Presenting Job Openings
The following
methods will assist you in presenting job openings to your potential
candidates. This is undeniably one of the most important fundamentals
a recruiter needs to master. If your potential candidates don't find
the positions your clients have to offer interesting, you're going to
experience serious problems realizing success as a recruiter.
Be sincere and
excited about the opportunities you present. If you truly believe it's
a great career move for your potential candidate, they will hear it in
your voice and want to investigate further. Stress the importance of
confidentiality. Your commitment and dedication to the candidate
should be reciprocated back to you.
The
Candidate Job Opening Presentation
This section will
help you present job openings to your candidates. Your goal is to
bring the two parties together (client and candidate). The following
information will help you accomplish this goal.
-
Review and
understand the candidate's background and individual desires before
making the job presentation.
-
Present the
client's company and their job opening in a way which would be
beneficial to the candidate.
-
Present the
company as if it was your own firm. With enthusiasm!
-
Receive time
commitments for interviews from the candidate.
-
If sourcing a new
contact, these same methods will apply, but you must first gather
the information needed to determine if they are qualified for the
job opening. (Career Portfolio & Resume).
Be focused during
your presentation. When you call a candidate at their work place, be
aware that it may be difficult for them to speak openly with you.
Always respect their situation. They may not have privacy. They might
sit closely to other employees or even their boss. Put yourself in
their situation and be aware of these possible conditions. Ask them if
they are in a position to talk with you. If they are not able to talk
freely, can they listen?
Before you interrupt
their work, make sure they are comfortable and in a position to
properly evaluate and consider what you are presenting. If it�s
difficult for them to speak with you during business hours, you can
send them an email with the relevant information included. Tell them
you need a response by a certain time. Email, Blackberries, PDA�s and
other devises have brought a new level of communication to us all.
Find the combination
of methods that work best for you to get the job done. At some point,
it will be mandatory to have live conversations with the professionals
you represent.
Example:
Job Opening Presentation to a New Candidate
Hello candidate's
first name this is your full name, with XYZ corp. I'm a
colleague of person who referred you to the candidate. I have
an excellent opportunity with a very good client of ours for a
given job opening information. They are a give $ volume & type
of company and have been growing at a ___% rate over the last
three years. They are currently seeking someone who has given the
qualifications needed, and match it with their proposed
experience and desires. Would you be aware of anyone who might
have an interest in such a position? (If they are personally
interested, get more detailed information on their background, work
history and compensation). If they are a good fit for the position,
ask them when they could make themselves available to discuss this
position in person with the client's hiring team? (GET THEIR RESUME
AND SCHEDULE TIME FOR THEM TO INTERVIEW WITH THE CLIENT IF THEY ARE A
FIT.)
Overcoming Candidate Objections
In this section you
will learn how to overcome candidate objections
-
Acknowledge your
candidate�s hesitation.
-
Convey
understanding - "Ask why?"
-
Uncover the
candidate�s reason for hesitation.
-
Document each
reason.
-
Address each
reason one at a time.
-
Consult and
evaluate with the candidate. Could the features and benefits of the
opportunity outweigh the objection?
-
Know what is in
the best interests of your candidate.
-
Convert objections
to commitments.
Candidate Objections
Although candidate
objections will most likely fall into one of the categories below, the
responses are generic but provide you some ideas about how to deal
with the objection.
"The company does
not offer very good benefits."
"What benefits in
particular are you concerned about? List each one separately. I
recommend we review the overall package when and if you get an offer.
The company has been considering a change to a new provider and adding
some new benefits at the end of their current enrollment period. They
may even be able to compensate in other ways to improve the overall
package."
"There aren't
enough management opportunities."
"Instead of focusing
only on the present, think long term. The organization is expanding
and restructuring their talent according to the duties and
responsibilities involved in each position. Because this is a very
hands-on position, the company expects the managerial duties to expand
as the role of the position expands."
"The working
environment isn't comfortable."
"What about it don�t
you like? What type of environment would better suit you? The
company�s environment is typical for a company of their type and size.
There may not be a big difference between this company and others in
this segment. Should you consider looking at a different type of
company?"
"The position
isn't challenging enough for me."
"Considering the
innovative nature of this company. The manager is more than willing to
share some of the more interesting work if you are able to handle
more. The challenges are there for you to pursue, even if they are not
apparent on the surface. Their new technologies and processes will
give you the chance to learn extremely valuable new skills."
