidate, keep reading because my post today focuses on five reasons why independent recruiters don’t return candidates’ calls.

The independent recruiter does not work for you.

When an employer has a difficult job to fill, the employer may choose to hire an independent recruiter to find the most qualified candidate. In return, the employer pays the recruiter a fee. In the United States, the fee typically ranges from 20% to 30% of the candidate’s first year of salary. Therefore, independent recruiters will focus on responding to employers who have hired them and only to candidates who are qualified for the jobs they are striving to fill.

The independent recruiter does not specialize in your niche.

Most independent recruiters specialize in placing candidates in a specific industry or job function involving a specific set of skills. You may not hear back from a recruiter to whom you sent your resume because the recruiter doesn’t work with people with your skill set or in your industry. A better approach to working with a recruiter might be to research the recruiters who specialize in placing candidates in your niche and then approach them.

The independent recruiter’s job is filling an open position for an employer.

It is not an independent recruiter’s job to find you a job or help you change careers. This goes back to the first point I made. Independent recruiters do not work for candidates. They work for employers. If you decide to change careers, for example, an independent recruiter will not be able to help you find a job. Employers are most interested in passive candidates (people currently working) and who are in the top 5% of people qualified for the open position. If you are changing careers, you need to find other ways to find a job.

The independent recruiter doesn’t have the time to respond to “thanks, but no thanks” situations.

Yes, I know it is not polite to be non-responsive but the reality is independent recruiters have limited resources and time. It is important for you to not take it personally if a recruiter does not send you a response by email or telephone. Think of it like you did when you were dating. If someone is interested in dating you, you will be contacted. If not, it is best for you to move on.

Your resume is posted on job boards.

Again, remember my first point. Independent recruiters work for employers. In fact, many employers will advise recruiters they hire that they will not pay the recruiter for a candidate the recruiter submits to the employer who the employer can find on a job board. Why would a recruiter want to spend time presenting your resume to employers when they won’t get paid? The answer is they won’t. Determine your strategy in seeking a job. If working with a recruiter is a fit for your job search, then removing your resume from job boards will increase the likelihood of a recruiter wanting to work with you.

I hope that my post has increased your understanding of why independent recruiters may not return candidates’ calls. My post was inspired by one written by Lisa Rangel entitled 11 Reasons Why Recruiters Don’t Call You Back & 5 Things You Can Do About It. If you are seeking a new job, I encourage you to read Lisa’s post, too.

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Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

10 Reasons Employers Should Use Independent Recruiters

By Dave Nerz

I think the saying is “preaching to the choir” or “preaching to the converted.” Get ready because here I go.

Your clients are being sold on filling jobs without the help of independent recruiters. There was an article in the NY Times titled Why We Never Use Professional Recruiters and I think some companies are likely to listen to this message because it gives them a false sense of confidence in what they can achieve without the cost of your service. While this may seem like “preaching to the converted,” I am hoping you can use some of my arguments with those that are crazy enough to confide in you that they are planning to go it alone. If you have a favorite way to overcome this foolish client behavior, please share your story by commenting on this blog post.

