Dear Barb:
I’ve about had it with my candidates and clients. They are making such awful decisions and saying things that are ridiculous. How do I get them to change their attitudes and decisions without offending them?
Mary Z.
Detroit, MI
Dear Mary:
If you want to experience a high level of success at recruiting, you need to learn two very important lessons:
- It is not your job to agree or disagree with your clients.
- It is not your job to agree or disagree with your candidates.
In fact, neither of them welcomes your opinion and often don’t follow your advice. The truth is you never really know who your clients will hire. You can’t screen for chemistry, company culture, and personality.
On the client side, it is your job to listen to the feedback you get from your client and figure out exactly what type of talent they will hire.
On the candidate side, it is your job to present an opportunity that hits this candidate’s hot buttons so they will accept an offer when it is extended. You deal with human beings on both sides of the sale who change their minds. It’s just easier to work with them when you learn not to agree or disagree with them, but rather figure out what will lead them up to an offer and acceptance.
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS