Recruitment training is vital to any business that wants to either hire employees for themselves or for another company. The recruitment industry is huge and growing by the day. This is not surprising when you appreciate how important it is to hire the best person for the job. Mistakes can be costly financially and in lost time, clients and candidates. That is why it is vital to train your recruitment consultants from day one.

It does not matter how experienced they are. All recruiters can get rusty in key performance areas if they stop paying attention. As one great trainer says, if you are not growing, developing and pushing forward you are generally headed in the opposite direction!

So what are the 3 key areas to focus your recruitment training around? They are the vital 3. Knowledge, Skills and Attitude. And yes you can develop all three of these.

1. Knowledge

Depending on the recruitment sector you are working in knowledge of the business environment is key. There is nothing worse than a recruiter taking to a potential new client and using the wrong words, phrases or examples. Quite often each industry sector has its own words and phrases. For instance our own recruitment sector talks about billings rather than hitting sales targets.

This knowledge can be transferred by observation, shadowing and research and questions. One company I know has a project for their new recruiters to complete in the first month of coming on board that ensures they are up to speed on all the latest information and happenings in that environment.

2. Skills

This is key when you are focused on recruitment training no matter how experienced your recruiter is. For instance imagine bringing on board a recruiter in a new sector to him or her that does not have a list of contacts. Prospecting and networking might be a number one priority.

Successful billers are good at selling and following up with the CV's they send out. There is a skill and knack to all of this. For example, when to email, what to say and how to follow up and close.

Relationship building is key in any selling situation and recruiters are generally pretty good at this. The challenge can arise when a recruiter is too bullish and pushy. Knowing how to build relationships and rapport is the starting point to having the opportunity and permission to present your case so that you get heard.

3. Attitude

Some people disagree that recruitment training involves training on attitude. I disagree. Attitude covers a whole range of areas. From mind-set, approach, dress sense and impact. When you are training your recruitment consultants a starting point is to model the behaviour and attitude you want to see. Make sure that you have a performance management system in place that measures and monitors behaviours and the impact that has on performance.

When you have a recruitment training process in place at your agency spend some time to highlight how you can include these three areas over an induction period. You will be amazed at the impact it can make.


And now to learn more about management training for recruitment companies you can get FREE access to our tips by visiting Centred Excellence at http://www.Centredexcellence.co.uk

Nicky Coffin has over 15 years' experience running her own recruitment agency and helping other recruitment business owners to grow theirs. If you want training in recruitment For Your Recruiters visit our Centred Excellence website.