Neil Hernandez's Blog

The first question to ask a candidate

You are a recruiter looking to fill a position. After identifying a potential candidate who applied to the job or you found through your own search methods, you decide to call the candidate. What is the first thing you should as the candidate?:

"Are you still in the job market?"

You must find out within the first 30 seconds or sooner if the candidate is still looking for a job. If they are not, you should not invest anymore time with the candidate.

I've seen recruiters (and I've done it myself) - speak with a candidate at great length or take the time to explain the opportunity before even finding out if the candidate is still looking for a job. It's a waste of time. Save time. Just ask the candidate right away.

Key areas to focus in high volume recruiting

The goal of a high volume recruiting operation is to fill a high volume of positions with the most qualified candidates as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Therefore, there are some key areas of focus during the recruiting process that are two critical prequisities in making sure that this is done.

Some key areas of focus include

1) Work ethic - Filling positions fast with the righ candidates will requires massive amounts of work. It is not necessarily difficult work, but it requires lot's of work in a short period of time. Ideally, every second is used to the maximum ability. There are only so many hours in a day. To get the most out of your recruiting organization wheter it is one recruiter or a team of recruiters, the best recruiting organizations uses every singel second of every person in a productive manner. So this means, work ethic is the first and foremost bedrock to the succes of an organization. This means, the leadershi team must creat a culture of work ethic. If there was a perfect recruiting organization, it would be a team filled with hard working individuals ustilizing every second in fulfilling their roles.

2) Enthusiam -  Your workers (and yourself) must be genuinely enthusaistic. I don't know of any long lasting successful orgnization where the members are nto genuinely enthusisastic of their role, their company, and themselves as a person. Notice how enthusiasm and work ethic go hand in hand. If you are enthusisastic about something you are more than happy to work on it.

The first 30 second sets the tone for the next hour

"You don't have a second chance at a first impression." We've all hear that oh-so-true maxim about the importance of making a positive first impression. Here's another quote along those lines: "the first 30 seconds sets the tone for the next hour." What this means is that 30 seconds into the initial conversation that two people have, someone already makes an impression about the other person that hold for the rest of the next hour or two. If that first 30 seconds is positive the impression of the other person will be positive. If that first impression is negative, the impression of the other person will be negative. If that first impression is impression is so important why don't recruitng organizations spend more time fine tuning that initial message or conversation to the candidate so that the candidate gets the correct message that the organization wants them to receive?

high volume vs low volume recruiting

There is a vast difference between high volume and low volume recruiting.

Low volume recruting usually takes more time.

High volume recruiting's goal is to fill positions as quickly as possible.

In low volume recruiting a recruiter typically has a few positions to fill and there are only a few candidates.

In high volume recruiting there mutiple positions to fill and there are usually more than ample candidates.

Low volume positions typically pay a medium to high salary.

High volume positions typically pay low or entry level salaries.

Low volume recruiting generally is not automated.

High volume recruiting can be automated and treated almost like a turn key operation.

Recruiting Definition

The basic premise of recruiting is simple. That is to fill a job. A company has a job to fill, somebody is assigned the task to fill the job. This person (or assigned) goes ahead and fills the job. Recruiting is as simple as that.

So I simply define recruiting as all the tasks done between when a job is opened to when a job is filled.

Use past applicants for additional applicant flow

I know of a company that recruits that has the same position open all the time. They always have multiple positions open for this entry level hourly position. It is also a well known brand in a market that is plentiful on labor for this type of position. Due to turnover and just the sheer number of the same type of positions, on an average week, they have 10-15 openings for this position. However, on some weeks, they could have as much as 20-30 openings.

On those weeks where there is a spike in job requirements, they typically run an expensive ad in the local newspaper to draw additional applicants. The ad works and typically attracts more than enough applicants for the openings.

But is there a better way, to attract candidates, then spending on expensive advertising? Why not take advantage of the vast pool pf previous applicants. Previous applicants are an excellent source. These candidates have expressed interest in the position enough to the point where they have applied for the position.  So why not contact them again (probably best via email) saying something to the effect:

Thank you for previously applying for the XYZ position at XXX company. I am sending you this email to let you know that we are now considering applicants again for this position nd hiring immediately. If you are still interested in the position - please apply again by .....

My point is that instead of spending money or other resources to attract new candidates, why not invite past applicants for the position. It may make a whole lot more sense.

Some recruiting metrics for a high volume operation

Below are some metrics that a recruting department uses to measure it's recruiting efforts. teh organization is a high volume call center environment recruting for entry level customer service type positions:

Resume Viewed

Resume Contacted

Scheduled 1st interviews

Total 1st interviews

2nd interviews

Offers

Hires

% resumes contacted to 1st interviews

% 1st interviews to 2nd interviews

% 2nd interviews to offer

% offers to hire

% 1st interviews to hire

% resumes contacted to hires

% resumes viewed to hires

% scheduled first to actual 1st

Ask a candidate what they want

Typically there are two different mindsets or approaches recruiter take when they talk to a candidate on the initial conversation.

The first approach is what I call the: "You sell me" approach. The mindset when the recruiter calls the candidate in this approach is that the recruiter is the deal. The recruiter has the position, so the candidate has to basically sell to the recruiter why they are a fit for the position.

The second approach is the what I call the: "Meet the candidates needs approach." In this approach, the recruiters goal is to find out the candidates needs and desires and the disucss the position to see if there is a match

One idea can change everything

I like good grilled shrimp with grilled vegetables. Why? because when I was a kid my father, who was a great cook introduced me to grilled shrimp and I loved it ever since.

Think about some of your favorite foods. Whatever it is I bet you there was a great chance someone introduced it to you as a kid, you liked it and enjoy it to this day.

My point is that because you discovered something, it affected your eating desires or preferences for the rest of your life. The same thing applies could apply to a great idea or concept. One new idea or one new concept could radically change your life. Thus, I feel that in order to grow and transform your life you proacvtively need to be introduced to new concepts and ideas.

Where can you find this? Below is a brainstorm of just some spots where you can proactively take:

• blogs
• conferences
• associations
• niche website
• good books
• good magazines
• networking meetings/events

As you do this stuff, your mind begins to pick an choose what is good. Then if you get introduced to enough stuff, you'll eventually find something that could change your life forever.

Living your dream...

Recruiting is....

An addiction

A matchmaking

High one moment, low the next

Takes lot's of work and lot's of enthusiasm in order to succeed

Is like marketing because you have a product or message that you are trying to find willing participants

Is like sales because one you have the willing participant, you have to make sure there is a match

Is administrative in that you have to follow all the government rules

Recruiting works best when you love it and you hire people who love it.