Stop Thinking, Start Recruiting

My newly recruited candidate wanted to be in Florida, east coast, not near his family but not too far away. Maybe closer to West Palm, but not too close. We had 3 positions that he qualified for in Florida. One offered the best location, the next offered the best salary, and benefits, and the last one offered the wrong coast, the same salary he was currently making, and they were not good about calling me back. So I discussed with him in great detail the first two jobs. I hit all the hot buttons and why I think they are a match for him. I helped him with questions and concerns about each. No surprises. He was immediately interested in setting up the next step with both of clients. And so were my clients. I am psyched. He is psyched. His family is psyched.

A couple of weeks pass and I am talking to my candidate about his upcoming interviews at both positions. This involved flights, relocation information, and real estate tours. I made certain that he was fully prepared for the interview. All details covered. My clients and I had been working together openly setting up each step to guaranteed that these are good meetings. I had everything worked out and my new candidate compliments me on the work I had done for him. Just as we finished the last pre-interview call, my candidate tells me that on this trip (he is taking a week vacation to meet with our two clients and see the sites) he is going to stop by to see his college roommate, in St. Pete. Tampa, St. Pete. West coast Florida. The city that holds my third job. The one on the wrong coast with the not so good salary. The one that I left out until now because I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT HE WANTED. Can you hear the air sucking out of my empty head?

Well, I choked on my pride and told him that I had a position in Tampa/St. Pete also. We covered all the details, the very few hot buttons, and quickly he set up for an interview. To this day I talk with my placement in Tampa/St. Pete where he is now a hiring manager bringing on board candidates from me every year. We joke about that trip and it reminds me of the simple mistake I made: trying to think for someone else or telling yourself a story about what you think they are thinking. This never works. These stories can become your reality and often are not what is really happening. I think that is true in all of life.

As a recruiter with experience or new to the industry, remind yourself that every candidate has more to them than you can possibly learn in a relatively short time. Stop limiting your success with what you think is possible. Start making your success with all the possibilities that are and can be available to you.

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Comment by Eric Buchanan on July 14, 2010 at 10:35am: Great article Noel. It really emphasizes the need to do our due diligence when recruiting candidates. This overall concept is extremely useful and pertinent whether you work for a recruiting firm or within a company.
Cheers!

Eric Buchanan | Talent Acquisition Manager | GSD&M Idea City | 828 West 6th St. | Austin, TX 78703 | 512.242.4470 | @TalentMaster

Comment by Amy Elder on July 14, 2010 at 5:22pm: Very nice post, Noel. We are indeed in a unique business and surprises as this do happen! I am glad it worked out for you and your candidate.

Comment by Dina Harding on July 18, 2010 at 11:25pm: Great post, Noel, and ditto on Eric & Amy's comments! I must admit, your post did make me smile inside (big time), as I had almost the exact same scenario happen to me 12 years ago.

My candidate was in southern FL and said he and his family would relocate almost anywhere, except to a state which they referred to as 'earthquake zone California'. He said anywhere but there, as his wife was very frightened by earthquakes. I sent him on several interviews with my best clients in the Northeast (all of which pursued him to the next level). As a long-shot, and truly hoping not to anger my newly found gem of a candidate (he was a true 'diamond in the rough'), I asked him if he would simply investigate an all-expenses-paid trip to a great client of mine in CA, just so he would know for sure what all of his options really included. I was so glad I asked him that very tough question (I almost didn't)! So, can you guess what state I placed him in, and where he's been working for the last 12 years since then? Yes, California! And best of all, today, we are great friends.... :D

Comment by Bill Ward on July 19, 2010 at 1:32pm: Good post Noel. Let me be the fly in the ointment here for educational purposes only.

Obviously, you did a good job of presenting opportunities to the candidate which ultimately lead to a great job and future business opportunities for you. That shows you did a nice job from the candidate's perspective. Now look at it from your clients' point of view. Basically your clients were put in competition with one another for this candidate. Even though offers were not extended by the other companies, you presented the candidate to them. Lucky for them it did not get to a point where a lot of time was invested. Frankly, this what I see as one of the biggest weaknesses of the contingency model and an aspect that clients don't normally consider until I bring it up. Putting clients in competition with one another is not what I consider good business practice. Whether you work on contingency or retainer, consider giving your clients additional value add by not putting them in competition for your next "walking placement."