Welcome to our May/June newsletter
This is our May/June newsletter and is a bit of a bumper edition featuring a mix of industry news, helpful information from recruitment industry experts, tips to help you improve and grow the profitability of your business and, of course, lots of news from ourselves at Recruitment Matters about our training courses (two new ones!), products and services.
We'd like to start by thanking those of you who have already purchased any of our webinar titles from our new online training programme – there are four available so far with more being produced in the coming weeks. Feedback has been great and we'd like to encourage more of you to try them by offering you a FREE title! See below to be able to view it RIGHT NOW!
We are pleased to feature the latest article from our regular contributor, 'Marketing Mentor,' Alastair Campbell – are you part of the MTV generation?
We've been around the recruitment industry long enough to know that while knowledge may be key and experience might be king, having an open forum to share your concerns and ambitions with others is crucial. "A problem shared is a problem halved." See below for news of the first dates and more on our latest initiative, the Recruitment Matters International (RMI) Owner/Manager Forum.
Also featured in this edition is news of not one, but TWO NEW TRAINING COURSES we have developed to meet the ever-changing needs of the marketplace – 'GOING IT ALONE AS A RECRUITER - setting up and running your own business' and 'AN INTRODUCTION TO RUNNING EFFECTIVE TRAINING SESSIONS 'Train the Trainer.''
Here's an interesting, if rather sad, survey by data protection specialist Credant Technologies. More than one in four of us are finding it so hard to switch off from work that we cannot resist using a mobile device such as a laptop before bed, apparently.
The survey also found, of those who do use mobile devices in bed, 57% do so for between two and six hours every week, while 8% said they spend more time using such devices than talking to their partners.
Michael Callahan, vice-president at Credant, says: "This survey confirms that there is a growing population that is no longer restricted by working hours or confined to the office building itself. People are mobile and will work anywhere – even in bed. Therefore, when sensitive and valuable data is being held on these devices and they get lost, it can have pretty detrimental and far-reaching consequences to both the worker and their employer."
So, don't lose your laptop under the duvet…..
And, in this survey by business and financial advisers Grant Thornton, it seems that your job is likely to be more secure if you work for an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are holding on to staff and not seeking to make redundancies, it concludes.
The survey shows that cutting jobs was the single biggest issue for 1.6%, while 51.5% expect to maintain headcount and more than half expect an economic upturn in the next two years. The survey also showed that 75.7% are expecting the recruitment climate to get easier.
Alysoun Stewart, head of entrepreneurial advisory at Grant Thornton, says: "Entrepreneurial businesses tend to be lean operations, so each employee is vital to the running of the business. This segment of the economy has not been responsible for the major job losses we have been seeing as it is holding tight, believing in the value of its people and looking to a brighter future in less than two years' time."
Elsewhere in Europe, the job market in Poland seems to be holding up relatively well, which is good news for us, as Warren is going to Warsaw on July 13th to deliver his 'Successful Head-Hunting' course.
According to global staffing firm Antal, most Polish firms (52%) are continuing to hire professionals, while 30% are firing professionals and managers.
The research shows that hiring levels are the highest in the pharmacy (89%), IT & Telecom (64%) and FMCG (63%) and the lowest in automotive (22%) or real estate and building (33%).
Artur Skiba, managing director of Antal International in Poland, says: "Although Poland is one of Eastern Europe's strongest economies, it doesn't mean that the global financial situation hadn't had an impact on the professional and managerial recruitment market. The percentage of organisations recruiting has dropped from 60% last November to 52% in April this year, while the percentage of businesses shedding staff has risen from a very low 15% in the last report to 30% now. On a more positive note this is set to drop to 22% in the coming quarter so hopefully we've just witnessed the peak of the firing trend and can expect a falling trend."
In the latest instalment of our regular feature 'Recruiters' Guide to Researchers,' we have a very helpful article from Exacta's Stephen Forrest on telephone networking. We also feature tips from our trainers Warren Kemp and Matt Wilson, all of which are featured in 'Credit Crunch' and on the tips section of our website.
We very much like this to be an interactive newsletter and we welcome your comments and feedback and will be happy to feature your contributions on important industry issues and your advice on how to improve the success and professionalism of our marketplace. As you now know, in return, we show our gratitude by featuring a link to your company, as a contributor to this publication.
We at Recruitment Matters have a simple underlying philosophy to everything that we do, and that is, by helping each other to improve, we all stand to benefit in this large, dynamic and ever evolving industry.
Please send your potential editorial contributions to ken@recruitmentmatters.com.
Online recruitment training delivered to your desktop – FREE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR AVAILABLE NOW!