"The compensation
isn't high enough."
"What type of
increase are you looking for? The salary for this position is/could be
negotiable. The base compensation is not always a reflection of a good
opportunity. Consider the complete picture. There are other incentives
beyond just the base salary.
"The position
requires too much travel."
(When Applicable)
"The travel involved won�t be long term and it will not be extended
over long periods of time. Once you�ve learned the operations within
the region it will become limited. The travel is never for long
duration's and primarily only within the region. There are cases when
you may be able to bring your spouse or family along."
"Management's
competence is of concern."
"The competency of
their management is important but consider the size of the company. It
is more difficult for companies of this size to attract the higher
profile talent. Many stars are developing within organizations like
this. Motivated individuals have the opportunity to take on more
responsibility in this type of situation. You can become a change
agent within this kind of organization by improving management's
approach."
"The work isn't
interesting enough."
�Most positions
become more interesting when you understand how they affect the bigger
picture. Once you know this, you can find efficiencies within the
position which were previously unidentified. Advancement comes to
those who create and get involved in continuous improvement. Some of
their upcoming special projects could provide a much more exciting
platform for you to excel. This company is dynamic and always involved
in unique and innovative methods. The more you are involved, the more
your interest will be sparked."
"Their staff
associates are not of a high caliber."
"You can become a
person who advances into upper management through opportunities such
as this. Remember the cream rises to the top philosophy. You need good
mentors, but you also need to apply yourself to achieve. If others
lack initiative or the skills it will take to advance, it should only
help you shine brighter and reach a higher level faster. As you
progress in your career, you should find yourself demanding an
increasingly more professional atmosphere form your employer's. You
can put yourself in a great position to bring about new levels of
achievement within these types of situations."
"I need greater
technical exposure."
"This position can
lead to increasing technical responsibility. Once you are in the
company, and learn the position, you can seek out cross training
opportunities from within the company. They pride themselves on
developing their internal talent base and I will do everything to
consult and coordinate with the hiring manager on this issue."
"The position
doesn't have enough exposure to upper management."
"This is an
important position within the company. You need to develop key
relationships within the position, and the demonstration of your
abilities will be in your own hands. If you are doing the right level
of work, you will get the exposure you desire.
"The position
doesn't have enough systems exposure."
"In order to stay
competitive, the company will have to implement new systems and train
all their internal talent on their usage. (If applicable) With the
company�s tuition reimbursement program, you can also expose yourself
to new systems or learn advanced techniques."
"I need more
training to handle this."
"There is something
new to learn from every different position and every company you work
with. If you are on board, you can then coordinate with the hiring
manager to make sure you are trained properly by a qualified company
employee. (If applicable) With the company�s tuition reimbursement
program, you can expose yourself to new areas in business education,
even complete or achieve an advanced degree."
"The commute is
too far."
"Do you own your
home? Is relocation a possibility? Is there another company with this
type of potential located closer to you? You need to think long term.
Could this position be a stepping stone which can open future doors to
new and better positions within other companies in your more immediate
area? Is it the distance, or the traffic? If it's the traffic, maybe
we can work with the hiring manager to create a flexible schedule in
order for you to cut down on your commute time."
"I am not
qualified."
"Why do you feel you
are not qualified? I would not have contacted you if I didn�t believe
you were qualified for this position. You have most of the basic
skills and knowledge the company is looking for. You can add to your
experience and enhance your skills by being involved in a position
like this. You can learn a great deal about this position on the job.
The company wants someone they can develop into this position."
"I am not
interested."
"Why? Before you
completely remove yourself from consideration, let's talk about what
this company has to offer you. We can also use that time to find out
more about the type of positions and companies you feel would
be more interesting."
Scheduling The Candidate's First Interview
This section focuses
on getting a commitment from the candidate to schedule a first
interview.
-
Confirm
commitments on available days and times for their first interview,
ASAP.
-
Schedule their
first interview ASAP.
-
Have a sense of
urgency. Be assertive, but never demanding or pushy.
-
Provide pertinent
information for their review.
-
Gain a commitment
and full understanding from the candidate on importance of
discretion and confidentiality.
When working to
schedule the candidate�s first interview, keep the following in mind
-
Scheduling first
interview at the most appropriate and convenient time.
-
Be very thorough
in reviewing all the details.
-
Present with
importance and emphasize all relative facts.
