Did you ever have a love/hate relationship…Can’t live with them…can’t live without them? Sure, most of us have. What makes this even more interesting is that I am talking about your ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?

On one hand, resume parsing is a miracle and saves us countless minutes of data entry time (which translates into more phone time). On the other hand, I often sit there and think, “Who does this system think it is? What does it know about my candidates!”

Let’s back up a step. What exactly is parsing? If you don’t know and you have an Applicant Tracking System, the 80’s are calling and they want your ATS back.” If you do know, you might be in for a surprise…in either case, read on and see if your system is worthy of going forward with your “relationship.”

Parsing – as it relates to computers – is defined as follows: to analyze (a string of characters) in order to associate groups of characters with the syntactic units of the underlying grammar [1]. Nice, very geek, but what does it mean to us – a recruiter? In English, the parsing of a resume means the “digesting” of all the words in the resume, figuring out which words are the education, the work history, the contact information (including email and phone numbers), and finally, the skills or “buzz words” that are contained in the resume and then putting them into the correct fields in the newly created candidate record. Think of all the data entry time we save! Parsing is a wonderful thing….I love resume parsing.

Great resume parsing engines all have some degree of artificial intelligence (aka: A.I.) to help them get these things done. It’s nothing more than a set of rules that, in the end, places certain data into certain fields in the candidate record. Here’s one example (this is the AI talking now): “If you see a 5-digit number, one or two spaces after a particular 2-letter abbreviation of any of these 51 following choices (the 50 states and DC), chances are the 5-digit number is a zip code, so put that 5-digit number in the zip code field in the record.” Whew! All of that just to recognize a zip code….it’s actually much worse than that, and there are tons of rules…..the better the AI, the more rules, but the better the results.

As recruiters, we don’t care about the rules, we just want it to work and we want it to work fast. And, herein lies the problem. We are an impatient group, that’s for sure. We, as recruiters, want everything now, or sooner! We would be happy if we just had one key on our keyboard that simply said “PLACE!”

The danger of resume parsing exists in not taking enough time to review or “screen” our candidate record that was just “parsed” into the system. As part of the standard parsing procedure, most systems will parse the buzz words found in the resume into the “SKILLS” section of the candidate record. That portion of the procedure creates problems…I hate resume parsing!

In very general terms, when in comes to the buzz words found in a resume, systems simply look at the resume and compare all of the words in the resume to your “skills list.” This “skills list” is either developed by you based upon your vertical niche(s) or is supplied by the ATS vendor as a skills library to get you started. Either way, all you are doing is comparing words in the resume to words stored in some way on your ATS. [note: some systems even recognize that certain words or phrases are “new” to the skills list and even alert the user to this fact…nice!]

This indeed saves you a ton of time….Every “Click” you can save on your ATS is a second of time that you could be spending on the phone. Save yourself 60 clicks and that’s another minute of phone time – another conversation! Based upon this theory, parsing will easily save you the equivalent of about 25-30 minutes a day, minimum…or will it?

It could actually cost you time, hundreds of minutes wasted, and over and over again to boot! The fact that some systems will help populate the skills area of your candidate files can – if not used properly - turn your ATS into nothing more than a huge rolodex. The short term answer is to TURN THIS PORTION OF YOUR SYSTEM PARSING OFF!

Allow me to explain. First, take this into consideration: All good systems allow the searching of buzz words in a resume…search resumes anytime you want for any buzz words. And, the best systems will even highlight those words in the resume, so that you can see the context in which those words were meant to be used.

So, why then do we want to take those same words out of the resume and put them into the candidate record “fields” that illustrates a person’s expertise? Actually, I am suggesting that we do not! The best use of a system is to reserve the skills, categories, sub skills area of the candidate record for “HOW YOU CAN PLACE A PERSON.” Put another way: “HOW YOU CAN MAKE MONEY FROM THIS PERSON’S SKILLS.”

