Out-of-the-Box thinking of a Social Recruiter.
The conventional methods of hiring are not as effective as they used to be. So in a landscape where the workers’ expectations of the how they work, what work they do, and even where they work - are changing every day, how does a recruiter get a grasp of best hiring practices? Even contemporary practices of using monster job search boards or posting on Linked-In are ineffective as we are using out dated social practices to hire people through these portals. In fact, the hiring entire system is completely disjointed. We are barely tapping into our full social potential.
Higher Thinking by Social Recruiters:
If recruiters are to reinvent themselves, they will have to find drastically new ways to think about the hiring process. First, they need to employ big picture thinking. Focusing on numbers, doing searches every day and job-posting on popular job boards may be an effective strategy in fetching tons of people. However, having the ability and the critical knowledge to see how the candidates found can fit into an organization, bring value to the organizational brand is both crucial and elusive. A newbie recruiter will give a list of candidates as per the professional requirement. A truly veteran recruiter will tell one where these people fit into the organization and how they will serve you in the long term. A veteran recruiter will also know when a highly qualified candidate needs to be hired for a new‖ position even though there is no immediate position open. He / she may help the organization climb the ladder of success at a later date. All of this strategizing requires foresight and critical thought. In short- one needs to use higher level thinking. Recruiters need to constantly scan the field for new technology, best practices and hiring methodologies.
Competitive Mentality of Social Recruiters:
Equally important as using higher thinking practices is to have a competitive mentality. By competitive mentality, one means the persistence, determination, competitive edge and solid follow up skills that a recruiter must have in order to succeed. Let me illustrate this with an example. Have you seen a lion on the hunt? The Lion on a hunt first stalks the prey, taking in all information. Then, he assesses the situation. Then he looks for any change in the situation. Making sure he is well-informed before he strikes. Then he creeps up slowly gaining momentum. Once he breaks into a run, there is no going back - it becomes a life and death situation - a chase till the end. The hunt is never easy nor does the lion ever have the option of giving up. If it gives up, its pride will go hungry for the day. Things are not quite so literal for a recruiter. However looking at this analogy, one can see the kind of persistence and dedication required to become a successful recruiter.
Today, both new and experienced recruiters have easy access to sources of information about different candidates. There are millions of websites, platforms and apps that are built to make the recruiters’ life easier and candidate’s job search smoother. The challenge comes when recruiters stop looking beyond these tools and use them as the sole recruitment venue. As a veteran recruiter, one must be able to use platforms as tools in order to recruit with finesse. Recruitment is both a science and an art - so how one uses these tools makes all the difference. The persistence one needs goes far beyond just doing searches for candidates on Monster search website all day. Instead of limiting oneself to online searches, one must use a combination of cold calling, social media, using profession specific platforms and in-person networking to name a few techniques.
If you’re looking for more such information, feel free to go through Amit Sharma’s ‘Social Recruiters’ book. Amit Sharma has 20 years of experience in the recruitment industry. You can find his book on Amazon or on this site - www.amitsharma.net