10 Reasons Employers Should Use Independent Recruiters:

Recruiters can attract the best people. Why mess with what makes the business a success or a failure? If your livelihood depends on finding good employees and they are what drives your profit and results, then why try to do hiring without the benefit of a professional focused on your company’s needs.
Recruiters define and describe the position best. The use of professional independents recruiter will force you to know what you are looking for. A recruiter knows what is out there and can coach you on the realism of your position description, the availability of talent, and the cost of the talent you need. Do you ever see the For Sale By Owner signs on homes? Do you think those sellers have been coached on prepping their house for sale? Do you think they know the proper price for the home? Do you think they are as motivated as someone that has hired a professional to sell the house for them? I don’t. I think they are just giving it a try to see if they can find an easy sale and when it becomes really important to sell that house, there will be a realtor.
Recruiters keep employers focused. Is locating talent your company’s core competency? If so, then go it alone. Just because LinkedIn makes candidates more accessible to you does not mean you will be better served to do searches for talent without a recruiter. Your company president probably has the know-how to cut the grass and pick weeds on your corporate campus, but is that really where you need to leverage his/her time? Just because there is a manual on how to use that gigantic punch press out in the factory, does it mean that you should run it without an operator that specializes and has trained to use it? Do what you are good at, not just those things you have access to do.
Recruiters save staff time and cost. Not only will a search for an employee distract managers and leaders, it will also cost the company more money than a search turned over to an independent recruiter. I compare this one to the old in-house print shop scenario. Companies claimed to be saving so much money with their in-house print shops compared to having things professionally printed on the outside. Sure, if you don’t count the cost of employees, their benefits, the cost of space, and assign no overhead to an in-house printing operation, it will look great. Employers are doing the same thing today with recruiting. Do you really want senior managers and leaders out on Facebook and LinkedIn trying to find talent? And are you sure you know what their time is worth per hour? Add benefits and overhead to that number and independent recruiters look like a bargain at any price.
Recruiters speed the job fill. The real costs or opportunity costs of an open position can be enormous. Many studies say that in profitable companies an employee generates 3 to 5 times their annual salary in value. So if you leave a $70,000 position open for just one additional month, that is $18,000 to $30,000 the company will never see again. Independent recruiters can also focus efforts on the likelihood of a “yes” when the offer is eventually made. I’m very certain that most managers do not have the skills needed to coach and troubleshoot all the reasons a candidates would say “no.” In fact, it would be very unlikely that a candidates would share with the employer the reasons for a potential “no” until it is too late. Independent recruiters have the position with a candidate to ask what a staff member may never uncover.
Recruiters know where to look for talent. If you are 100% confident as an employer that the best candidate for your opening is on LinkedIn, then maybe a recruiter is unnecessary for building the short list. We all know that is not likely as some candidates are “passive or not active” job seekers. You need an independent recruiter with networks and tools to find these people. Recruiters have the tools, subscriptions, a peer group for support and a network that is better than yours. A simple question: Is your manager capable of calling into the competitor’s company to get their best talent out for an interview? If they do that, will the competitor know what you are up to within minutes?
Recruiters know how to attract talent. Recruiters are expert at understanding motivation to move. hey can predict for you the proper and real motivation vs. the misleading and bogus motivation. I can only guess that your managers and leaders have not been trained in doing this?
Recruiters are less apt to lose the best candidates. There is likely only one best candidate for your open job. Do you want that candidate being handled by an inexperienced manager or someone that does this 20 times before breakfast?
Recruiters offer a method for continuous improvement. Why stop recruiting after you fill the job? If you can keep your staff focused on the core business but have a recruiter looking to replace the weakest player on your team, you will be on a path to continuous improvement. Don’t hire one at a time, hire always. Independent recruiters allow you this potential.
Recruiters produce results. What other professional group do you work with that will work on a contingent basis? What other professional group guarantees their work even thought they have little control over what you do to ensure the success of their placement? Most candidates leave because they don’t like the company or the direct supervisor and the recruiter has little to no control over those two contributing factors yet they guarantee their work.

If you are 100% confident as an employer that the best candidate for your opening is on LinkedIn, and that your managers can attract those candidates, will never scare off good candidates, and will not increase the chance of a turndown by the best available talent…then you are running a recruiting company, not a business focused on whatever it is you do as an employer. You are in the wrong business, we have found the next great recruiting organization!

I hope one or more of these becomes useful for you. Please share your ideas!

Big Changes in Technology, Yet Some Recruitment Basics Unchanged

By Dave Nerz

If you look at the last 10 or 15 years and the list of technology changes that have come to recruitment, it is amazing that the list has not impacted recruitment agencies even more. There are some recruitment organization basics that seem to remain firmly in place despite the pace of change inside and around recruiting. Here are the things that I see:

The telephone is a powerful tool. Yes, the phone is what moves candidates from passive to active, from prospect to client, and from candidate to employee. While a recruitment organization might be able to complete a placement without LinkedIn, Monster or your ATS/CRM system (even if difficult), an agency probably cannot make a placement without the use of the telephone. With the advent of mobile recruiting and smart phones, the telephone will grow even more in significance as the tool to recruit, but for a completely different set of reasons.
Candidates are the grease that keeps recruitment moving. Sure nothing happens without a job opening…I know…but jobs ebb and flow based on external conditions and the economy. Without a candidate, the process grinds to a halt. The pendulum has swung in favor of candidates once again. I hear of multiple offers and many turndowns for prized candidates with the right skills. The best candidates have a list of recruitment agencies in hot pursuit.
HR is slow to move. Clients read the newspaper too much. Clients believe they are in the position of strength because they are offering a job during times of significant unemployment. The client expects to have their pick of great candidates. Recruiters know the best candidates are frequently employed and require a darn good reason to make a change. While clients ask to see “just 3 more candidates,” the real prize candidate has accepted a job with the competitor or has taken the counteroffer.
The resume/CV is still the currency of recruitment. Personally I have been involved in the vetting of candidates for a position. We have one candidate with a well-known industry track record, yet I still wanted a resume. To me it is the price of inclusion. I do not believe you will change jobs or accept my position if you lack the passion to create your CV/resume. I can use a LinkedIn profile or some detail pulled from Facebook, but until you give me that standardized resume (that has been the currency of recruiting since long before my time), I am not convinced you are a serious candidate.
When things get tough, clients turn to recruiters. Clients have worked to remove recruitment agencies from the list of tools used to complete a hire. They use in-house recruiters, job boards, social media, and a dozen other tools and techniques. But when all else fails, as it often will in a candidate-driven market, clients call a recruitment agency. If recruiters continue to perform, this too will be slow to change!

I welcome your point of view; please comment or add to the list.

Top 10 Recruiting Myths: Busted

By Annie Weller

Today’s post, courtesy of CareerBuilder, dispels the top 10 ten recruiting myths floating around out there. There are many ideas and myths about the recruiting process and it’s unclear how they all get started. My hunch is that some of them are the ideas of poor recruiters and some of them are the ideas of hiring managers. The successful independent recruiter needs to overcome the myths and recruit in reality.