Reserve these fields that are in the database for how YOU say a candidate can be placed. If you allow the buzz words in the resume to populate these fields, you have just allowed that candidate (more exactly, that candidate’s resume) to tell you how this person can be placed. Our world does not work this way. WE get to say how we can place a candidate, not the other way around.

While we are in love with the time savings, we hate the fact that those words are there (in the skills area) and now too many records come up in a search and most of these folks cannot really perform those skills listed.

But, it is our own fault. We never took the time to screen or double check the words listed in those fields. We never took the time to ask ourselves, “Can I really place this person with the skills listed here?” If you cannot place the person based upon those buzz words, you MUST REMOVE THOSE WORDS.

Just think if every single record in your candidate database had a field or two in them that said, “Here’s how you can place this person…here’s how you can, guaranteed, make money with regard to this person.” This is what you want to strive for….and if you perform this step every time you screen a candidate, your database will be worth that much more every time you search the candidate file. Don’t forget, be ruthless! You can always search the resumes for any buzz words you want….just remember to reserve the database portion of the record for the money items…how I can make a buck!

If you already are working this way, you are way ahead of the curve. If you agree with this concept but haven’t been doing this, what can you do about it? It’s actually not hard at all. Just begin. The first thing to do is turn that portion of the parsing off. Check with your ATS vendor and see if they can. If it cannot be turned off, it is not even close to being a problem, so don’t fret! Just remember that every time a candidate record is entered into your system, take the time to screen the record appropriately. Go to those fields that store “skills” information and make sure that you have “screened” a candidate correctly. This means that the only skills loaded into the record are the “money–makers.” Make a note in those records that it is done. Be consistent as to how and where you enter this note. As people see these records, they will see that this is one of the “updated” records. You may even be able to do a “sub-search” on just the “updated” records. Keep at it. Continue to update a record every time you talk to that person. Remember to remove those skills, titles and categories from a person’s record if there is no way that you will ever place that person with that item (Why would you ever want a skill in a record if you could never place that person with that skill?). Over time, your system will become incredibly accurate. You will save countless hours of reading and re-reading candidate records and associated resumes again and again. You will learn to trust the information in these fields, because you were the one that put them there, checked their accuracy, and know that they will save you time and make you money!

Article by John Sacerdote, CPC, CTS

Recruiters are an amazing bunch to me. After “hanging around” with recruiters since 1977 (I was one for 3 years!), I have found that there is really no profession quite like this profession. You need to be aggressive, yet understanding. You have to want – and get – everything now and you have little patience for anything else. But, in turn, you live (and thrive) in a “what have you done for me lately” world.

So what’s all this nonsense about computers? Isn’t it just another tool for you to get your work done quicker, better, cheaper? Actually, that’s all it is. But, to be a bit more specific, it’s the software. That software may not even reside in your building anymore, not to mention minor details such as your data. Does that matter anymore? Not really. In fact, the chances are high that the company hosting your data actually takes better care of it than you do. They will make regular and frequent backups, make sure the server is always running, probably have tighter security/firewalls, etc. It does not matter where your data and software resides, it matters how well you use it and how many capabilities this software has versus what you need to get your job done.

Picture this: It’s 8:30 am, you walk in your office and notice two of your recruiters are already at their desks with their headphones on, busily “hammering” away on their keyboards (actually, they resemble telephone operators or airlines reservation staff, but, who cares, they just need their hands free to enter and retrieve data at their PCs). You sit down at your desk (you’re a working owner). The first task of the day is always the same – turn on your PC and log in; let the system know you’re there. “Good morning,” you’re told. “You have mail!” Various items include email from your staff recruiters at this office, your branch offices, your affiliates across the United States, and emails from client companies and candidates. Even your web site has let you know that there are new resumes waiting and some of them are matching your posted jobs! You glance through your mail marking those that are completed and those needing later attention. It’s prime calling time – you need to check your daily planner …now! A couple of mouse clicks and – zap – a listing of what’s happening today….

