Staffing Agencies are amazing microcosms. They often have the potential to go from zero revenue to a million dollars in a week.  With this earning potential, you will find some of the greatest entrepreneurs playing in and around the Recruiting Industry.  These entrepreneurs are extremely independent individuals who will do whatever it takes to fill a clients’ opening, while always on the hunt for new opportunities. 

Happy to shoulder the accountability and responsibility that clients’, candidates’ and employees’ saddle them with each day, Entrepreneurs often find themselves in over their heads when they begin to grow their business beyond themselves. Once this happens it’s time to include staff.   Now a new entrepreneur and new staff are always a tough combination and there are many reasons but, one could be explained in a conversation I recently had.

Entrepreneur:  “I have a great environment, flexible clients and fillable orders.  I went out and hired several great Recruiters.  The problem is not a single Recruiter is producing.  I have tried teaching them, motivating them with trips, money, you name it, they just don’t listen to me.  I want to hire someone who can come in and make them successful.”

RBS Consultant:  “What do you expect each Recruiter to produce?”

Entrepreneur:  “I would be happy with 2 fills per month.”

RBS Consulting:  “What are the consequences for a Recruiter that does not meet that expectation?”

After a long silence, the Entrepreneur finally came back with:  “Hey, I see where you are going.  Let me be clear, I like the Recruiters we have and I am not willing to lose any one of them.  Just find me someone who will be accountable for their production.”

You can see from this conversation the Entrepreneur knows he has an issue with accountability.  The question is: does he know that accountability for his own actions is the beginning and the end of this problem? 

Don’t think for a moment the answer is as simple as “yes” or “no.” 

Looking in the mirror and holding yourself accountable is scary enough.  Reaching within yourself, finding the issues and then making the changes needed is where we separate the men from the boys, or in this case, the CEO’s from the Entrepreneurs. 

Once you can hold yourself accountable to anyone, including colleges, peers, and employees, you will find it easier to hold those around you accountable.  This in itself will take you along way to building a profitable and sustainable business.

We can all agree there are no barriers to entering the staffing industry.  The proof is in the countless numbers of independent staffing professionals and boutique agencies which are turning a profit by classifying themselves “A Staffing Agency.”  What makes each and everyone of these individuals successful is their day-to-day processes.  But at the same time, their lack of infrastructure limits their earning potential.

Distilling a recruiter’s day-to-day process down to picking up an order, finding a qualified candidate, and then matching the two together, is how we derive our revenue.  As a 360 desk Recruiter, you can, of course, make a good living doing this process all day, every day.  Your income level depends on how clean your process is, combined with how you set you pace.  Again, as long as you work at it all day, every day. 

To generate more revenue and get out from under the day-to-day grind, the natural assumption is to simply add more recruiters.  The problem is this:  Adding more recruiters to your organization without adding infrastructure will cause your once-clean process to fall apart, and the time you’ll spend dealing with this will cause your income to slip.
The frustration of hiring recruiter after recruiter forces most business owners to simply revert back to working on their own.

If you truly want to grow your organization, adding more recruiters is indeed the correct direction to move in, as long as you also increase efficiency at the same time.  Infrastructure is how you are going to increase efficiency, increase quality, and ensure the organization as a whole is capitalizing on it’s maximum revenue potential.   When infrastructure is established correctly, you, as the business owner, move from having to run a full desk every day to setting the tone and the pace of an entire organization.

At what point will you stop working the “process” and start building a Staffing Agency?

Isn't it worth a try?

I often witness Independent Recruiters are living fee to fee, and that every deal they work on is do or die for them.  This is no way to run a viable, stable business. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to:

• Stabilize monthly projections by generating recuing monthly revenue?
• Know your clients will call you before ANYONE else?
• Have your customer treat you like the valued hiring consultant you are?
• Know your customer is truly vested in your continued success?
• Know and secure for yourself your customer’s entire yearly budget for hiring?

Then why are you doing business the same old way???

Look around at what corporations are doing when it comes to recruiting.  Blend the “Internal Corporate Recruiter” model with our everyday-contingency model and you will discover this surprising fact: 

Most corporate clients will pay a small monthly retainer to secure themselves an overall lower rate. 

I know what I am asking purposing a paradigm shift in your mode of operation, but, by step out in front of your client and making a small adjustment in your fee structure, you would increase your organizations over all health while providing a hefty wave of stability.

Isn’t it worth a try?

