The real world of recruiting

A recruiter with more than twenty years experience discusses the real world of the recruiting desk.

How I turned my office around follow this blog post

posted by barbara goldman on Feb. 11, 2010

I haven't blogged since November! We have been very busy at my office. Last year was a real challenge. Our clients stopped hiring, and we were working on projects that didn't pan out. We started 2009 up over 25%! We really thought that the year was going to be a breeze. Then, we were hit hard by the recession.

What to do? Where to turn?

Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Our hot sheet wasn't predictable, and candidates were very hard to close.

I have spent years training recruiters. I traveled all over the United States, and trained in house recruiters and third party recruiters. I also trained my own people. I thought I was good at it. I thought that I had all the answers. In 2008, half of my office made over 200,000. Now everyone was starving.

What happened? I had lived through many recessions over the years, big ones, little ones. And, I had never been as affected as this big recession.

Well, in December, I made a great decision to bring in another trainer.

I turned to Bob Marshall. I had purchased his CDs years ago, and used them as part of my training program. I like him. He is real, and unlike a lot of trainers, has real world success under his belt. He is an old fashioned recruiter. I didn't bring him in to help us search the internet. I brought him in to strengthen our skills, and drag us out of our doldrums.

He worked with us in December. My office turned around within a month using his techniques.

Are his techniques new? No. His methods are tested and proven over the years. So, he coached us for one month.

We knew everything he was telling us. We knew all the techniques, all the closes. But why did it take Bob to turn my office around?

My recruiters had lost their spunk. They had stopped believing in our recruiting system, and in the industry. They had stopped crossing all the T's and dotting all the I's in a placement.

No matter how much they wanted to be good recruiters, they had 'lost it'. All of the disappointments over the year had just worn everyone out.

We pushed hard in December. Bob motivated everyone. Bob taught us to work our numbers, and believe in our abilities again. We came back to work in January with numbers under our belts.

Now, after two months of focusing on the basics, keeping to task, and following our qualification and offer system to the letter, we are back on top.

All it took was the old fashioned system. The system that was developed years ago works. Now, we start every day with interviews, submissions, and offers!

Life is good.

If your office has lost its magic, Humble yourself. Bring in an outside trainer.

It doesn't matter if you have been told that you are the best trainer on earth. If your office isn't up to standards, maybe an outside voice can help you. It turned my office around.

BTW, I'm too busy with business to be on a desk anymore.

Good luck everyone in 2010. Either the market has been improving, or my office is better handle the recession. Numbers tell us that the market isn't that great, and has a ways to go. Not in my office. We are making our own success.

Thank you Bob Marshall.

barbara goldman

1 point 8 hours ago

We started to focus on numbers, and working only urgent business. Bob also helped us with our marketing and recruiting techniques.

Now, we count every call. Even the old recruiters. Everyone focuses on getting at least 100 pts a day. And, everyone averages more than that. We also made our internal system tighter. Made sure that we asked every question, and eliminated candidates that had their own agendas.

We expanded our interview questions, and focused on getting to know our candidates.

Also, I talk to every candidate that interviews with our clients before the interview. I can then eliminate any problems, or red flags, or sometimes I pull the interview.

We also demand answers from everyone. A NO is better than a MAYBE. 

David Manaster

1 point 9 hours ago

It's been a tough year for everyone, Barbara. Congratulations on coming back strong!

You are definitely a fan of Bob's.  What were a couple of the specific tips that he gave you that helped you to turn it all around?

In this economy, when your recruiting abilities are being challenged every day, there is no better trainer & coach than Bob Marshall to help you strengthen your marketing & recruiting skills.  Because those skills are based on the fundamental laws of recruiting that have been tried, tested and trusted for decades.  Those skills are the ones that will 'pull you through' these tough times. 

  Our team greatly enjoys your training sessions.  We find it very practical and applicable in our practices.  From our very tenured Account Executivies to our recent hires, the content and delivery you provide is very beneficial to everyone.  If anyone cannot take away practical and useful tactics to apply on their desk, then they do not have the commitment to improve themselves and their productivity in our industry.  I offer that your programs have something for everyone and it would benefit every recruiter to 'tune in' to your training programs.