You’re off and running – dialing for dollars – your plan was set from the night before as well as from the normal course of doing your business each day. This is the new millennium. You cannot afford to waste a single minute of the day Gone are the days of looking through hundreds of folders (the best and most recent of which were scattered on different recruiter’s desks). Gone are the days of making that 5 minute, round trip to the fax machine and sending it over to your hiring official.

Computers and recruiters are a natural. The employment industry lends itself well to automation. Software as a recruiting tool has been around now for over 25 years. Most people (software vendors) have gotten the basics down, such as record storage, search capabilities, storing resumes, and tracking activity. However, there are some specifics – some areas of “concentration” – where automation will truly make a difference – giving you that competitive edge.

1. Basic design concepts

A “person” file is all you need. Gone are the days of a “Client Contact” file and a “Candidate” file. There is only the need for a person file. The system should have the capability to then “classify” people into what they are – a hiring official, a candidate, a lead, a source or whatever. This way you only have one place to look (especially when they call you on the phone and you can’t remember who they are!). Yes, you still need a company file and job order files. Most important is that they all “link” accordingly. But, these days, this is considered “it goes without saying” that your system should be configured that way. If it’s not, you’re being slowed down.

Also with regard to basic design, the MAJOR part of any system is how well you can track the hiring process. That means you better have an activity file of some type. And, it better be “relational” to everything. “Relational” is certainly a technical term, but to us it means “no menus please, I know what I want.” A recruiter does not need to be slowed down by a selection of choices to pick from when all they need to know is where a candidate has interviewed or how many job orders has this contact given me in the past 3 months. This must be only a click away. Anything more is a waste of time. And, I must be able to perform this task from any direction. That is, if I’m looking at a piece of activity such as a send-out, I may need to see the candidate record of the person on that send-out or the job order involved and/or some info on the client contact or the company itself, and all with just 1 click! Further, while looking at the candidate record that is linked to the activity, it may remind me to see where else that person has activity, and on and on. The point is that I will need to navigate from one point to another, endlessly if necessary. As long as they are “related,” I should be able to do it easily.

2. No administrative tasks (aka: Automated Office Support)

This will never approach zero, but the closer you can get to it, the better. Huge examples here are the ability to receive resumes electronically and get them into the system with little to no manual intervention. “Parsing of resumes” is the tech talk on the subject. While no system is perfect, the more a system can “pre-enter” data from the resume, the better off you will be. However, there must always be manual checks and balances here Verify that contact information, especially the email address. WARNING/DANGER! There is something that happens here that is usually the downfall to every recruiter who really doesn’t understand that this is “just another tool” to assist you. Stay away from systems that grab all the buzz words in the resumes and “store” them in your skills section of the record. If a system allows the searching of key words in the resume (I know of very few systems that do NOT do this) in a timely manner (aka: instantaneously), then why do you also need it in the skills area. Here’s the problem: The candidate’s resume is the vehicle that allows them to tell you their skills. What you need though, is an area for you – only for you – that tells you how you can make a buck off of this person. Don’t kid yourself. That’s what we do as recruiters: find people jobs and get paid for it. Let the resume tell me what the candidate thinks of him/herself. Let the “skills section” of my database tell me how I can place this person. That’s one of the biggest secrets of an effective use of ANY software package.

Other admin duties to be eliminated are the manual entry of a daily planner. I want my daily transactions that need to be followed up on, to “become” items in my daily planner. For those tasks that require new development or marketing or recruiting, I just want to point to the names or companies that I need and have them “appear” in my planner. Further, I want items in my planner that are unfinished or need follow up, to appear in my planner, again, but at a later date.

A library of emails and letters are needed so that I can just point to the template that I need and not re-type or re-write every email or letter sent. It would be great for me to be able to quickly put together newsletters, candidate marketing tools and email blasts without much effort as well.

