Any recruiter knows that gaining an insight into both your clients and candidates is the key to being successful. Without even realising it, recruiters apply certain aspects of both Industrial and Organisational Psychology. It’s about getting to know the emotions and pathologies of your candidates to ensure you place them in the right role. With the decrease in the number of candidates available in the global talent pool, recruiters are having to get to grips with more complicated theories of motivation, the emotional world of the candidates, job satisfaction in a changing work landscape, and constantly changing interview processes.

Behind the Scenes

Balancing the needs and motivations of candidates and defining the culture of clients requires a level of understanding of the human psyche, not all people are able to employ effectively. A successful recruiter will employ varying psychological strategies as part of the natural course of their role. This often involves delving into aspects of a candidates personality, personal values, attitudes, leadership style, managerial judgement, emotional intelligence and cognitive abilities. And when it comes to clients, each company will have its own unique culture and values, which recruiters need to fully understand in order to place the right candidate in order to avoid the dreaded rebate.

Secret Techniques

Persuasion techniques are employed constantly throughout a recruiters working day, right from the moment fees are agreed and interviews are arranged. This type of technique is adapted to fit both sides of the recruitment process to try and ensure clients and candidates “meet” in the middle. Salary negotiations rely heavily on persuasion techniques, as this could be the difference between filling the role or losing the placement.

Social Influence or compliance techniques are often used when communicating with candidates about the interview process they’ll be taking part in, to ensure they deliver some of the key points you know your client is expecting to see.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is making a name for itself as a coaching technique but it’s underlying principle of changing perceptions is, literally, second nature to successful recruiters. Getting your candidate in the door before someone elses, and explaining the people and the company you want your candidate to interview for, requires a high level of NLP, in order to change subconscious, preconceived biases.

I’m sure recruiters can identify with these techniques and, hopefully, recognise the level of psychology they utilise on a daily basis.