Building a Great Permanent Desk

Many times over the past few years I have been asked “what is the secret to building a great permanent desk?”. In this article I will share with you some of the things I have learned about running a high revenue perm desk from both my own personal experience as well as from those that I have met during the past five years running The Recruitment Training Company. In a future issue I will share the secrets behind running a high revenue temporary desk.

1.     Big perm billers measure their statistics. The old adage of you can’t fix what you can’t measure stands true. My belief is and always has been that key performance indicators are in place to help me be successful. If you don’t complete KPI reports for your manager, then create your own. You should be tracking the following:

·       Dials: Connects. If you are getting a low success rate here you probably need to address your skills at getting past the gatekeeper or revisit your prospect list to ascertain if the account is really worth your time chasing.

·       Connect: Visits. If you are getting through to the decision maker but not getting a visit, then you need to review your call structure, how you overcome objections and how you close.

·       Visits. If you are getting quality visits but not converting them to opportunities then you need to look at your visit structure and also review how you close – do you ask for the business?

·       Jobs on: placements. How many jobs are you managing at any one time – could you use your time more effectively? What is the point of listing 30 perm contingent roles if you are only filling 6 or 7? Big Billers only list roles that they know they can fill quickly. 
Ever had a month when you have felt that you have worked really hard, but it’s not reflected in your placements? It’s probably because part of the process has fallen down. By measuring your statistics, you will know exactly where your time is going, and if you are getting the result that you should based on where you are spending your time. Measure yourself against yourself, not someone else as the latter will cause you much stress. 
I recently had the pleasure of spending a day with a high billing consultant who had hit a brick wall. She couldn’t work out why she was working so hard for less. She was working contingently, but had 5 “gold” clients who always called her first. She has contacts throughout the market that she works within and had jobs listed from many first time users. Her reputation was such that it had been fairly easy to get candidates and she filled jobs very quickly as she understood her market and her client needs. This had all changed when the candidate flow dried up. I felt that she should move two of her gold contingent clients to retained clients and then decide who she didn’t want to work with and headhunt from them to fill the retained roles. She didn’t feel comfortable doing this because she felt that her clients would not use her exclusively as they had been successfully getting quality candidates by working contingently. We then looked at identifying where she could headhunt from. The outcome of the day was that she learned some proven headhunting techniques and had also identified how she can increase her billings whilst not moving too far outside her comfort zone. She now spends 20% of her day making headhunting calls to quality candidates that she knows she can place.

2.     Big perm billers work on more retained than contingent roles. If you read my last article, you will know that I am an advocate of working retained in the current market. If you would like to read click here

3.     Big perm billers are expert time managers. Understanding the opportunity cost theory is essential to being a big perm biller. If you are undertaking an activity, it is at the cost of undertaking something else because you can’t do two things at the same time. So, if you are spending your time canvassing for new business, it’s at the cost of interviewing, taking reference checks etc. Therefore, big billers make sure they get a result from everything they do. Focus on the urgent and important tasks first, then the important/non urgent and so on. Read Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, for more information on the four quadrant model.

4.     Big Perm billers believe their own story! Having a strong self belief is essential to being successful. If you don’t believe your own story with all your heart, then it will be pretty difficult to convince your clients and candidates to believe it. You must believe that you are worth every cent that you charge and that working retained is better than working contingently for everyone involved.

5.     Big perm billers stay ahead of the market and know their competition. In times of economic boom (like now) we work differently to how we would work during an economic slowdown or recession. You should now be safeguarding your client base ready for the slowdown in 2007. Knowledge is power in our industry – keep your friends close but your enemies closer! Know exactly what your competitors are offering your clients, how often they are canvassing your clients and who in particular is making the approach. Ask your clients and candidates for information on your competitors but remember never bad mouth your competitors to anyone.

6.     Building a high billing desk is about gaining the skills and knowledge required to be successful and then implementing what you have learned. Watch successful consultants within your office, read books, listen to CD’s and attend any training session that you can. Take on board the points mentioned above and you will be well on the road to becoming a big billing permanent consultant

The Art of Networking

Networking is the art of building and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships. It is the way we will do business into the future. Forget cold calling, become an expert networker and you won’t ever have to make a cold call again. In the definition above, it is important to highlight that the relationship must be mutually beneficial – that is, the relationship must provide a win for both parties. I think that’s where most of us get it wrong. We take the “spray and pray” approach when networking. That is, we give out and take as many business cards from as many people as possible without too much thought to each encounter. Networking is actually about helping others and allowing others to help you – it’s not about selling anything! (not at this stage anyway).

