Comments on: How to Activate the Best Passive Candidates in the Federation http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/ Recruiting News, Recruiting Events, Recruiting Community, Social Recruiting Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:41:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jeremy Langhans http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12870 Jeremy Langhans Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:18:43 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12870 “#8–I call every person I’m referred to at least eight times before giving up. This is the 3rd call.” –there was nothing to indicate that this was a dream job. ^^ sounds like a "phone spammer" ...is that term correct? ROFL Jer www.visualCV.com/ExecSourcer www.FaceBook.com/spamdoza “#8–I call every person I’m referred to at least eight times before giving up. This is the 3rd call.” –there was nothing to indicate that this was a dream job.

^^
sounds like a “phone spammer” …is that term correct?
ROFL

Jer
http://www.visualCV.com/ExecSourcer
http://www.FaceBook.com/spamdoza

]]> By: Merlynn Bertini http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12860 Merlynn Bertini Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:42:23 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12860 Brian--actually, I received the call shortly after being informed that my company (at that time) was being acquired and my position was being eliminated--which was why my initial reaction was that I thought it was a bad joke. As I indicated in my previous post--the recruiter did call back and I talked to him. But, had he not called back--no I would not have return the call. Based on the message I received, "#8--I call every person I’m referred to at least eight times before giving up. This is the 3rd call." --there was nothing to indicate that this was a dream job. Although I no longer consult, I did spend 7 years as an HR management consultant in the high tech area, so I use "cold calls" I receive, as part of my networking strategy, and I do return a high percentage of calls I receive. I network with a fair amount of people in the HR and Staffing area and we update each other when we are looking for an opportunity. If I am not interested in a position and if I know someone who is interested--I will pass on a contact lead, but, I do obtain a significant amount of information about the position before hand. Merlynn Bertini Brian–actually, I received the call shortly after being informed that my company (at that time) was being acquired and my position was being eliminated–which was why my initial reaction was that I thought it was a bad joke.

As I indicated in my previous post–the recruiter did call back and I talked to him. But, had he not called back–no I would not have return the call. Based on the message I received, “#8–I call every person I’m referred to at least eight times before giving up. This is the 3rd call.” –there was nothing to indicate that this was a dream job.

Although I no longer consult, I did spend 7 years as an HR management consultant in the high tech area, so I use “cold calls” I receive, as part of my networking strategy, and I do return a high percentage of calls I receive. I network with a fair amount of people in the HR and Staffing area and we update each other when we are looking for an opportunity. If I am not interested in a position and if I know someone who is interested–I will pass on a contact lead, but, I do obtain a significant amount of information about the position before hand.

Merlynn Bertini

]]> By: Lou Adler http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12832 Lou Adler Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:51:49 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12832 The big point of this article was to leave a VM that caused the prospect to respond. Obviously, the messages we left for people was different. For an engineer or an accountant with 3-4 years of experience was different than for a mid- or senior-level manager. If the prospect didn't respond it was a bad message. If the prospect did respond and was excited to talk with us it was a good message. Most of the people we called were extremely happy in their current jobs, but the message intrigued them enough to call. We didn't want unhappy people. We used the messages to have the best people consider something even better. The idea here is to understand your audience and be creative and then test it and test it and test it until it works. The big point of this article was to leave a VM that caused the prospect to respond. Obviously, the messages we left for people was different. For an engineer or an accountant with 3-4 years of experience was different than for a mid- or senior-level manager. If the prospect didn’t respond it was a bad message. If the prospect did respond and was excited to talk with us it was a good message. Most of the people we called were extremely happy in their current jobs, but the message intrigued them enough to call. We didn’t want unhappy people. We used the messages to have the best people consider something even better.

The idea here is to understand your audience and be creative and then test it and test it and test it until it works.