Training budget tight? We have affordable training available for you RIGHT NOW on your computer! Recruitment Matters International is proud to bring you the first four in a comprehensive series of training webinars at the stunning price of just £29.99 each!
You will probably already be aware that webinars are seminars available to view and download over the web. We are offering these as approximately 30 - 40 minute training sessions which you can view without leaving your office/desk or the comfort of your home computer if you prefer.
What's even better is that as many people who can sit around your PC (you will need the audio facility enabled) can all watch, listen, learn and take notes at the same time for the price of one ticket. These are available at a very competitive price of just £29.99 + VAT (where applicable) and you simply need to click 'buy now' on our webinars page to be able to access the subjects of your choice and view them as often as you like.
AND, for a limited time only, exclusively for RMI newsletter subscribers, you can view our 'Business Development (Part One) webinar FREE! Just click here and watch it RIGHT NOW!
'The 'Marketing Mentor' - Marketing Advice for Recruitment Companies
Contributor: Alastair Campbell, The Marketing Mentor Programme
We are all part of the MTV generation – so keep it simple
In 1981, an American cable TV channel called MTV went on air. Its aim was to play music videos, mainly from the current charts. In between the videos 'VJs' chatted away and then introduced the next video. It was a simple format that worked well and MTV grew rapidly through Europe and then across the world. There are now dozens of music TV channels covering everything from classical to country. Not long after MTV started, the term 'MTV Generation' was used to refer to the kids who watched it. Because music TV showed three minute music promos, it was said that we were now breeding a generation with short attention spans incapable of sustained thought.
Now if you are still reading – and I'd estimate that many of you will have already wandered off into the next article – you will be rewarded with some useful marketing information. The MTV generation is now all around us. The 20 years olds who started watching MTV when it launched will soon be turning 50. Very few people have long attention spans anymore. What's more, the internet has taught us that there is always another website, another source of information, another idea out there. So if you want people's attention – you need to get it fast.
If you are sending out a direct mail letter or an email, make one point and make it clear. The recipient doesn't want to know your company was formed in 1992 and that you have 12 staff. They want to know what you can do for them – but be quick about it.
Gone are the days of long crafted prose, with a witty punchline 83 paragraphs in. They have been replaced by a single compelling idea that is carefully targeted. If you want your next marketing message to work, think about what your customers want from you and tell them clearly and quickly how you can deliver it. Don't make your next brochure a beautifully created and sprawling epic, make it a punchy targeted flyer which cuts to the heart of your customers' main problem. A three minute attention span? You should be so lucky.
Action points:
1. Look at your last direct mail or email campaign. Was it focused on one key message or did you try to sell everything in the shop?
2. What are your customers' main problems? Can you get their attention by focusing on these and offering a solution?
3. Instead of having a 'one size fits all' brochure, could you create a series of shorter flyers aimed at different sectors which get straight to the heart of the problem?
4. Remember, before you can sell anything, you must gain people's attention. In an age where attention spans are rapidly reducing, you need to make sure you grab people's attention FAST and then make your point – otherwise they are on to the next thing.
Alastair Campbell runs the Marketing Mentor programme which offers a free one day marketing seminar followed by a free 17 month marketing support package for recruitment company owners or their senior staff. He is running his next free evening marketing seminar on June 25th. Visit www.themarketingmentor.co.uk, email alastair@idealmarketingcompany.com or telephone 01858 445543 to find out more.
Employers need to train and develop tomorrow's leaders
UK organisations need to offer adequate training programmes to develop the next generation of business leaders, or risk the future success of their business. According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), 46% of employers are not providing adequate training and career opportunities at their organisation. The CMI are concerned that this could lead to a future where businesses lack the adequate leadership experience required.
This message came in the run up to this year's Learning at Work Day (14th May), a national UK campaign spearheaded by the Campaign for Learning. The CMI released the results of a number of pieces of research that were conducted during the past nine months. This research draws on the opinions of approximately 4,000 respondents.
Over three quarters (82%) of respondents believe that their employer should focus on skills development as a route out of the recession. When asked why, just over a third (34%) of respondents answered that poor management skills will have a negative effect on future business performance, whereas more than half (52%) feel that costs and revenues will be in danger due to loss of skills.
Worryingly, over a third (38%) of managers predict a drop in their organisations' management development over the next six months, and almost half (44%) have noticed a drop in the development of core staff at their firm.
Petra Wilton, director of policy and research at the CMI, comments: "Where possible, organisations should look at other areas of the business before cutting back on training as skills development is essential if they are to be well placed when the economy eventually picks up. However, we realise that many organisations have now exhausted all of their alternatives and the onus is now on the Government to step up to the mark and deliver support."
