Selling. For me, selling used to be a word I didn’t like. I always associated it with somebody trying to get something from me and convince me of something I didn’t need.
This was my line of thought up until I realised that ‘sales’ and ‘selling’ are things we subconsciously do on a daily basis.
I also realised that selling wasn’t a devious way to convince somebody of something. I now look at it as an informative and persuasive technique, which when used well builds long-lasting and genuine relationships. Particularly as a recruiter.
The traditional car salesman approach vs the genuine approach
That leads me on to the purpose of this article, why recruiters choose recruitment as a job and how to know you’re working with a genuine recruiter
Recruiters sometimes get a bad reputation from either a candidate or a client and I can understand why. I’ve had lengthy conversations with candidates who tell me about recruiters calling them out of the blue, looking for their CV and being told that their perfect job has just opened.
Now, this could be the case, but only when a recruiter and candidate have worked together for a long time and there is an understanding of the candidate’s motivations and key drivers. On a larger scale, this isn’t usually the case.
What that says to me is that the recruiter is looking for a quick buck and is in the job for the wrong reasons. That kind of selling technique might be appropriate with certain products, but not when your “product” is a person, whose life will be affected by what you tell them.
Why I got into recruitment
When I decided to get into recruitment, the whole purpose was to work with people on a day to day basis. Recruitment is about building and maintaining relationships with clients and candidates and taking the consultative sales approach.
This requires a good personality and complete understanding of the opportunity and the product, in this case, the job and the candidate. This helps to build your credibility in the market where candidates and clients can rely on you for valid information. It also makes it easier to be a good recruiter, and find the right people the right jobs.
Signs of a good recruiter
You’ll know you’re working with a genuine recruiter when:
- They seek to discover your interests and the skills you’ve learnt over the years. A good recruiter will get an understanding of what motivates you as a person.
- They communicate regularly. Communication between the recruiter and the candidate is key and will help to develop the relationship further. A good recruiter won’t ignore you.
You’ll know you’re working with a poor recruiter when:
- They don’t take the time to get to know your interests, motivations and skills.
- They contact you looking for your CV without qualifying the position with you and your level of interest in the position.
I’ve often heard cases of CV’s being sent to clients without the candidate knowing, which simply cannot happen for GDPR purposes.
Repeat business is a key factor to success in recruitment and the only way this is achieved in my opinion, is by being honest and genuine in your approach. This will naturally lead to long-lasting working relationships.
One thing I was told early on in my recruitment career was to remember that we are representing the company brand, but also representing our personal brand.
How people choose to build their own personal brand is a decision to be made. For me, the enjoyment of the job comes from working with people, building relationships and watching their careers grow.
Looking for a good recruiter?
If you’re looking for a new job within the Supply Chain industry, get in touch – I’d be delighted to advise. Cpl specialises in a range of other sectors too. Browse them here, and find the right recruiter for you.