]]> By: Barb Rozman-Stokes http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12829 Barb Rozman-Stokes Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:22:40 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12829 Brian...Great point. I guess if I was seriously unhappy then I may consider the call back to one of these messages since it would be an opportunity. I know that our goal as recruiters is not necessarily to reach the seriously unhappy job seeker. While that may be fine some of the time, we should be striving to seek the happy and passive seeker (with the exception of course during a near 10% unemploymnet rate time.) Thanks for the comments. Very interesting. Brian…Great point. I guess if I was seriously unhappy then I may consider the call back to one of these messages since it would be an opportunity. I know that our goal as recruiters is not necessarily to reach the seriously unhappy job seeker. While that may be fine some of the time, we should be striving to seek the happy and passive seeker (with the exception of course during a near 10% unemploymnet rate time.) Thanks for the comments. Very interesting.

]]> By: brian johnston http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12722 brian johnston Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:48:29 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12722 Hello, this is great conversation, I LOVE it... Merlynn- Can you recall when you received that unprofessional call were you Happy or Unhappy with your current job? Reason I ask is, if that recruiter/used care salesman left that message the day your best friend earned a promotion over you, (that you truly deserved), and the recruiter was recruiting for a dream job/for a dream company, would you have cared about the "unprofessional" voicemail? Or would you have wanted to learn more because of the circumstances in your job, and/or the promotion you deserved and got passed up for political reasons? I am curious, if you be willing to walk away from a "dream job" because of an unprofessional VM? Thanks in advance for your time, and feedback... LOU- Again GREAT ARTICLE.... Hello, this is great conversation, I LOVE it…

Merlynn- Can you recall when you received that unprofessional call were you Happy or Unhappy with your current job?

Reason I ask is, if that recruiter/used care salesman left that message the day your best friend earned a promotion over you, (that you truly deserved), and the recruiter was recruiting for a dream job/for a dream company, would you have cared about the “unprofessional” voicemail? Or would you have wanted to learn more because of the circumstances in your job, and/or the promotion you deserved and got passed up for political reasons?

I am curious, if you be willing to walk away from a “dream job” because of an unprofessional VM?

Thanks in advance for your time, and feedback…

LOU- Again GREAT ARTICLE….

]]> By: Merlynn Bertini http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12721 Merlynn Bertini Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:18:17 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12721 This is actually very amusing to me. I received one of these calls a few years ago--I thought it was a bad joke. (I received number #8). I did not call back (hence the 85% response rate?), but the recruiter did call me again. I asked him why would he leave a message like that, he said he had attended a training session and this was one of the methods suggested--I thought he was just scamming me and I told him he should ask for a refund =) While I can appreciate creativity, I have to agree with Barb's comment, I did not find this very professional. The article had some good points, but the messages??? Having been a "former recipient"--leave a lot to be desired and I would not--and did not return the call This is actually very amusing to me. I received one of these calls a few years ago–I thought it was a bad joke. (I received number #8). I did not call back (hence the 85% response rate?), but the recruiter did call me again. I asked him why would he leave a message like that, he said he had attended a training session and this was one of the methods suggested–I thought he was just scamming me and I told him he should ask for a refund =)

While I can appreciate creativity, I have to agree with Barb’s comment, I did not find this very professional. The article had some good points, but the messages??? Having been a “former recipient”–leave a lot to be desired and I would not–and did not return the call

]]> By: Barb Rozman-Stokes http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12719 Barb Rozman-Stokes Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:48:35 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12719 I totally agree with both of you. Absolutley you must have passion, creativity and action to be sucessful. You must understand your target and speak to them based on their motivations. I even think the themes Lou speaks to in this article are the most effective ways of gaining qualified, interested candidates. I was simply commenting on the suggested "activating voice mails." While it may not have been the main point of the post, it screamed out to me as some of the things I would not want to hear/say as a recruiter. I totally agree with both of you. Absolutley you must have passion, creativity and action to be sucessful. You must understand your target and speak to them based on their motivations. I even think the themes Lou speaks to in this article are the most effective ways of gaining qualified, interested candidates. I was simply commenting on the suggested “activating voice mails.” While it may not have been the main point of the post, it screamed out to me as some of the things I would not want to hear/say as a recruiter.