Tricia Hartley, chief executive at the Campaign for Learning, adds: "The troubled economic climate means that the focus on skills, especially those necessary for business success is higher than ever. During this unsettling time for workplaces, maintaining the ability and motivation to learn and adapt quickly to change is essential. We should be reflecting on our skills needs at an individual and business level and taking action where needed."
Recruitment Matters International (RMI) Owner/Manager Forum "The Details"
Date: June 25th, 2009. Venue: Central London Frequency: Monthly thereafter
Time: 1.30pm - 5.30pm (with informal networking/drinks after)
Price: £79.00+VAT per lead attendee. £65.00+VAT per co-director/partner
Dates July TBC. Venues: Manchester & Birmingham Frequency: Monthly thereafter
Agenda
Each of the meetings will have an overall theme and agenda of topics and will be announced in advance.
This is a forum for you to share thoughts and experiences with, and take advice from like minded peers. Warren will lead and host each meeting, with, as appropriate, another owner/manager "chairing" a topic from the agenda.
Meeting number one (for all venues) will focus on
(1) Candidate & Client sourcing via the net – the identification of and information gathering on key people you want background on using internet search.
(2) Online networking – making the most of online networks and maximising your exposure via the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, Twitter and other such sites. Build your brand and reputation.
The attendees
Owner/Managers of independent recruitment organisations, with (broadly) between 1-3 offices and less than 20-25 fee earners. The numbers suggested are intended to be a little bit open to ensure that the "one man band" can converse with a larger but still independent owner manager so that we can all learn from each other. In a nutshell, it's for people and companies without deep pockets or big war chests who need to use their guile, wit and skills to get through the forthcoming months and out the other end still in one piece and as profitable as possible.
FAQ's
Q. Do I need to sign up for more than one forum?
A. While we would love you to be a regular member of the forum, you can attend as many or as few as you like.
Q. Are there any other additional benefits?
A. Yes. Every time you attend your company will be entitled to:
• One free webinar of your choice - value £29.99.
• 1/3 off any audio CD of your choice - saving from £16.66 to £43.33 depending on your selection.
• 10% off one course booking (in-house or open course) – no limit to the number of delegates per booking.
• Free members only online forum/discussion board.
Q. What topics will be discussed in future sessions?
A. The first two topics are outlined above and are based on the requests of potential attendees. We will continue to listen and act upon suggestions from everyone involved. After all it's your forum!
Q. Can I bring along my staff?
A. This is an owner/manager forum and as such we wish to encourage the right level/detail of content discussion. Co directors and/or members of your management team are most welcome.
Q. How many others will be attending?
A. We hope as time goes on and word of mouth spreads, the groups will grow (and indeed we would like to cover other geographical areas too), but like everything worth doing well it can take time. We would envisage that, given the feedback so far c12 - 20 will be attending the first session. Plenty people for healthy discussion and debate
Q. Do I have to attend the sessions nearest me?
A. Absolutely not. If you are in Bradford and want to attend a London session please do so.
Q. Will I be bombarded by suppliers trying to persuade me to buy or use their service/product?
A. In short, no. From time to time a supplier may attend by invitation only because they are an expert in their field and can add real value to the discussions. They will not pay to attend, be paid to attend or directly pitch for business.
Q. What if I attend and a direct competitor is there too?
A. While there is a small chance of that happening we would hope that everyone attending wants to both learn from others and share their own thoughts and ideas. A forum with like minded individuals will reap the rewards of collective knowledge.
Q. Will refreshments be provided?
A. Teas, coffees and water will be available at the start and during a mid afternoon break. RMI will also stand you the first drink at the after session networking time as well!
Q. I still have one or two quick questions before I decide to attend
A. Give Ken a call on 01945 461561
How do I book?
Please complete the Forum booking form and email, post or fax number +44 (0)1483 761709. If you have any further questions, please give Ken a call on 01945 461561 or email ken@recruitmentmatters.com
Get past the gatekeeper (Part Three – Part Four next month)
Regardless of what level of gatekeeper you are dealing with, there are only three questions they will ask time and again. Of course, there may be one or two other questions that they occasionally throw in depending on how you handle the first three and obviously their own company circumstance may dictate things, but you know that the three questions that follow will come up every day with almost every company you call.
The three standard questions are a variation on:
Who are you?
Where are you calling from?
What is the call regarding?
Clearly the first one 'Who are you?' is straightforward.
