Helping Your Sales Team Will Help You, Too

Dear Barb:

I’ve been a recruiter for three years and feel my success is limited by our sales team. They bring in orders we should not even be working, and become upset when we don’t have candidates. Some of the orders are not even in our niche. I’ve tried to talk to my owner, but unfortunately these employees have been here longer, and the answer I received from my owner was, “You’re a good recruiter, go out there and find people for these orders.”

We’ve have never filled orders with some of these clients, because they always seem to find people on their own. What can I do to get the sales people to get the orders and contracts that we can easily fill?

Frustrated in Ohio

Barb Responds

Dear Frustrated:

If you don’t like the orders that you are currently working, I want to ask you a few questions:

When was the last time you gave a list to your sales team of the top companies your candidates want to work for?

How many daily leads are you providing to your sales team as a result of information you obtain during interviews with candidates?

Have you and your sales team sat down and reviewed where you are making placements and fills to determine your best business? Notice, I’m not suggesting you review all of the orders written, just those filled. The quickest way to your next placement is to duplicate orders or contracts you recently, successfully filled.

Do you know what companies your sales team are targeting, so you can provide inside information from candidates you interview who were employed by any of these target companies?

Rather than focusing on what is not working, become part of the solution by changing some of your actions. This will benefit both of you and will eliminate your current frustration level.

Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS