“The Times They Are a-Changin’” sang Bob Dylan. And what was true in 1964 is true today! Recruiters need to keep updated on current marketing trends and be alert to what is working now compared to old technology. This article will point out a few tips for you to accomplish that goal and help you have a successful 2025.
Train Your Staff.
Citing Cathryn Baker, President of Avanzara’, “One of the top reasons employees leave is lack of opportunities for growth. Talent development is essential to company growth, it’s not an afterthought.” New recruiters want and need training to help them become successful. Of course, any training and mentoring you can give to a new recruit will be helpful. By taking it on yourself, however, you dilute your efforts to maintain a smooth and continuous operation and may miss opportunities to grow your business. Professional trainers can be brought in to give in-house classes and there are many sources offering online training and educational webinars. Your staff’s expertise with resumes and career coaching can be enhanced through the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC). An outstanding source of training I can recommend is Barb Bruno’s Good-as-Gold Training.
Motivate Your Staff and Yourself.
An excellent way of staying up to date is to join networking groups either in your local community or industry-specific areas. Networking serves to motivate your recruiters by exposing them to the experiences of their industry peers and gleaning ideas from them on how to approach placement problems they regularly face. Community service has a remarkable impact on recruiter morale. The heartfelt feeling of pride resulting from recruiters participating in philanthropic organizations improves their overall attitude in the workplace. There are many professional organizations which provide fertile ground for networking with your peers. These include American Staffing Association (ASA), National Insurance Recruiter Association (NIRA), Texas Search Recruiting and Staffing Association (TSRSA), Missouri Kansas Search and Staffing Association (MKSSA), California Staffing Professionals (CSP), and National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC), and many more! Find a group that you are interested in and get involved!
Become A Trusted Advisor.
Tell your clients what you are doing and what you are learning. Establish an industry partner relationship … not a sales relationship. Give valuable information that can help your client without asking for a job opening. You will earn their business and trust.
Set up Referral Agreements.
Start a relationship with a third-party contributor which offers services that compliment your core business and be sure to work out a commission referral agreement with them. This could include outplacement services, resume writing, background screening, and career coaching to name a few. Send information about these services to your applicants and clients so they can take advantage of your resources. You can establish another revenue stream while keeping your candidates and clients happy and your name top of mind.
Keep Yourself Informed.
Know the current trends so when you are asked a question you are not caught off guard. Associations will often forewarn their members of up-coming legislation which may impact the industry and there are many on-line sources such as Pew Research, US Department of Census, and the US Department of Labor which have insightful articles of interest to recruiters. Of course, your network should be buzzing whenever you or one of your colleagues gets wind of some dark cloud on the horizon that would affect you are your clients!
Some examples of issues with potential impacts are:
- No Tax on Tips and No Tax on OT - How is it going to work? Who will benefit?
- New Non-Compete Laws - Are you going to need to change your staffing agreements, if and when the new laws take effect?
- What are the latest trends in Resume writing techniques?
- Be aware of Applicant Tracking System (ATS) focus on keyword searches.
- What are the benefits and risks of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how do you best use it?
It takes significant effort to stay current with today’s trends and to position yourself to take maximum advantage of events in the marketplace. Follow these tips and enjoy the rewards of being ahead of the crowd! Give me a call if you have any questions about industry associations or how I may help you! Visit my new Website at www.jcsrllc.com for further information!