-
Assure the
candidate of your commitment to be discreet and to ensure their
anonymity.
-
Ask the candidate
to be discreet.
-
Review the need
for confidentiality. The script below is appropriate.
Statement of Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a
very important issue. Many of your candidates could someday be your
clients. Regardless of the outcome, it is in the long-term best
interest of everyone involved in your process to maintain anonymity
throughout.
Many organizations
conduct exit interviews when an employee leaves their firm. During
these exit interviews, they may ask about their new position or their
new employer. Questions such as
-
the name of the
new company
-
the job title and
responsibilities
-
type of offer you
were presented with
-
how they found out
about the position.
During these exit
interviews, or in discussions with others, discretion is extremely
important. Serve the best interest of all parties involved in the
career advancement process by taking careful consideration for
discretion, confidentiality and anonymity.
If they are asked
how they were made aware of their new position, ask them to please not
mention your involvement. They simply were referred by a third party.
Discretion will serve the needs of everyone in the placement process."
Confirmed First Interview
This section
highlights the process of confirming the candidate's first interview.
-
Confirm the
specific day and time when the first interview will occur.
-
Provide all
pertinent information.
When confirming a
first interview, schedule the most convenient times for your
candidates and your clients to interview. If possible, the best times
to consider are between 9:00 pm to 11 am or 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Mid-morning or mid-afternoon times can serve you well. No one really
likes to work late if they can avoid it, but it might be required for
working candidates to have more flexibility from the client on
interview times. Implementing this tactical strategy can give you
an advantage over your competitor's.
The
Candidate Will Consider and Let You Know
This section
explains the response to a candidate who does not give you a
commitment to schedule an interview. The candidate is saying "I will
think about it and let you know.�
-
Gain a commitment
for a time when they will call you back.
-
Document the time
you expect to hear back from the candidate.
-
Call the candidate
if you have not heard from them by the committed time.
-
Unveil and
overcome their objections.
In general, use the
expected time for them to call you back as a benchmark to assess their
interest. If you hear from them at or near the time they told you they
would call, their interest is probably higher. On the other hand, if
you don't hear back from them at the proposed time, they probably lack
motivation or interest in the position. Be prepared to overcome the
candidate�s objections.
Counteroffer Preparation
The place to begin
preparing a candidate for a possible counteroffer is at the beginning
of your relationship. Hesitation on their part to discuss this issue
could be a signal that they are unsure of their desire to really make
a change. They could be expecting, or just maybe "fishing" for a
counteroffer from their current employer.
Counteroffer Presentation
This section
prepares you to understand and deal with counteroffers. If your
candidate is talented and possesses skills which are in high demand,
but short in supply, chances are their present employer may not let
them leave without making an attempt to keep them.
When your candidate
fits this profile there�s a good chance they could receive a
counteroffer from their current employer. Knowing how and when to
discuss this issue is a very important part of the placement process.
The ability to deal with these potential counteroffers and their
implications is important for both the recruiter and the candidate.
-
To discuss your
candidate�s feelings regarding counteroffers before they occur.
-
Present the facts
about counteroffers. (Refer to Counteroffer Section)
-
Understand and
document their position regarding counteroffers.
In general
-
Find out how the
candidates would feel if they received a counteroffer.
-
Identify the most
important reasons behind a candidate's search for a new position.
Will these reasons be changed if they receive and accept a
counteroffer?
-
Can they give a
"no" answer to all the questions in the "Counteroffer Ramifications"
section. This section should serve as a guide when discussing
counteroffers with candidates.
Counteroffer Ramifications
Some candidates may
consider a counteroffer to be a compliment. They might even allow
their emotions to control their logic when making important career
decisions. As with any successful business move, such feelings of
importance should not play a major part in their decision to accept or
reject any offer. In other words, they should maintain their
objectivity at all times in order to make the proper decision. After
all, the company's management never lets emotion get in their way when
making important decisions.
It is very natural
for people to experience a sudden last minute fear of change when
making such a big decision. When it comes to counteroffers, a
candidate should remember how they came to the realization that they
wanted and needed to make a job change in the first place. They didn't
come to that decision overnight, so they should not decide to abandon
their quest for greater challenge, happiness and or higher earnings
overnight. A thorough reminder of their desires and motivations for a
career change should be of great assistance to them as they
objectively weigh all their options.
They should also
consider who is making the counteroffer and why it's being made
-
Are they acting
consistently with their previously observed behavior?