I need all my job orders to be posted to my web site automatically and even other job boards outside of my site that are free and/or paid. The system can tell me how much it will be and keep track of all transactions. Further, I want some type of warning system or “auto-matching” capability that constantly compares jobs to candidates and vise versa. You see the pattern, all administrative tasks should be taken care of as much as possible.

3. Automated Desk Management

The major part of any system is its ability to automate desk management, or to track activity. Activity is defined as any interaction between a client contact and/or a candidate, whether there is a job order on file or not. Ask yourself one question: In the end, what is it that I want this software to do for me? The answer is easy. We want this software to organize our lives to the point that we have more phone time. After all, no matter what tools we have – it is our ability as recruiters to put candidates in front of hiring officials. The activity that is entered “on-the-fly” or in “real-time” is the basis of activity which in turn is the basis of our activity/follow-up/daily planner. Good software will organize all activity as they are logged by type, follow up, follow-up by whom, priority and even which time of the day follow up should occur. The ability to “present” these transactions to the recruiter, owner or manager in the appropriate manner (for each person) is the making of a great system.

4. Automated Office Management

There’s a theme that is beginning to develop here: in order to stay competitive, your agency will have to produce more effectively/efficiently than the next guy. Automated office management will allow an owner/manager to react to trends as they develop (“Bill, you’re 10 market calls off of your goal in the first 2 days of this week…you still have 3 days to get back on target by Friday of this week”) as opposed to (“Bill, your numbers were down last month!”). And in the event that a recruiter leaves, a great software package will make it much easier to “plug-in” a new or alternate recruiter, keeping start-up or down time to a minimum.

Reporting tools will be generated from activity. This business is a numbers game. It has always been a numbers game. If a recruiter comes to you and says they want to take home an additional $25,000.00 next year, you can tell them, to the day, what they need to do. How? The answers are in those transactions that they have entered…their activity. Specifically, the answers are in the totals of each activity type and the ratios of one type of activity to the other. Ratios such as resumes sent/emailed to send-outs (1^st interviews) and interviews to offers and offers to placements. You can coach a recruiter in all these aspects of the hiring cycle, measuring performance along the way, insuring their success.

5. Web Integration

The new kid on the block to be sure! What goes hand-in-hand with a great software package is its ability to integrate to your web site. There are actually a couple of terms for this already. One that comes to mind is “bi-directional” software. Software that allows interaction from candidates and/or hiring officials is said to be “bi-directional.” In these days of “retention” and “competitive edge,” a great system will allow a candidate to check his/her own activity, leave a new resume, create a new candidate record or update their own contact information (back to that administrative item). A client company can leave a job order and even do a preliminary search for potential candidates. Or, a hiring official can check feedback and “next-step” items for a particular candidate or other hiring officials under his/her leadership. The portal or the mechanism that allows that to happen is your web site.

In closing, the no-nonsense software for today will organize your life and the lives of all your recruiters. It will not, however, make placements for you. This no-nonsense software list will point you in the right direction; assist you in the areas of research and tracking of activity, become your assistant allowing you to “close more deals” on the phone.

So, it’s 6:00 pm – you’re ready to go home. Before you leave, you request a report of activity for the entire office for today. Production is on target, calls have been made, goals have been met – wonderful! It’s time to log off. The software stops you and asks, “Do you want a list of tonight’s calls?” You respond with a verbal “Yes!” …what else?

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

By Barb Bruno, CPC, CTS

One of the greatest benefits of our profession is that there is no limit to the income you can earn. On the other hand, if you’re not successful you can earn minimum wage. Hard work does not guarantee success, but a lack of hard work definitely guarantees failure. It’s important to know exactly where to place your efforts that will provide you with results.

Once you learn to understand your individual numbers and ratios, you take the mystery out of exactly what you need to do on a daily basis to succeed. Your owner or manager will never come up to you and say, “You’ve made enough placements or fills this month – you need to stop!”

