Recruiting used to be a simple game. You get an opening from a client you need to fill from a client, and then you put out word that the position is open and people coming running. Ever since this most recent economic recovery, things are much more complex. Due to a variety of factors including the skills gap, and millenials in the work force, recruiting is becoming more like sales than ever. Here are three steps in the sales process that are worth thinking about when recruiting.
Prospecting
Good prospecting is not about just selling anyone with a pulse. It’s about finding as many people that are great fits for your product, without excluding any prospects with potential to be convinced into becoming good fits. With the current skills gap, which is very real, recruiters need to be more specific than ever about what skills they’re looking for, but remember to not cast your net too narrowly or you’ll miss out on some great talent that may just need a little training to be your client’s next superstar
Presenting
Once you’ve found your universe of suitable options for filling that position and and gotten them to agree to speak with you, now you need to present the opportunity to them in a way that is appealing to them. Successful sales presentations always start with a thorough discovery process about why that prospect needs your product and what are the most important things it could do for them. This is a very important part of presenting a new job opportunity to someone who most likely already has a job. Before you get to work showing them how much better your current opening is, make sure you know what better looks like for your job seeker. Are they just looking for more money? Do they want more responsibility, or more respect than in their current position? These are all very important pain points to know to tailor your presentation to them.
Negotiating
So often in selling negotiating is more about objection handling than finding the right price. While negotiating about a job used to primarily be about salary, now there are many things a potential hire is looking for. Flexible schedule, robust training, and having a sense of purpose within an organization are some common job traits that are important to millenials in particular, and may have to be part of negotiations with the employer if they’re not already part of the package. Even if you’ve handled your discovery well, this part could come with some surprises, so be prepared to think creatively about how to make the situation a win win for your clients and the job seeker.
As time goes on, the workforce will change even more, and very specific skills will become more and more in demand. It’s important to understand how sales methods can help your recruiting now, so that you’re not just doing better today, but better prepared to pivot to new changes in the future.