The 10 Manifestations of Failure in Recruiting

How and why does failure manifest itself in the recruiting profession? Well, the answers are many and they are varied. However, we can explore these answers and learn from them on our desks and within our firms.

The underlying reason for all of them? A lack of commitment.

Below are the 10 manifestations of failure in recruiting:

1. Poor quality job orders and recruit data sheets—This is when our client company or our candidate refuses to give us the information we need in order to be successful in our placement activities.
2. Lack of qualifying the interview process to find out when decisions will be made—This starts with knowing when the last day is that the hiring manager can go with the position still open. This is the “drop dead” date. We then need to know who interviews, when, the time between interviews, and when the hiring decision will be made and by whom.
3. Inability to close the placement—We are afraid to close the deal because we don’t have that many deals on our hot sheet. It is professional to close the deal just like the doctor closes the operation.
4. Lack or failure to market or recruit consistently—This is a process, not a series of events. We market every day and we recruit every day. Just as the doctor markets for new patients, we market for new clients.
5. Failure to plan—Professionals plan. Doctors plan. Recruiters plan. None of us “wing it.”
6. Failure to close on objections—Even with the best of intentions, novelistic things happen along the way. Just as doctors have to be flexible when their surgeries don’t go perfectly, so too, do we need to be flexible in handling objections as they arise.
7. Lack of urgency—We work where there is a sense of urgency. Indeed, we are paid, most of the time, to circumvent the time factor.
8. Lack of discipline or intensity in completing the assignment—If we don’t make a commitment to our business, then we won’t have the discipline to complete our assignments. They are not always fun, but if they were easy, our clients wouldn’t need us. Our business is pretty straightforward, but it can be very intense.
9. Lack of keeping up to date in the specialty—Would you want to go to a doctor for surgery if he was doing surgery like they did it 20 years ago? No, you would not. So why would a client use you if you were not up to date in your specialty or in your niche?
10. Blaming others for a lack of production—This is the “grass is always greener” syndrome. We must take responsibility for our own actions.

Don’t let any of these manifestations of failure corrode your recruiting desk. Be fully committed!

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Bob Marshall of TBMG International, founder of The Marshall Plan, has an extensive background in the recruiting industry as a recruiter, manager, vice president, president, consultant, and trainer. In 2015, Marshall is celebrating his 35th year in the recruiting business. He can be reached at bob@themarshallplan.org or at 770.898.5550. Marshall’s website is www.themarshallplan.org.