The second one 'Where are you calling from?' can be a bit more tricky. Now, I will not lie to anyone, yet I might not want to highlight just yet that I am a recruiter - they may have a PSL and then you lose your chance to get your thirty seconds of airtime. So if your company name is well known or if it says 'executive search', 'search and selection', 'recruitment agency' or suchlike in your name then you had best not go there. Instead use a TLA – a three letter acronym. As an example my company is called Recruitment Matters International, which is a bit of a giveaway there, but when used has become a strong brand and one that people know what we do so, I am proud to use it. But when I want my thirty seconds of airtime with a new organisation and I am speaking to a level one or level two gatekeeper, I use the three letter acronym – RMI. That is the three letters from Recruitment Matters International. Now that is great and really works unless of course your company name is already a TLA in which case you can give out one or two of the words that form it. As an example MRA might translate into Mitchell Robbins Associates, I am sure you get the idea. Play around with your name maybe even shortening it or using a TLA to diffuse the recruitment angle.
The last of our three standard questions is 'What is the call regarding?' Now this is actually quite straightforward to deal with as long as with level one and level two gatekeepers as a general rule you do not say the word 'recruitment'. The easiest and most straightforward answer is to say whatever your target audience does as a job. If it is an HR Manager, then it is an 'HR matter,' if it is a Production Manager then it is a 'production matter' and so on. Please do not think that this will work on its own though. You have to take charge and as we have mentioned before - the person who is asking questions is in charge. It is time to turn the tables on our gatekeeper, so when asked 'what is the call regarding?' state the nature of the call such as 'it is a production matter' and then ask them a question and one that should get a 'yes' answer to. The question I would use is 'he does still deal with that doesn't he?' and that should work pretty well.
Now here is a little trick for you, use the words 'thank you' frequently in your conversation with the gatekeeper. It works for two reasons, firstly it is good manners and people like people who are polite and respectful. So when you are asked who is calling say your name followed by thank you.
The second reason it works is that it moves you on. It says we are finished when you thank them in advance of doing it i.e. putting you through. Again when asked the question 'where are you calling from?' a thank you will stop the gatekeeper asking further questions on that particular subject matter. When you reply with 'RMI, thanks' it works ninety nine percent of the time, so use it.
What if after all of that, it still doesn't work? We will deal with some other ways of getting past the gatekeeper in our final part next month.
Warren Kemp is MD and lead trainer with Recruitment Matters. For more tips, advice and information on Recruitment Matters visit www.recruitmentmatters.com/free.php, telephone 0800 0749 289/ +44 (0)1483 755559 or email warren@recruitmentmatters.com.
New Course: GOING IT ALONE AS A RECRUITER - setting up and running your own business
Course Overview
Course leader: Warren Kemp
Who should attend?
This one day course is for individuals considering setting up their own recruitment business for the first time, those people in the crucial early months of running their own company or experienced independents who are not maximising their potential.
Why should I attend?
It is true to say that many a millionaire has been made through opening up and running a business in a recession. It's also true to say that, in a downturn, many more people simply look to make a decent living and consider setting up in business for themselves, perhaps because of redundancy, job uncertainty, frustration or ambition (or perhaps a combination). However, even the best and most experienced recruiter has not got all the answers as to how to maximise their chances of success as a small independent.
"Niche or mainstream?" "Local or global?" "Do I spend big money on advertising or use word of mouth?" "What insurance do I need to have?" "Are my Terms of Business legal and watertight?" "How do I juggle my time to best effect?" "Where can I source a cost effective website?" "What kind of database should I choose?" "Do I need to use job boards and, if so, which ones?" "How am I going to attract candidates and clients?" Etc. Those are all questions which need consideration and that's only scratching the surface.
Having a clear professional strategy, brand image, PR and effective network is vital. Knowing that your documents and operations are legal and sensible, spending money in the right areas, managing your cashflow and accounts effectively and having a clear process is crucial.
Having an impartial advisor to lead and guide you through the A-Z of setting up on your own makes good sense. Even if you think you have 90% of the tools in your toolkit – having 100% of them and being 100% sure of what to do with them can be the fine line between success and failure. What price would you put on having peace of mind that you are as well equipped as possible to succeed in this difficult economic climate – and of course being able to push on when the green shoots become reality?
So what are my options?
You can attend a one day open course (with a capped number of attendees) to share thoughts as a group, getting clear direction/training/guidance from the course leader on a list of structured headline topics.
Or
Have a full day "in-house" consultancy session tailored and structured to your own situation.
So what is my investment in each option?
Open course £299+VAT. 'Bring A Partner' £199+VAT.
This comes with 2 hours backup telephone contact and unlimited email contact in the month following the course.
Thereafter, for £99+VAT per month you can continue to benefit from 2 hrs telephone contact and unlimited email help. NB This is only an option is not compulsory. You can simply pay for the course and benefit from the first month's backup support.
In-house full day consultancy *£1200+VAT (for 1-3 people within your company).
This comes with 2 hours telephone contact and unlimited email support for the first three months. Thereafter, for £99+VAT per month, again, you have the option to continue to benefit from 2 hrs telephone contact and unlimited email support, if you wish.
