Rookie looking for answers

Hi all, just joined after coming across the site.

I started making cold calls first week of October last, and made a placement in 5 weeks. That was for an accounting manager; permanent placement. My second placement was an accountant temp-to-hire position in December.

I haven't even been able to get a job order since.

I am making 30-60 marketing calls per day; utilizing a few different strategies but mainly, marketing a great candidate(s).

I am having no trouble getting to the hiring authorities ie: CFO's, presidents, finance directors, and controllers. I know these are tough times right now and sincerely believe I will be better for it when the economy turns around.

But the fact is, I have to pay the bills and I'm not getting anywhere. I have read many good books on the subject; "Search And Placement", was a particularly a good one I think, as well as poured over the training materials available within my company. A part of a huge network I might add, with great training resources.

I have 20 years in sales, the last 15 in management, so I am confident in my abilities to establish rapport, etc.

Looking for ideas; what's working for you? Thank you in advance.

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Permalink Reply by Larry on February 12, 2009 at 11:43am

Hmm.

Am I getting no replies because I'm new? Or did I break an unwritten rule in my post perhaps?

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Permalink Reply by Kristen Durkin on February 12, 2009 at 12:37pm

Larry,

Where are you focusing your marketing calls? I would advise you to reevaluate your niche if you're really making that many marketing calls per day with no hits; look on the job-boards to see who is hiring and attack those companies head-on. Develop your marketing calls around companies you know have an open req and market your MPC to them as someone who they shouldn't allow go to their competition.

If you're not seeing much on the job-boards go directly to the career pages of your past clients and try to rekindle old relationships by knowing if/what they're hiring. Another success for us is to try to see if you can conduct retained pipeling for the future; which will reflect in the eyes of candidates as a company in the downturn of our economy as still doing well and hiring.

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Faust on February 12, 2009 at 12:46pm

No on both counts, Larry -- I just think you're trying to solve the same problem that much of our community is dealing with: the economy sucks, and companies in most industries are hiring selectively, if at all. Finance is a universal business skill, but constricted hiring may still be the norm in industries you're targeting.

ExecuNet just released some Recruiter Confidence Poll data that suggests executive recruiters believe the five top industries for hiring in 2009 will be (1) environmental services/green technologies; (2) healthcare; (3) life sciences/pharma/biotech; (4) energy; and (5) high tech. If you're working in these areas, I'm sure other TPRs in the community will have some great suggestions for you (check out Josh LeTourneau, Pam Claughton, Steve Levy, Julia Stone, and Jerry Albright for starters - they're all amazing); if you're not targeting these industries, aim your sights that direction.

Just my two cents :))

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Permalink Reply by Dean Lockett on February 12, 2009 at 12:57pm

Hi Larry - if you are not doing it already, I would suggest that you consider adding some split business with other TPR into your portfolio. Recently RBC is promoting split business in the group listing. Go there and hook up with some others that will do splits ... it's better than nothing at all at this point. I really enjoy working splits with some of my contacts and it can keep you and your splits going financially.

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Permalink Reply by Randy Chambers on February 12, 2009 at 7:28pm

If your first client whom you placed the accounting manager with is still in the hiring mode for all departments, I would pay them a personal visit if possible to strengthen your relationship with them. If you cannot visit with them, ask them for additional job orders, even for other occupations.

If you impressed them the "first time around", I would think that they would like to work with you again. And hopefully on a solo assignment (we all hate competition of course).

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Permalink Reply by Larry on February 17, 2009 at 2:16pm

Thank you all for your replies.

I have contacted the two companies I've placed with and right now, there are no needs.

I do the basics well, I think and am told, remember, right now being new, that's really all I have!

An example of my day yesterday:

74 marketing calls, most of those using an excellent candidate (how I got those first 2 placements)
23 candidate calls...always asking the questions: are you working with any other recruiters and if so, where have they been sending you?

And nothing. And when I say nothing, I mean no JO's, no leads, no real future prospects.

Still working, still positive.

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Permalink Reply by Dina Harding on February 18, 2009 at 4:52pm

Hello Larry,
Sandra's post above really says it all, as she summed up my thoughts thoroughly. Read Sandra's post, do the necessary assessments, and move forward.

Also, it doesn't matter if you're a rookie or not. It sounds like you have all of the right skills & tools to do this successfully; You just need to be doing it in the right place.

Another reinforcement for you, would be to connect with Scott Love here on RBC & download his Complete Manual of Recruiting Mastery Articles e-book, as it mentions some important points about being successful in this business (and it does not matter if you're new or not). Have no insecurities about being new.

Lastly, J. Stedman's post above about returning to the basics is also very key.
He provided a fine list to follow & further hone your phone skills.

Dig in instead of giving in.... (just be sure you're digging in the right places!)
Wishing you the best of success! ~Dina

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Permalink Reply by Chris on February 18, 2009 at 5:26pm

Hi Larry,

I would suggest doing split placements to keep your business going in a down market and try to make the most out of each candidate/job req you come across, especially since it appears that your niche is in Accounting. It's a tough market right now for the financial industry and I expect it to get much worse before it gets better. Having the "joyful" opportunity to be on all fronts of the financial crisis I can say that it's not all bad. Although a significant portion of the market, as a whole, is effected by the downturn not all areas are suffering as much. The Healthcare industry is still fairly active as well as some Engineering firms, although the Engineering Firms are starting to be effected by it as well.

EliteSplits.Com

Best of luck!!!