What Would Be the First Thing?

The advantages of having a strong relationship of influence and impact with your hiring managers are very obvious.

The way to build those relationships? Not so obvious.

Recruiters are often told to build trust with your HMs, be more consultative, push back, etc. Even though this is common advice, there is often very little guidance on how to actually do it.

After all, if they knew how to do it, they would already be doing it. Everybody understands all aspects of recruiting improve when recruiters have more influence with their hiring managers.

But it is not easy to tell recruiters how to do that.

The recruiting leader of a recruiting team I was about to begin coaching expressed privately to me her key frustration. She said, “I keep telling my recruiters to build trust with their hiring managers, and they just don't seem to be doing it.”

My response? I thought that was a great idea. Then I asked her, “What would be the first thing that a recruiter could do to begin building trust?”

There was a long pause. Then she said, “I really don't know.”

That's totally understandable. If you aren't really sure how to specifically direct recruiters to build those relationships, you're not alone.

I don't know about you, but even with several years of post graduate classes, there never was one on how to build a relationship where you actually are able to influence the person you're talking to.

How, exactly, do we do that?

As someone who tried to build trust by talking and telling, imagine my surprise when I realized that I could stop. What I needed to do was just ask questions. ?

Why are questions so powerful? For starters, in a world of short attention spans where boredom is a constant threat, there is one thing people will pay attention to—when they get to talk about themselves. By asking about their views, concerns, perspectives, and decisions, you're not only learning essential insights but also nurturing a consultative bond.

Moreover, by simply asking a question, you are in control of the conversation, guiding it to the information you need. So if you like being in control in these relationships, ask more questions.

Please download the free Consultative Recruiter Principles CHEAT SHEET. It's full of lots of tips to build the relationships of influence and impact you truly deserve. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1K8ml3V3LZG7o4kP3fi-V4rI4C5vYpPu4?usp=sharing

Remember, your hiring managers are your partners in recruiting, not your customers. They may lack certain skills, through no fault of their own. By asking questions, you are actually coaching them with a non-lecture non-confrontational approach and equipping them with the necessary expertise.

Please try it. This strategy has the power to transform your recruiting partnerships and results.

For more strategies to amp up your results and create impact with your HMs, check out the video class: Leveraging ChatGPT for Consultative Recruiting

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Best wishes for epic recruiting results with HMs who truly understand your value!