*Not representative of our normal rates. Other in-house prices available on application.
Open (one day) course dates:
July 2nd – London
July 16th – Leeds
To download an open course booking form, please click here. For in-house enquiries email ken@recruitmentmatters.com
Recruiters' Guide to handling researchers
Contributor: Stephen Forrest, Exacta Research
The Black Art of Telephone Networking
Like all of my research colleagues here, I understand and appreciate that lots of networking with people in different sectors & industries is just simply part of the job. In fact, when we look at any typical project (if 'typical' exists…), up to half of those candidates we tend to find for clients that are suitable come from simply speaking to the right people at the right time in the right manner. And it goes across the board; getting it right builds empires, wins wars, creates businesses, finds the right candidates (in our small case), and so on; I'm sure Dale Carnegie would agree.
Obviously, it's not always possible to know when is going to be the best time to make contact with someone 'cold' and 'out of the blue', especially if they are ultimately busy, as senior positions dictate. When contacting someone for the very first time on a "who do you know?" basis, I'm always prepped to deal with voicemail, say, the notorious PA perhaps, or actually striking gold and getting the person first time. Often, it's down to pure luck as you catch someone just leaving a meeting, or driving, working from home or whatever.
I'm sure we all know what to do when we hit voicemail – be prepared to be clear, simple…and vague. Yes, vague. Nothing gets a response quite like intrigue and mystery, and leaving a number definitely helps too. When it comes to the PA, secretary or switchboard; "yes, they know what it's about…" isn't always going to be a success in getting through to the desired person. We often try getting another contact (mobile number or email address) for them or leave an honest message – being frank and saying why you're after someone is sometimes going to be the best policy too, especially with really well networked senior people who have PA's who have seen and heard it all before.
99% of people, if you're succinct, polite and understand/let it be known that they're very busy people, will happily listen and help if they can. After all, what goes around comes around in life. And recruitment. Sometimes.
That said, I could tell the odd horror story in these situations and I have had the phone 'politely' slammed or clicked off on me before, mid-flow. For some reason, the odd individual (in both senses of the word, I guess…) takes offence at being asked if they know of anyone suitable for the role in hand – even when we've made it very clear that we're not looking for people to refer work colleagues. Even worse is when someone is kind enough to refer someone, but only because one of their friends is looking for a new opportunity, but when you get down to it they have absolutely no fit for the role you're dealing with. At this stage, politeness and a severe case of tongue biting are called for. "The irrelevant referral" – there is nothing worse in our game. Well, maybe save for the "nailed-on candidate eleventh hour pull-out", but that's another story.
Remember, it's not just courtesy and polite to listen when receiving one of these calls, it can be mutually beneficial in the long run – a good researcher will remember good contacts, and if something comes up further down the line that is suited to a person who has helped with referrals in the past, you can guarantee that that person will get a call – "It's actually you I'm interested in talking to this time"…
And that's the point – often it's a case of the 3 R's; 'refer, refer, refer' – to find that perfect candidate. After all, it's not what you know…
Stephen Forrest is a Research Consultant at Exacta Research, a recruitment research company who provide a candidate research service to help clients find the best possible candidates across all sectors and levels. For further information email david@exactaresearch.co.uk, visit www.exactaresearch.co.uk or call 08000 856 618.
Graduates urge firms to focus on training
Training is the key to retaining graduates, according to survey from TMP Worldwide and TARGETjobs. The survey shows that 43% of graduates who are in their first or second job say they would look to change jobs as soon as the economy recovers.
Almost all respondents said that the amount of investment in their skills would affect their decision whether or not to move on, while 90% of graduates think that organisations that continue to invest in their people will emerge from the recession stronger.
Neil Harrison, head of research and planning at TMP Worldwide, says: "The message from graduates is really quite clear - employers who fail to invest in training programmes risk losing the new recruits that they took significant time and effort to recruit and train. For now, companies might be hanging on to graduate staff because there are limited opportunities for them to move on, but there is no doubt that these graduates will be off just as quick as you can say 'green shoots' unless they can see that the company is developing their skills and therefore their career prospects."
The cult of "sorry"Contributor: Neil Kirby
Have you noticed how trendy it has become for people to say sorry? People seem to be apologising for everything – from acts committed hundreds of years ago, all the way to expenses claimed in error today.
Now I'm all for recognizing when we've got things wrong, so that we can do things differently (better) next time. But I sense that "sorry" is easy to say and harder to mean. It's difficult to know whether the individual concerned is sorry for what they did (and the effect it had on others) or sorry that they were caught out. If it's the latter, I'm not sure they've learned anything from the experience.
