What does desperation do to you as a businessperson? As a salesperson? As an HR Professional? As a Recruiting Professional? Sometimes, there comes a valley in the activity and we become stagnant, or bored, or dare I say? desperate. Working to close a deal can be exciting, hectic, hurried, and how we represent ourselves, our company, or our client can sometimes fall by the wayside. Caution and care must be taken that these desperate times do not permeate your business persona and wreck havoc where none need be.


Do not sell anything that your client doesn't need to buy, like a bad candidate. Or like four bad candidates. There is a line in the tense movie, Glengarry Glen Ross - "What did I learn back on Western? You don't sell a guy one car..., You sell him five cars over fifteen years." Making a commitment to grow and develop your client base or candidate base doesn't mean growing a nice garden, plucking out the big blooms, using their beauty and then walking away from the garden. You must cultivate that garden to grow and produce, not just big blooms but small blooms, as well as, seeds for the future.

Ponder on the long-term, not the short-term, get 'er done deal. The path is lined with those that are being plucked by everyone... A one-shot deal was great yesterday but what are you doing today? Your Hiring Manager is worried about the deal today, as well he should. You should worry about the deal tomorrow, thus motivating you to make the right decisions for today's deal. Desperation doesn't pay the water bill.

Does desperation pay anything? Look beyond the desperation and recognize that a client or Hiring Manager is more than a big sale. And guess what? Clients still want face-to-face service, they still want to buy from an actual person. The internet is simply a tool to get the face-to-face. Merely average recruiters/salespeople/business professionals will be flushed out and have no place to run or hide. They probably already have been.


So..., be the expert, be the source, be the "get 'er done guy" or just be the guy who honestly says, "I don't know but I know who to ask..." Are you convenient? Do you provide quality service? And can you deliver? If you nodded your head to these questions, then maybe you will survive the next six to twelve months. If not, well, do you have a back-up plan?

by rayannethorn