There are three types of people in this world; those who make thinks happen, those that watch things happen and those that wonder what has happened. Expert networkers make things happen. First impressions are important and your reputation starts with the first impression. Your reputation is what others think of you – it starts with the first impression and then builds as people get to know you. You can quite easily destroy your reputation if you act inconsistently or unpredictably. Remember that for networking to be worthwhile, you must GIVE as well as TAKE.

The interesting thing is that networking is actually about building relationships before you need them and then when you do, you can be sure that the person contacted will be willing to help. Diane Darling in her book Networking for Career Success says that “It’s a personal connection with people who may want what you have, know others who do, or play a role in the decision. Selling connects the solution and the problem. When marketing and networking have done what they can do, selling is much easier”.

There are many different types of networks – your family, your partner’s family, neighbourhood; business and if you have children then there is also the school and childcare centre networks. Having said that, I know that many of you have outlook folders full of contacts, yet how much do you know about each of those contacts. A person is not in your network unless you know about them both personally and professionally and if called upon they would want to help you.

Personal Experience

I have always had a fear of networking. I am an extrovert, but would rather stick a pin in my eye than walk up to someone I don’t know and strike up a conversation. My brother on the other hand is an excellent networker. He, interestingly is an introvert, yet can walk up to any person in a room and make them feel special. He is a natural networker and when I considered his approach, I noticed the following things:

1.     Approach those that are either standing on their own or don’t look huddled in an intimate conversation

2.     Shake hands, make eye contact, smile and request a business card

3.     Keep your hands out of your pockets and maintain a friendly body language

4.     Keep your questions neutral, consider,
 a. What brings you here? 
b. How do you know the host?
c. What made you decide to come to this event? d. What is your occupation?

5.     Actively listen. That is, focus on what is being said and make a mental note of what is being said.

6.     Make a note about each person on their business card so you don’t forget the encounter.

7.     Always leave before the other person. Say “it was lovely to meet you and thank you for spending time with me”.

Another important thing to remember before attending any event is to make sure that you have packed your kit (business cards; Paper for note taking etc) and that you are dressed appropriately. Remember that first impressions are very important so don’t risk standing out!

Expert networkers know how to scan the room and get a sense of who is there before deciding who to approach. If you want to approach VIP’s, then do so early before they get swamped. Make sure that you have done some research on the person before the event so that you can strike up a meaningful dialogue.

Always ask for a business card before offering yours. Make sure to focus on contacts not cards – the art of networking is about making valuable contacts who you can help and who can help you.

Successful headhunters know the importance of creating networks. Imagine how much easier your job would become if you knew where to go for help in sourcing your ideal candidate.

Follow up

Networking is about building relationships. Ask about preferences for follow up (e-mail; telephone etc) and use that method. If you invite someone to lunch or coffee, be clear about your expectations. Follow up on a regular basis. When phoning, know what you want and what you are going to say.

Always return calls within 48 hours and answer e-mail promptly, always using e-mail etiquette.

Once or twice a month, meet with someone you like and ask what you can do for them. Get involved with professional organisations and organise networking meetings within your company. A word of caution though – choose your causes carefully. Whether you choose a cause for business or personal reasons, it will reflect on both. Maintain your network and you will never have to start from scratch again.

Reference: www.ukrecruiter.co.uk

The Ultimate CV Needs A Great Introduction

The ultimate CV needs a great introduction. That is where a strong covering letter or email comes in. Remember, its purpose is to convince the reader you that are the person for their specific job, so aim to create an impact and be memorable. Make sure you concentrate on matching your skills to the position along with convincing them why you should be selected for an interview.

Top tip: There are three key points to remember when writing your letter or email: remind the recruiter what they are looking for, highlight how you fit the job description, demonstrate why you are the best choice.

Keep these points in mind when writing your cover letter:

• Push your strengths. Your covering letter should draw attention to your most relevant skills and achievements.

• Make it personal. Do not send out identical covering letters without any detail about the employer.

• Consider explaining CV gaps. You can use a covering letter to explain gaps in your CV, such as unemployment, gap years or time spent in prison.

• Provide information about your disability. If you have a disability, it’s up to you whether you mention this in the covering letter or in your CV or not at all – you’re not legally obliged to do so. Disclosing your disability at application stage can give you an opportunity to say which skills you have learnt as a result of your disability.

• Use the right language and tone. When applying for most jobs, use clear, business-like language.

• Check it and then check it again! Always check your covering letter for spelling and grammatical errors.

• Keep it brief. Keep your covering letter short and succinct. A maximum of five short paragraphs on a single page is sufficient. It is easy for employers to read it quickly.

• Keep the format consistent. If you use the same font and text size on your covering letter and CV it will look neat and professional.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it”