So how should we really say "sorry"?
The best guidance I've come across is that of Randy Pausch in his "Last Lecture". He suggests there are three steps to "sorry":
1. "I'm sorry"
2. "It was my fault"
3. "How do I make it right?"
For me that shows real leadership.
If you have any questions or comments on this article or issues you face, please contact me (in confidence) on 01707 395850 or email me at neil@neilkirby.co.uk. There's no obligation. Neil Kirby is a life coach and a leading practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).
Social networking could cause legal risks for recruiters
Recruiters' encouragement to their staff to use social and professional networking sites for work purposes could pose legal risks. At a recent Blake Lapthorn and APSCo seminar with Selwyn Bloch QC, recruiters were advised of practical steps that an employer could take to minimise potential risks.
It is difficult to monitor an employee's online activity, the legal experts agreed. Unfortunately it is all too easy for an employee to build up contacts and upload information as a preliminary step to setting up in competition.
Sensitive business information can be shared with competitors and third parties and confidential information that is uploaded into a public domain will lose its element of confidentiality, making it hard for an employer to get legal protection for its databases.
Unfortunately the courts have not yet had to decide whether an individual's networking contacts belong to the employer or the individual. With the rise in networking activity it is to be hoped that the position will be clarified soon.
There is clearly a fine line between professional networking for business purposes and private social networking whilst at work, the legal experts said. Any measures taken by an employer that encroach too far into an individual's right to privacy are likely to be unenforceable. However, the legal experts offered some practical tips for all employers:
• have a clear IT policy that includes use of networking sites and monitor your employees to ensure compliance (you will need to inform them, and keep the monitoring to reasonable levels)
• ensure employees keep their social and professional networking separate and insist they use a work email address for professional networking
• require employees to delete business contacts from their networking accounts when they leave your employment
• have clearly drafted specific restrictive covenants properly covering candidate data (most current covenants fail properly to protect this data).
New Course: INTRODUCTION TO RUNNING EFFECTIVE TRAINING SESSIONS 'Train the Trainer'
The current climate
Most companies monitor their costs and expenditure tightly, even more so in a recession or difficult economic climate. Almost all recruitment companies recognise that training is crucial when the market gets tough or tighter. And there lies the issue. “How do I train my staff when every penny I spend is vital to cashflow and profitability? Yet, if I don't, then they won't have the improved skills necessary to fight ourselves out of the situation.”
The reality
At RMI we've had numerous conversations lately whereby one or some of the attendees on courses (we run more open courses than almost any other provider in the UK) has been asked to deliver an in-house “mini training session” on the course and its content to their colleagues when they go back to the office. A great and cost effective idea in theory, yet it's difficult to get the benefit of it in practice unless the attendee is skilled and comfortable at presenting and training. Yes, you can use photocopies of the handouts, and maybe even the original trainer will give you access to the PowerPoint slides to use, but at best an inexperienced presenter will deliver a heavily diluted version of the key points. The results are less than satisfactory, a waste of everyone's time and, of course, you're not maximising the return on investment from the initial paid for training session.
The solution
Let us train you or one or two of your team to be able to deliver in-house training sessions to a competent standard. Be it a Monday morning pep talk on the benefits of hitting the phone effectively or a half day outline on how to conduct client visits there are 5 objectives you need to achieve from any training session:
Motivation
Knowledge
Skill
Belief
Accountability
Without help and guidance, you or your in-house “guru”/trainer will at best be able to achieve two out of those five from their 'trainees' – that's just 40%. Do you really want your staff performing to 40% of their potential? The solution is straightforward – let us train your designated trainer.
Course Content
Planning and preparing for a training session
Learning styles
Utilising all your tools at hand
Getting the best from your trainees
Dealing with difficult situations
Testing learning
NB Each delegate on the course will deliver 2 mini presentations to the group. Prior to the course, delegates will be sent an outline of a mini session they will conduct with the group on the day. Following the day's training, they will then redeliver the 'new improved version.'
Open (one day) course dates:
July 9th - London
July 21st – Birmingham
Investment:
£299+VAT per first delegate and "Bring a Friend" (BAF) for £199+VAT
Examples: One delegate £299+VAT, Two delegates £498+VAT, Four delegates £996+VAT
To download a booking form, please click here.
Overcoming Client Objections & Reactions (Part Three)
In the same way as in Parts One & Two, while I am about to give you ready made answers to the main client responses you will get, it is about working with and adapting as necessary the words and thoughts to your own style, personality and market. Somebody far more famous than me once said 'If you think you can or you can't you are right.' So, come on, let us work together to make sure your self fulfilling prophesy is one that results in a positive outcome. What reactions can we expect? Again in no particular order, both over the years and in the current climate too, the top responses are:
- What makes you any different from our current provider?