]]> By: brian johnston http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12718 brian johnston Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:25:45 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12718 Lou- This is a GREAT article from an "Industry ICON".. Someone very wise told me once "Products and Service are sold, they are NOT bought" It truly amazes me when words are taken as "literal". The message here (to me)is to be creative, have fun with it, and TEST, TEST, and when your really tired, TEST MORE... PASSION + CREATIVITY + ACTION = RECESSION PROOF Thank you for your WISDOM, Brian- Lou- This is a GREAT article from an “Industry ICON”..

Someone very wise told me once “Products and Service are sold, they are NOT bought”

It truly amazes me when words are taken as “literal”. The message here (to me)is to be creative, have fun with it, and TEST, TEST, and when your really tired, TEST MORE…

PASSION + CREATIVITY + ACTION = RECESSION PROOF

Thank you for your WISDOM,
Brian-

]]> By: Lou Adler http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12715 Lou Adler Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:59:36 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12715 As Darren points out, you need to do your homework first and identify your target audience. Then you have to develop your messaging around their needs. Recruiters often assume that what seems odd to them in attracting someone's interest, might not be odd to the target audience. Regardless, testing different ideas and messaging concepts out is the point of the article, not the actual messages presented in the article. As long as you're getting an 80% or better response and getting more high-quality referrals, you're doing something right, so keep it up! As Darren points out, you need to do your homework first and identify your target audience. Then you have to develop your messaging around their needs.

Recruiters often assume that what seems odd to them in attracting someone’s interest, might not be odd to the target audience. Regardless, testing different ideas and messaging concepts out is the point of the article, not the actual messages presented in the article. As long as you’re getting an 80% or better response and getting more high-quality referrals, you’re doing something right, so keep it up!

]]> By: Darren Lipski http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12713 Darren Lipski Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:32:33 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12713 Excellent article, Lou! In possibly stating the obvious, however, I'd like to mention that the real key in getting passive candidates to call you back regarding a particular opportunity you are calling them about is to make contact with the right kinds of passive candidates. Calling Cost Accountants at well-known firms in New York or Chicago regarding a Cost Accounting job in Topeka will get you far less candidates calling you back than if you had spent your time and/or money trying to identify and contact Cost Accountants in Topeka working for firms that are smaller or otherwise less attractive than the client you are hiring for. Getting down to the brass tacks of any Candidate Development endeavor, though, any opportunity can be attractive to the right person. The key is having the foresight and the tools to craft a strategy that identifies the right candidates. Why put lipstick on a pig when you don't have to? (No offense to Sarah Palin). Excellent article, Lou! In possibly stating the obvious, however, I’d like to mention that the real key in getting passive candidates to call you back regarding a particular opportunity you are calling them about is to make contact with the right kinds of passive candidates.

Calling Cost Accountants at well-known firms in New York or Chicago regarding a Cost Accounting job in Topeka will get you far less candidates calling you back than if you had spent your time and/or money trying to identify and contact Cost Accountants in Topeka working for firms that are smaller or otherwise less attractive than the client you are hiring for.

Getting down to the brass tacks of any Candidate Development endeavor, though, any opportunity can be attractive to the right person. The key is having the foresight and the tools to craft a strategy that identifies the right candidates.

Why put lipstick on a pig when you don’t have to? (No offense to Sarah Palin).

]]> By: Barb Rozman-Stokes http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12712 Barb Rozman-Stokes Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:59:05 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12712 It may just be me, but if anyone called and left those messages I would find them extremely annoying. As a recruiter I have always valued a real, down-to-earth conversation for candidates at all levels not fake, clever, salesman like conversation. I think this would be a real turn off. Most of the time Lou's tips are great, but this post seems a bit old school to me. For what it's worth.... It may just be me, but if anyone called and left those messages I would find them extremely annoying. As a recruiter I have always valued a real, down-to-earth conversation for candidates at all levels not fake, clever, salesman like conversation. I think this would be a real turn off.

Most of the time Lou’s tips are great, but this post seems a bit old school to me. For what it’s worth….

]]> By: Jeremy Langhans http://www.ere.net/2009/06/12/how-to-activate-the-best-passive-candidates-in-the-federation/comment-page-1/#comment-12710 Jeremy Langhans Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:21:52 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=8424#comment-12710 great post Lou :) great post Lou :)

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