Rebecca

Recruiter’s Coach

Partnerships in the Recruiting Industry can creating a winning dynamic or spell certain disaster. Before jumping into any form a business partnership consider the following thoughts:

SHARE THE SAME VISION ~ For any partnership to be successful, everyone  involved must agree on the same strategic direction of the company. If one partner wants to build a national agency, while the other is happy being a one man shop the business has no common ground and can fail in no time. Take the time up front to develop a clear course for the business that meets the needs of all owners.

DEFINE ROLES ~ A winning dynamic will capitalizes on the strengths and skills of all owners. Divide business responsibilities according to each individual’s strength. Most recruiting partnerships are divided between sales and recruiting.  With these kinds of responsibilities, defining financial goals for each role will also assist in creating that winning dynamic.

AVOID THE 50/50 SPLIT ~ As recruiter it may seem logical and fair to split the share of ownership and into an equal 50%. However, this structure will most likely cause a decision stalemate in the future.  A number of solutions include using a 49% to 51% split or creating a simple outside board that can be consulted for large issues.

HOLD PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS ~ Any strong relationship is built on open communication. Meeting at scheduled intervals (weekly, monthly or even quarterly, but regularly scheduled!) will give owners time to discuss strategies,go over grievances, review roles and ensure all owners are meeting expectations.

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT THAT INCLUDES A DISSOLUTION AGREEMENT ~ In Recruiting it is too simple to set up and end partnerships because no legal documents are required.  Potential problems can be easily averted by taking the time to draw up a legal partnership agreement that includes the mechanisim of starting, running and ending the partnership. 

Being an entrepreneur in the Recruiting Industry is both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time.  Being in a partnership can most certainly ease some of those stresses.  By not having a game plan on how to handle contentious issues correctly, owners will spend more time overcoming internal issues, rather than running their new venture.

Taking the time up front to get it right!

Rebecca B. Sargeant

~ Recuiter’s Coach ~

For some Recruiters, that is a very happy place to be. For others with the foresight to see a time when they want to retire from this industry, it’s time to look at building a company that can stand on it’s own.  To create a business that stands on it’s own, you will need a decent infrastructure, a scalable model and recurring revenue.  Getting that put in place today will allow you to retire tomorrow.

The Recruiter’s Coach

Rebecca

What are Recruiters made of???

Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails
That’s what Recruiters are made of !”

What are little HR Professionals made of?
“Sugar and spice and all things nice
That’s what HR Professionals are made of!”

When you are finished laughing and / or gagging I am curious to know what makes you a “Recruiter?”

  

There are 8,766 hours in a year, and out of those hours the average Recruiting Professional spends about 520 hours commuting, 3,120 working a desk, and, if they are lucky, 2,190 hours sleeping.  Add all of these hours up and you have 2,936 to take care of your family, friends and yourself.  Is this unusual? No. What is unusual are the stress levels Recruiters are under everyday.  The stress Recruiters face when closing a deal is probably equivalent to some doctors (But, unlike doctors we can’t sedate either our clients or candidates until the deal is done).

Stress over time is the leading causes of “Burnout.” Burnout is defined as physical or emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-term stress or dissipation.  Recruiters are not immune to Burnout.

Coaching Recruiters to create a environment that turns stress from something that drives you to something that fuels you.  Here are five ways you can do this for yourself:

1. STOP DIGGING ~ If you have been working an order for an excessive amount of time and you are beyond frustrated, STOP DIGGING! It’s time to step back and look at the whole picture.  Often we get fixated on a mistake and then we are lost.  By stepping back and making a minor correction you are off and running again in the right direction.
2. TAKE CONTROL BACK ~ Drowning in the feeling of being pushed and pulled by everyone else?  Stop thrashing about and start treading water by turning to your calendar.  Start by blocking out time that work for you.  If you like to source between 11am to 1pm then book it!  If some calls to speak with you, book them a time.  This simple change will let people know you are a valuable resource and that your time is worth money.
3. GET A LIFE ~ In nursing homes three hours in a chair is considered torture, so why are you sitting at your desk for well over ten hours some days?  Exercise is an essential ingredient to your performance.  A study released last week reports that exercise enables the brain to regenerate lost brain cells.  If nothing else, the ability to recover from your twenties is worth a couple of walks around the block, don’t you think?
4. GET BACK TO BASICS ~ The harsh reality is Recruiting is a simple equation. Whether you admit it or not, to entertain ourselves we make the hiring process complicated and convoluted.  Distill out the noise, know your process and get the job done. Everything else is stress.
5. SAY “NO” ~ Feel like you are drowning? You are!  And every time you say “sure, I can do that” or “I have that covered” the more water you are attempting to swallow.  The word “No” is the hardest word in the English language.  If you can’t say NO then simply shut your mouth!  If nothing else by shutting your month the water can’t get in.

