| Hi Friends, It was September of 2006, and I was in my fourth search in my recruiting career. While interviewing Sharon, a candidate for a senior accountant search, I carefully used my script/outline for questions. Sharon delivered her answers. At the end of my questions, I asked if she had any. I got the usual stuff like, “What’s a typical day like?” And I guess the tone of my voice changed. Sharon said, “Mark, thanks, but I don’t think I have interest.” With a disappointed voice, I asked, “Sharon, why?” She said it was not about the job, the company, or the responsibilities. So, I asked again, saying, “I promise you will not hurt my feelings. ”She said, “OK. To be transparent, I feel like a piece of inventory. I understand your questions, but I was turned off by the tone and what I perceived as a lack of respect.” I thanked her for her feedback. I felt horrible. I knew I had to adjust in a big way. This was not how I treated people interviewing when I grew the sales team from thirty to one hundred thirty in the wholesale business. I reflected on the conversation and realized that my mindset had to change. From that day forward, I treated every candidate as a peer, trying to help them in any way possible, even if they were interested in a search I was not working on. As a constant reminder, I wrote R E S P E CT on a Post-it note and put it on the bezel of my monitor. And several great things happened: People were more open to sharing what excited them and what would make them happy with a new role. Candidates performed better in their interviews as I took the time that they needed to prepare for an interview. Candidates would ask me if I could represent them in a search even if I was not engaged. Candidates would refer me to their friends. When I transitioned my business to more senior-level roles, candidates became clients. They knew the level of care I would take representing their company brand when they needed talent for their teams. A change in mindset made a big difference. Thanks for reading. Dedicated to your success, Mark Mark DiamondFounder, Executive Coaching Solutions and PRSTO p.s. I help business owners in the recruiting and staffing business achieve their goals. Coaching * System * CRM Automaton 1) Connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook (if not connected already 2) PRSTO – Turbo Charge Candidate and Client Engagement! Let PRSTO, the CRM and Automation machine, do the heavy lifting. Talk with clients and candidates faster where the real “magic” happens. Trainings Monday and Wednesday. Join here 3) Learn about Private Coaching – How we help, what’s included, our process, and success stories. click here 4) Learn about Group Membership – How we help, what’s included, our process, and success stories. click here 5) Search Maximizer Session – Meet with me on Zoom. Click here to schedule |
