These are testing times and I have a 3rd on the way!

For those who don’t know me I am an in-house Recruiter and a Dad of 2 kids under six, with number 3 in pretty close proximity.  I do find that my professional and personal life tend to intertwine a little too much at times, not sure if this is healthy or not, oh well.  I tend to be able to draw a lot of inspiration from both sides of my life which influence the other.  This is one of those stories.

They say this Recruiting gig would be so easy without candidates, hiring managers, clients and dodgy technology.  (Being a parent   would be easy too, if not for the kids) You wouldn’t make much money, but life would be easy.  I’m going to focus on the Hiring Manager today.  I’m pretty over the technology – Social Media – job Board discussions, so I was thinking of going to the basics. I feel candidates have been done to death too, so I feel the need to discuss the fun subject of the Hiring Manager.

I’m surprised that the psychology hasn’t really changed that much in my transition from Agency to Corporate.  I thought it would be easier once I was part of the company. I WAS SO WRONG.

Recruiting is viewed as Recruiting, how ever you brand it.  Nope saying I’m a Consultant! This doesn’t help your argument.

As a Third party Recruiter, dealing with the Hiring Manager, the decision maker, be that HR, Recruitment, Project Manager, Team leader etc, was a challenge.  Not returning calls, emails etc, not responding to meetings, saying one thing to you, whilst doing another, seeing other recruiters behind your back.  This wouldn’t happen once working in-house would it? Surely not, you’ll be a highly respected part of the core team, influencing all levels of the organisation! ba bow! it has happened, my friends, it will and it will again.

It has been a source of frustration of mine, but I’ve come to terms with it now.  woooo saaaaa.  Believe it or not, what has helped me come to terms with this is toilet training my 2.5 year old.  Yes you read right! Toilet-training.  No not the fact that every time I walk around a corner I expect to have to clean up a mess! Or the fact that the both rarely know what they want or get distracted way too easily from the job at hand, for something even newer and shinier, or that both seem to be able to manufacture tantrums at the first sign of not getting what they want.  It is all about the influencing skills, the persistence, the value add, and knowing in yourself that they will be better off for the exercise, these attributes that YOU need to have to make it work.  It’s not their problem or issue, it is yours to deal with.

It wasn’t a real big challenge getting Hiring Manager buy in when I first started in-house Recruiting, the systems, process etc, were there, and it was followed under full watch of the CEO.  The challenge came when my company started acquiring companies.  Trying to establish my/our process on another company which was used to doing things another way.  In one particular occasion, a person who was the HM, who had personally gone through our hiring process unsuccessfully.  Now let me tell you that was an icy reception.

They had always done things a certain way, they were comfortable and secure in this knowledge, and here I am trying to change all this with the instigation of a foreign process. (works for Hiring Manager and toilet training)

What to do?

You don’t want to get all corporate, with a “well sorry, I know you had your own process before, but it’s my way now” on the poor person, you need to allow them time to adjust.  you need to sell your services, you need to sell your function and your own knowledge.  In short you have to prove yourself again. (and then if that doesn’t work say “well sorry, I know you had your own process before, but it’s my way now” – Hiring Manager or “because I said so that’s why!” – Toilet Training *joke*)

Funny enough the easiest way to impress Hiring Managers (and kids) is to simply do as you say.  Revolutionary I know, but correct all the same.

If you are going to shortlist by this date… DO IT! if you say you are going to update them daily… DO IT!  If you say you will contact someone by a certain time, or have an Ad up or whatever it is you agree to do, DO IT! (If you say you will give a reward for a whole day minus accidents… DO IT!) This will get you instant respect.  Trust me; most hiring managers aren’t used to that.  Be honest with them, make them accountable (Accidents= no reward)!  If they promise you things, like an agreement on a short list, or times for interviews, or feedback or anything, and they don’t deliver… CALL THEM ON IT!  Whilst you are a service provider, you are not subservient, ensure they give you the same respect you extend to them!

If they go back to their old ways, ie going back to Agencies, or short circuiting the process, or not telling you when they want to go to the toilet – CALL THEM ON IT! They know better and are just challenging you.

Believe in your services and your expertise… you are there for a reason, you are an expert in this field (both I’d hope), you have the experience and knowledge to be able to offer valuable advice that should be followed.

And Persist! It’s your job for god sake, and if you give up, or turn a blind eye as it’s just easier that way or think they will come around when they are good and ready, why rush things.  If you do, trust me.. things are going to get messy!

About the author:

Dan has been in the Recruitment industry since 1997, where he started working for an IT Recruitment Agency. He worked in a number of roles there, from Resourcer to Account Manager to general consultant. In 2002 he took the plunge into the world of Internal Recruitment and has been in his current role with DWS as National Recruitment Manager since then. He is a career Recruiter who is passionate about the industry, and when time allows he is active in a number of online Recruiting Communities.

Website: http://saysomethingdan.blogspot.com/

Email: [email protected]

By Noel Cocca

CEO/Founder RecruitingDaily and avid skier, coach and avid father of two trying to keep up with my altruistic wife. Producing at the sweet spot talent acquisition to create great content for the living breathing human beings in recruiting and hiring. I try to ease the biggest to smallest problems from start-ups to enterprise. Founder of RecruitingDaily and our merry band of rabble-rousers.