Are you listening?

Active listening - we claim we listen every day, every time, but how many of us listen with intent, understand with purpose, and act to make the right impact? I believe it should extend beyond auditory perception to active retention of what we hear and the ability to apply it judiciously.

Let me ask more specifically and connect it with what I do. I have been into talent acquisition for the past two decades. As people who connect talents to opportunities, how many of us actively listen to our clients and understand their needs?

Active listening is the key to unlocking meaningful client relationships, successful candidate matches, and overall excellence in what we do, right? And if we fail to do that, we know what it will lead to - mismatched candidates, wasted resources, damaged client relationships, missed opportunities, and finally, it will just show our overall inefficiency. Do we want that? No!

So, from what I have learned over the years, let me jot down why I believe active listening is one of the main pillars of talent acquisition.

Understand the needs:

When you listen, you fully comprehend the requirements and preferences. You can tailor your criteria more effectively and deliver better results.

Build a good and lasting rapport:

Whether it is a client or candidate, they will feel valued and understood when concerns, expectations, and goals are acknowledged and addressed promptly. That's the right way to build the rapport you want.

Clarify expectations:

You can clarify ambiguities or uncertainties, ensuring everyone is on the same page about everything, including skills, qualifications, and cultural fit.

Find key insights:

This tip comes from my experience as a talent acquisition leader - If you are good at active listening, you will get valuable insights. Your focus should be on subtle cues, preferences, trends, etc., shared in every conversation and the current and past sourcing and selection strategies.

Problem-solving and adaptation:

To quickly adapt to changing needs or unexpected challenges, be open to feedback and constructive criticism, and you can proactively address problems and propose the right solutions.

Closing communication gaps:

In life or at work, miscommunication and misunderstanding leave lasting harm, right? With your active listening skills, you can bridge communication gaps by ensuring everyone is clear about perspectives, expectations, and objectives.

Improve candidate experience:

Active listening is not just about your client interactions. It also applies to candidate interactions to create a positive candidate experience and attract top talent.

Now that we know the benefits, what should we do to practice active listening?

1. Undivided attention during conversations - no distractions, including multitasking or interrupting.
2. Use verbal and nonverbal cues. Everything from eye contact to body language, facial expressions, paraphrasing, and reflective silence can help.
3. Ask questions to confirm what you have understood. It will also help you delve deeper into the requirements of both clients and candidates.
4. Reflect on and summarize the main points, ensure alignment, and avoid misinterpretation.
5. Follow up with actionable insights or solutions that show you have clearly understood the needs and objectives.

You tune in, you win. If you fail, be ready to be left behind. So, tell me, are you listening?