- Do you have any experience in recruiting left-handed, Spanish-speaking engineers?
- Could you handle the volume if we wanted ten temps tomorrow?
- Are you willing to work at twelve and a half percent?
- Tell me a bit about your company.
- You need to speak with HR.
OK so same format, I will give you a variety of answers for each that you can then work with to respond to the how, when and adapt as needed. First up was 'What makes you any different from our current provider?' You can try all or some of the following:
- I am not sure, to be fair, until I learn more about them - how long have you been working with them?
- Well we have a great track record with these types of vacancies, that is for sure. Tell me what do you look for in a provider?
- Who is your current provider?
- You would not be asking that question if your current provider was producing one hundred percent of what you want. In what area of their service do you see the need for improvement?
Next up was 'Do you have any experience in recruiting left-handed Spanish-speaking engineers?' Try these:
- I certainly do, let me outline a couple of recent assignments we have completed.
- I haven't, but I have worked on lots of roles for right-handed ones. What do you foresee the main difference being?
- Why do you ask that question Tom, how crucial are they to your business?
The next reaction we covered was 'Could you handle the volume if we wanted ten temps tomorrow?' Try these:
- It depends on what exactly you are looking for. I will not promise what I cannot deliver. Tell me exactly, what you are looking for?
- I pull out all the stops when needed; tell me a bit more about your needs over the next six months.
- It sounds like your current provider has pulled up short now and again, what has happened?
Alright moving on, how about the response 'Are you willing to work at twelve and a half percent?' We can try:
- That is certainly lower than I would normally work at; tell me more about the vacancy first.
- What does that twelve and a half percent relate to, is that overall earnings or just basic salary?
- If the fee percentage you pay is your main criteria, is there any movement for the ideal candidate?
What else did we have as our most popular responses? The next one was the classic 'Tell me a bit more about your company.' This one is really quite straightforward when you take on board that you need to answer this question by way of features and benefits. For some examples:
Feature: We have been established eight years.
Benefit: We have built up over the years a large pool of both passive and active candidates that we can call upon. These are either directly interested or people who will point us in the direction of people who might be.
Feature: We specialise in such and such industry.
Benefit: We therefore understand your situation and your market and just what type of people make the grade.
As a project for you, please work on four or five features and benefits on your company so that you are prepared when you are asked the question 'Why should we use you?' or indeed when you ask the question 'What do you know about us?'
Now, on to the last one in our list of most common reactions and it was 'You need to speak to HR.' Of course, this could be a 'please get off the phone' but if it is or if it is not, we can at least get the name of the person we need to speak to and get sponsorship. So we can say 'Thanks for that Tom, can I use your name when I call him?' Get the name of HR, ask details about the HR person we are talking about, maybe why we have to speak to HR, but in the main take this as a who, when, why and how type of response so that you can explore things first prior to you making your call to HR.
Well that's it folks, I hope this article, along with Parts One and Two have helped give you some new ideas and ways to keep that all important foot in the door at every least.
Matt Wilson is a consultant with Recruitment Matters and is offering a wide range of courses for 2009. For more information on Recruitment Matters, our training courses, services and products visit www.recruitmentmatters.com, telephone 0800 0749289 or email info@recruitmentmatters.com.
Recruitment Matters news
As you will know by now, we never rest on our laurels here at RMI. We know that it's a tough economic climate and appreciate that your budgets for recruitment training are very limited. However, we hope that you feel that we're doing everything that we can to provide cost-effective solutions via our new online training programme (don't forget to watch your FREE webinar!), our Client Generation During The Credit Crunch seminars for just £49.99, the new RMI Owner/Manager Forum, and our new courses on Going It Alone and Running Effective Training. If you feel that there is anything else that we should be doing to help, please let us know via ken@recruitmentmatters.com .
We hope that you enjoyed Warren's and Matt's new tips for this month – you will find many more on our free tips page http://www.recruitmentmatters.com/free.php which is regularly updated. By the way, did you check out Warren's TV debut, viewable on our website here?
Please see the schedule below for all our open course dates from July – September 2009. Please note that we have a new Introduction To Management date in Birmingham on June 11th and Successful Head-Hunting date in Manchester on Jun 24th. Also for our HR subscribers, please don't forget our June 23rd date on Head-Hunting Training For HR & In-house Personnel.
RECRUITMENT MATTERS: June 2009 – September 2009 Open Training Schedule
To download a booking form, please click here.