Recruiting professionals thrive in high stress situations.  The key to keeping productivity high and avoiding burnout is learning the how to create the right environment.  

For further information about a Recruiter’s work week including average hours worked, the most productive days and the least favorite day follow the links below to the live discussions.

http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/recruiters-how-many-hours-do

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/hiring-human-resources/staffing-recruiting/HRH_SFF/815630-4238929

Have a productive week!!!

Rebecca B. Sargeant

Recruiter’s Coach

“but I trained you.”
“I paid you.”
“You can’t do that to me.”    

Watching the scene like the train wreck it is, you get into line behind a couple other executives.  As the minutes tick by, you and the others realize the lines you have collected in actually have no Cashiers.  When approached, the store employees say they sympathize completely, but, despite being a very simple task, they actually don’t know how to cash you out.  This story can go on forever, as you waste your time wandering around the store, looking for someone to cash you out.  Of course, depending on how you value your time, eventually you will simply and quietly leave and go to a competitor.
 
As an Executive, Manager or Business Owner in the staffing industry, let me clearly demonstrate to you that YOUR RECRUITER IS YOUR CASHIER!!!!  An Account Manager can go fill your store with all the best products from the best organizations.  When it comes right down to making sure the orders are cashed out properly, what seemed to be the low man on the totem pole two minutes ago now becomes your only priority.  Funny how that works, isn’t it?
 
Here’s a hint: the reason the Independent Recruiter and the boutique agency will continue to dominate the staffing industry in the years ahead is because, just like the cashier at the large retail chain, they know how to do the job, and they know what your customer wants to buy.  While you were driving them out of your organization with mismanagement, you have forgotten that, with them leaving, you were actually losing the knowledge of how to select and fill the most profitable orders quickly and efficiently.  And just in case you were thinking you can replace them tomorrow, Good Luck!!!
 
As a friend said to me the other day ~ every one can blog about the problems, but where are the solutions?  Let me give you three simple solutions you can implement today that will help you keep those profitable Recruiters working for your organization:
 
1.)   Revamp your TRAINERS – The world is changing and the Trainers need to be able to pass on usable information.  If they have NOT filled an order in the last 6 months, they hold NO relevant information that can be used to assist your Recruiter in selecting and filling the most profitable orders.

2.)   Keep Your Message Simple and Clear ~ Recruiter are nitrous for chasing squirrels, shiny objects, shoe laces, and pretty much anything that moves.  It is very, very important that you, as the Leader, keep our desks clear and keep our heads in the game.  The only way to effectively do this is to find a motivating mantra and stick with it.  If you want two fills per month then say that Simply and Clearly.

3.)   Be a COACH, not a Manager – A Coach drives results!  To drive results you will clear road blocks, get into the process where needed, celebrate the win as a Team, and analyze the failures to fine tune the overall process.

4.)   SAY “THANK YOU” – Statically people will work harder, longer and with less pay, if you can follow the simplest little plan listed below. It called….
 
The “No cash investment way to increase profitability” is:
a.     Check your EGO at the door
b.     Walk up to a Recruiter
c.     Extend your hand
d.     Shake their hand
e.     SAY “THANK YOU!”
 
If you did this once a week to each of your Recruiters, I guarantee, after the shock wears off, you would see an increase in productivity.  Do it weekly, and watch their productivity rise WEEKLY.
 
Okay, so I cheated and gave you four.
 
I will keep my closing brief:
 
WITHOUT A GOOD RECRUITER YOU HAVE NOTHING!!!! If you don’t properly lead them, someone else will, and if that doesn’t happen, they hang out their own shingle and be your direct competitor.  At the end of the day it is ONLY up to YOU whether they work with you or against you.

Have a GREAT week!!!

Which would you prefer: A Recruiting “Manager,” or a Recruiting “Coach?”

I would like to point out a Leader who is a straight shooter and proves that “Practical Leadership” techniques can/will drive revenue to the bottom line. 

His name is Steve M Archambault.  Find out why he calls his blog , “Are you $h*!;~@ me?”  —–> http://wp.me/p1gv2D-j

Cheers,

Rebecca B. Sargeant