Story Writing and Story Telling in Recruiting world

STORY WRITING: (Identifying and Sourcing)

A story writer has endless liberties to weave boundless emotions and outcomes in a story. A limited (i.e conventional) way of thinking only leads to boredom. There is a lot of excitement in the narration when the story is left open to many different outcomes at a point in time.  In the multivariate (MV) environment of recruiting world, I call this as being open to plan B, or even plan C.  Here comes the villain (or negative shade) of the story, say “MV.” The challenge with MV is that we all analyze the situation with our colored glasses on, called experience.  The general form of how the MV plays out is that a lot of possibilities are lost due to incorrect assumptions that creep in owing to biased analyses.  The more experience a person has, the clearer his viewpoint to analyze.  In this context, the experience brings most suitable perspective to keep the story rolling forward.  On flip side, few times, the same clarity in defining a story can carry blind spots with it, lack of humility and susceptibility.  Sometimes, the experience leads us to make assumptions that are not real to the correct prognosis of MV.  In a cinematic world this can be similar to a hero defying all human odds and become a godly figure. Unfortunately, invincibility is also boring to narration of a story.  A recruiter chasing a godly candidate (perfection) will not make any headway in the story.  Would you pick a fight that you know cannot be won?  The only way to keep the story interesting is to introduce an open line of communication with the producer of the story, called an RM or an AM.  Again, a lack of open communication leads to loss of productivity and outcomes in a story.  One of the other inherent challenge that a story writer carries is lack of exposure to various style guides, or mentors. In a recruiting world this can be synonymous to a person spending the whole life in a similar space (recruiting, sales, account management, etc) with total disregard for other characters in the storyline.  Lack of understanding of different characters leads to negative impact in the storyline.  This is often the reason for friction among various characters in a story, and a reflection of fight scenes in a cinema.  Various characters in the story perform different deliverables, and are measured on relevant impact scale. 

For a story writer a script is the bible to follow to the last detail.  In the MV world of recruiting this can find reflection in what is called a process.  The adherence to process is hence so critical for a good story to be made.  Can you imagine a story to succeed with a loosely tied script?  Random pieces of action clubbed together does nor lead to a successful story, rather just a news piece that has limited shelf life.  A story writer needs to be in news, not become a news.  Also, the story is timed in the MV world, just like any cinematic shoot is pre-planned.  A missed deadline leads to cost overruns, and operational difficulty for the production.  Hence, a properly followed script can help the story stay the course, and save the Director from becoming a fall guy.  The reputation of the story writer, a recruiter, is also at stake if the story fails to move forward on his account.  A tantrum throwing character artist ceases to be part of the storyline, for the producer has to finish a movie in assigned budget, and given timeline. 

STORY TELLING: Calling and Qualifying, Presentation, Internal sales

While story writing does not come naturally to a lot of people and often needs time to master, storytelling can be learnt. With enough practice and guidance, a recruiter can master the art of storytelling.  The core to storytelling activity is not to sell a plot, rather for the audience to want to hear to writer’s plot.  All said and done, storytelling is about making a sale happen.  Imagine a writer inaugurating a book in a hall with only few present in audience.  The picture looks very disappointing, isn’t it?  In contrast, a writer releasing a book to a packed audience in the hall, with cameras, news crew…well that is success looking picture.  In recruiting world of MV, this is called prospecting.  In technical parlance this is referred to as “Call List.”  Often, the MV industry of recruiting peddles story writers that are half seasoned.  It is welcoming, and forgiving nature of the industry.  However, when the financer is not happy, the industry is primed for a shakeup.  This is nothing different from the recessionary pressures we have at the moment.  The only way out for a story writer is to make a story that releases to a packed house.  If you cannot have a packed audience, then you are more likely to be shipped out.  

The storytelling effort requires a give and take approach to being successful.  This boils down to art of negotiating a win-win outcome.  The negotiation happens at all stages of storytelling cycle, with producer, director, actors, etc.  The story telling finds its strength from understanding the story well for starters. If you do not understand your characters, you will fail to enact.  In MV world of recruiting this is synonymous to understanding a client’s hiring needs, through the requisition that is put out.  At second step it boils down to chemistry of identifying the Sell vs Want communication guide with audience.  As suggested earlier, this art of making a person want something can be learnt.  A significant part goes towards packing the USP well.  Simply put, getting the best message of your story on the banner.  A single picture in the banner should speak for the whole story that you are making. 

The way the internal theatrics work is similar to a storyline going for editing, before release.  This is part of making sure the release of your hard work is picture perfect.  At this stage due emphasis goes into presenting and packaging the work well.  In the MV world of recruiting it is no different, you write a selling paragraph for your story or put a matrix of USP. The genesis of this effort still lies in the proper understanding of audience, i.e producer.  It is very similar to running a checklist of expectations vs delivery in the storyline. At some times, the effort will also involve retake, or even changes to accommodate the producer/financers wishes. This is all about making sure the storyline is accepted by all the stakeholders, before a special premier is done.

A recruiter's life is no more or no less than an actor in a story. How well one enacts the role defines the measure of success. Rest assured, the failing that one endures during the story writing or story telling times, will make the effort all the more human....a good one at that.