-
Does it appear as
though they're putting on a temporary display of new and or
inconsistent behavior?
-
Are others in
management being a bit "too nice," especially in light of their
outside job search and interest in leaving?
In any case, they
should never accept a counteroffer if they can answer "yes" to any of
the following questions:
-
Is it possible
their company could lay them off or release them at any time in the
near future?
-
Are they
completely happy with their current responsibilities, working
environment, and potential for advancement, challenge, recognition,
and growth?
-
Do they feel as
though they must threaten resignation or aggressively pursue a
review each time they want higher income or advancement opportunity
within their company?
-
If their employer
offers them too much money to stay in their same position, might
this be a way to pay them this extra money as a stopgap measure
until a replacement is found?
-
Could the increase
in compensation from their company translate into their review date
getting pushed back while others receive reviews at their regular
time?
"Fishing" For a Counteroffer
If a person finds
their current job exciting, conveniently located, and staffed with
people they learn from and enjoy being around, they should pursue
achievement and success within. Speculation or fishing can send
"through the grapevine" a message that they are considering leaving
for a new position.
This is not the
correct way for them to increase their potential or income. The
reasons are simple and well documented. Studies show that 80% of
counteroffers end in failure within one year of acceptance. Instead of
this approach, advise your candidates to discuss their
responsibilities and salaries openly with their supervisors or
managers.
Contact
Job Opening Presentation
This section
prepares you to present the job opening to a contact, i.e. (not an
active candidate). People in positions of management or other
significant importance get calls from recruiters all the time. Keep
some of the following concepts in mind (and be sensitive to them) when
you are calling on people to present your job openings
-
They are probably
not expecting your call
-
They may be
extremely busy with their work and not have the time to talk
-
They may not have
considered looking at any new opportunities for quite some time.
-
They may have been
recently promoted into their current position.
It's up to you to
get to know these contacts. Be creative and present with excitement in
order to spark their interest in your client's job opportunities. If
you really know the manner in which these jobs affect the companies
and their industries, it will show up in your presentation. They may
not personally be interested, but you can bet they know others who
might be. Take great care to develop a long-term point of view when
making these presentations to new or former contacts. You can either
build or break the potential for a relationship form these initial
presentations.
Sell
Yourself and Your Services and Gain Their Commitment to Pursue
-
Get a commitment
from the contact if they are interested in pursuing the job opening.
-
If not interested,
discuss the Career Portfolio and its purpose.
-
Get referrals to
other potential candidates for the job opening.
-
Find out if their
company is looking for new people. Who will the positions report to?
In general
-
Find out what
their interests are.
-
Show them you care
about their interests. Show your interest in helping them reach
their goals.
-
They are
interested in working with people they can trust. Be open with them
and they will be open with you. Earn their trust and their loyalty.
-
If they are
concerned or worried about discretion, assure them of your approach.
Discretion with their information (resume, employer, etc.) is as
important to them as your client information is to you.
-
If the contact is
a hiring manager within their current company, ask for the
opportunity to work on behalf of the company's open positions.
-
Ask if the contact
has interviewed recently with any other companies. Secure and
document the company names, hiring manager names and job titles.
Success
Presentation
"Hello contact's
first name this is your full name, I'm with firm's full
name. I was calling to ask for your input on a project I'm working
on for one of our good clients. Are you familiar with Client
Company�s name? They are a size and type of company and
they are currently looking for job title and description."
Make it exciting. You only have a few moments to get them interested.
"Do you know of
anyone who might have an interest in pursuing an opportunity such as
this?"
Overcoming Contact Objections
Contact objections
are very similar to candidate objections and you should refer to the
section dealing with those objections. But, keep the following in mind
when trying to overcome contact objections
-
Acknowledge the
contacts hesitation and convey understanding. "Ask why?"
-
Uncover the
contact's reason for hesitation.
-
Document the
reasons into your database.
-
Address each
reason separately.
-
Consult the
contact and evaluate in detail if the features and benefits of the
opportunity outweigh the reason (the objection).
-
Do what is in the
best interest of the contact.
-
Convert the (no)
into a (yes) and the contact into a candidate.
Refer to Step #3;
"Scheduling The First Interview For The Candidate" and Step #4;
"Confirmed First Interview For The Candidate."
Refer to Step #5; "I
Will Think About It and Let You Know-Candidate Will Call you back."