Good interviews always select the best candidates: Unqualified candidates are hired every day because they perform well in interviews. Nerves often affect interviews and are taken as poor performance. An unqualified candidate may fool a hiring manager into thinking they are a great fit for the position because they present themselves well. The second eye of an independent recruiter may help differentiate a poor candidates with a good interview from a good candidate with a nervous interview.
Good questions reduce hiring errors: Sure, it’s true that good questions will get you more information about a candidate. However, it’s important to make sure that you can adapt to the direction the interview is going and based on the answers of the candidate, develop other relevant questions. Also, listening is a key skill in interviewing. This may seem obvious, but it can be harder than it sounds.
Experience does not compensate for lack of a degree: Although having a degree will likely get a candidate through the evaluation of the minimum requirements for the position, experience can sometimes balance out the lack of a Masters Degree of PHD. Consider giving candidates that fit the experience requirement a chance as well.
An HR Manager or independent recruiter decides who gets hired: Higher level managers usually make the hiring decisions. However, the independent recruiter and HR manager play an important role in the initial screening of candidates.
Managers should hire as many people at they think they need: It is important for managers to realize the financial issues that could arise when hiring candidates. Hiring more employees than the company can realistically afford can quickly drive your company into financial trouble. Always be cautious about hiring in anticipation of growth or sales.

Use the link to continue reading the remaining 5 myths busted by CareerBuilder. What do you think about the ones listed above?

What Independent Recruiters Need to Know About Payback Agreements

By Veronica Scrimshaw

Today’s installment is courtesy of guest blogger Jon Fishman. Jon is a Relocation Coach with Recruiter Relocation, a firm that provides relocation support for recruiters and their candidates domestically and internationally. Jon has over 10 years of combined service in the real estate, relocation and customer service industries. Jon is considered a subject matter expert in relocation placement best practices. For more information, contact Jon at www.recruiterrelocation.com

Payback agreements are always recommended due to the high cost of relocation programs. In the event the employee voluntarily resigns or is terminated, the company is left footing the bill and looking for another candidate, who will incur further relocation spend. A payback agreement acts as a contract between the employer and new employee that states the employee will pay back part or all of the relocation costs if they leave the position within a specific amount of time. The payback agreement can be pursued for years after the employee terminates based on the laws within the state. Typically, a repayment agreement is included at the time the offer letter is given to the candidate.

The current trend in the industry is 100% payback the first year and pro-rated the second year. Further, some of our clients have made the effective date of the repayment agreement the date the last expense was paid out. Based on an Employee Relocation Council trends survey, an increase from 49 percent to 61 percent in executing payback agreements was seen in long term international assignments and 36 to 41 percent in short term assignments. In some instances, if the assignment duration is extended the employee is asked to sign a new agreement.

Payback agreements are not only another example of how companies are protecting their investment, but also how they are sending the message to employees that they expect long-term loyalty.

3 Reasons to Conduct Video Interviews

By Veronica Scrimshaw

Today’s guest blogger is Anne Downing with Demetrio & Associates, LLC located in greater Phoenix, Arizona. Demetrio & Associates is a boutique recruitment firm that has clients across the US as well as in international locations. The firm places candidates in sales & marketing, advertising, wireless and software positions. Anne is currently serving on NPA’s Board of Directors.

If you are not using video interviews to interview your candidates, or if your clients are not using video interviews, now is the time to start. Video is EVERYWHERE. YouTube has over 1 billion unique visitors EVERY MONTH. People are using video for more reasons than just watching their favorite band perform.

Employers are attracting potential new employees with corporate branding videos and are often using video as part of their hiring process. Sarah White, an industry analyst, conducted a video interviewing usage survey that indicated 38% of the respondents said they use video at some stage of the hiring process. It is safe to assume that this number will increase rapidly over the next couple of years.

There are several reasons why video should be part of the interviewing process, and I will discuss a few below:

Globalization. As recruiters, many of us work with candidates all over the US and the world for that matter. Using video interviews can give us a much better feel for the candidates’ personality and presentation skills. In the long run, this will allow us to present the best possible candidates to our clients.

Speed. Video interviews speed up the hiring process. It is often hard to set up in-person interviews because hiring managers and other members of the interviewing team have scheduling conflicts due to their travel, meetings etc. With video, people can be located anywhere in the world and take part in the video interview. This allows a lot of flexibility on your client’s part to set up the interview. It also can save your client money because this will eliminate some of the travel costs they pay to have candidates come in for an in-person interview.

Remote workers. Many candidates in today’s market work remotely, travel on a regular basis or work from their home offices. Having access to video on their mobile devices allows them to do a video interview from anywhere. One can slip away from “work” and do an interview on their laptop, iPad or mobile phone.

Employers, recruiters and candidates are all ready to engage with each other via the video platform. If you are not using video, now is the time to start!

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net