SUCCESSFUL HEAD-HUNTING (one day)
Jun 5th - Brussels
Jun 10th - London
Jun 24th - Manchester
Jul 8th - London
Jun 13th - Warsaw
Jul 29th - Manchester
Aug 5th - Birmingham
Aug 12th - London
Sep 9th - London
Sep 14th - Amsterdam
Sep 17th - Manchester
Sep 23rd - Birmingham
Investment £299+VAT
'Bring A Friend' £199+VAT
RMPP rates apply
Includes free CD set worth £99 'Handling Head-Hunted Candidate Objections & Reactions'
Warsaw, Brussels, Amsterdam: €395; 'Bring A Friend' €295. Includes free CD set as above
Link
HEAD-HUNTING TRAINING FOR HR AND IN-HOUSE PERSONNEL (one day)
Jun 23rd - London
Investment £299+VAT
'Bring A Friend' £199+VATIncludes free CD worth £99 'Handling Head-Hunted Candidate Objections & Reactions'
Link
RMI OWNER/MANAGER FORUM (half day)
Chairman: WARREN KEMP
Jun 25th - London
Investment £79+VAT per lead attendee
'Bring A Partner' £65+VATIncludes free CD worth £99 'Handling Head-Hunted Candidate Objections & Reactions'
Link
CLIENT GENERATION DURING THE CREDIT CRUNCH (half day)
Trainer: WARREN KEMP
Jun 26th - London
Jul 10th - Leeds
Aug 7th - London
Aug 14th - Manchester
Aug 13th - Birmingham
Investment - £49.99+VAT!
Link
GOING IT ALONE AS A RECRUITER - setting up and running your own business (one day)
Trainer: WARREN KEMP
July 2nd – London
July 16th – Leeds
Investment
Open course £299+VAT. ‘Bring A Partner’ £199+VAT.
Includes 2 hours backup telephone contact and unlimited email contact for one month. Thereafter, for £99+VAT per month you can continue to benefit from 2 hrs telephone contact and unlimited email help. NB This is only an option is not compulsory. You can simply pay for the course and benefit from the first month’s backup support.
In-house full day *consultancy £1200+VAT (for 1-3 people within your company).
Includes 2 hours telephone contact and unlimited email support for the first three months. Thereafter, for £99+VAT per month, again, you have the option to continue to benefit from 2 hrs telephone contact and unlimited email support, if you wish.
*Not representative of our normal rates. Other in-house prices available on application.
Link
INTRODUCTION TO RUNNING EFFECTIVE TRAINING SESSIONS (one day)
‘Train the Trainer’
July 9th - London
July 21st – Birmingham
Investment:
£299+VAT per first delegate and "Bring a Friend" (BAF) for £199+VAT
Examples: One delegate £299+VAT, Two delegates £498+VAT, Four delegates £996+VAT
RMPP rates apply
Link
TWO DAY INTRODUCTION TO RECRUITMENT (two days)
'Induction for new recruits'
Jun 8/9th - Birmingham
Sep 7/8th - Birmingham
Sep 15/16th - London
Sep 24/25th - Manchester
Investment £495+VAT
'Bring A Friend' £425+VAT
Link
INTERVIEW SKILLS FOR RECRUITERS (one day)
Jun 3rd - Manchester
Jul 16th - Birmingham
Jul 22nd - London
Sep 11th - Manchester
Sep 22nd - London
Investment £299+VAT
'Bring A Friend' £199+VAT
RMPP rates apply
Link
WINNING NEW BUSINESS (one day)
'Telephone Skills For Recruiters'
Jun 2nd - London
Jul 2nd - Leeds
Jul 14th - London
Jul 21st - Birmingham
Aug 6th - Manchester
Sep 3rd - London
Sep 29th - Manchester
Investment £299+VAT
'Bring A Friend' £199+VAT
RMPP rates apply
'Includes free CD worth £99 'Handling Client Objections and Reactions''
Link
GAINING EXCLUSIVE VACANCIES (one day)
Jun 11th - Manchester
Jul 1st - London
Jul 30th - Birmingham
Aug 11th - Manchester
Investment £299+VAT.
'Bring A Friend' £199+VAT
RMPP rates apply
Link
INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT (one day)
'Managing Teams and Motivating People'
Jun 11th - Birmingham
Jul 15th - Manchester
Jul 28th - London
Sep 10th - Birmingham
Sep 30th - London
Investment £299+VAT
'Bring A Friend' £199+VAT
RMPP rates apply
Link
For more information on these courses and our other services and products, visit www.recruitmentmatters.com, email info@recruitmentmatters.com or call Emma or Ken on 0800 0749289 or, if you're overseas, 0044 1483 755559.
Contact us
Recruitment Matters
2 Oakfield Road
Coventry CV6 1ED
UK
Tel: 0800 0749289
Fax: 01483 761709
Email: info@recruitmentmatters.com
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