If you talk to other sales professionals, they know their numbers. Just ask someone in real estate, insurance, retail or individuals who sell other type of professional services. It always amazes me how many recruiters don’t track their numbers and don’t know their ratios. Just imagine how great it would be if you could arrive at work knowing exactly what results you needed each day?

Let’s talk for a minute about the most important numbers you need to keep. Obviously, there are two sides to the placement process i.e. Recruiting and Client Development.

SEND-OUTS ARRANGED & SEND-OUTS

The most important number to keep on both sides of our sale is the send-outs arranged and send-out totals. How many candidates do you send-out on an interview with a hiring authority before someone is hired? For this stat, you only count first interviews between a candidate and a decision maker.

RECRUITING

There are several stats you need to track on this side of the placement process.

Recruiting call to HIT (Someone sends you a resume)

HIT to Interview (Individuals you actually interview)

Interview to Send-Out (How many of the candidates you interview get sent out on

interviews)

Send-Out to Placement (Most important Stat to track)

CLIENT DEVELOPMENT

There are several stats you need to track on this side of the placement process

Marketing call to Hit (Write a Job Order)

Job Order to Fill (How many job orders do you write before you fill one)

SOA to Hire (How many send outs do you arrange before a hire)

Once you know your numbers and stats, you will know exactly what results you need to generate consistently to hit your goals. It’s not about the number of calls – it’s all about your personal commitment to hit your results daily. If you do not hit your results on a specific day, the difference is added to subsequent days in the week. If you don’t give yourself a “break” you will never have a blank month and will enjoy consistent production.

Barb Bruno, CPC, CTS is one of the most trusted experts, speakers and trainers in the Staffing and Recruiting Professions. If you want to receive FREE training articles from Barb, sign up for her NO BS Newsletter!  Barb Bruno, CPC, CTS has spent the last twenty years focused on helping Owners, Managers and Recruiters INCREASE their Sales, Profits and Income! Her Top Producer Tutor web-based training program jumps starts new hires and takes experienced recruiters to their next level of production.  Barb just released her cutting edge program Candidate Next Step (CNS) which provides you with a Customized Career Portal in less than 10 minutes.  CNS turns the 95% of Candidate you Don’t Place into Passive Income and eliminates the Greatest Time Waster in your Business.  If you’d like to contact Barb, call 219.663.9609 or Email support@staffingandrecruiting.com

Recruiting is a sales profession, which of course ensures a high level of rejection. If you are to reach your potential as a recruiter, it is extremely important for you to realize that objections are actually buying signs; requests for more information.

You are in a sales profession and you should be able to overcome at least three objections in a successful presentation. Once you realize that objections are buying signs, they become less intimidating and easier to handle. There is only one type of objection you can’t overcome and that is silence.

All other objections fall into four categories: Price, Service, Personal and Postponement. It is much easier to effectively handle an objection when you learn what type of objection you are facing. For instance, if someone says, “send me a resume” that is obviously a postponement objection. If you are asked to quote your rates, you are facing a price objection. A personal objection could be a complaint directed at you or the firm you represent. A service objection is easy to identify – have you ever heard the phrase “You people”?

Write down the twenty most common objections you hear, place them in one of the four categories and prepare your responses. It is very important to have your responses ready and well rehearsed so they come across very natural. Once you master the art of overcoming objections, you will experience a higher level of success.

Make sure your calls are not WWD (What We Do) calls. Whether you are speaking to a candidate or client, always address their WIIFM (What’s In It For Me). When you address what is important to the other person, you will eventually earn the status of a Trusted Advisor. Recruiting is a relationship building profession. Effectively addressing objections is just one step in the process.

If you are not overcoming three objections per call, you are making customer service calls not sales calls. Once you master the skills of overcoming objections your personal success will escalate and so will your income.

If you enjoy Barb’s Recruiter Training and would like to learn techniques utilized by search firm recruiters, call today to set up a FREE walk through of the Top Producer Tutor - 219.663.9609

After nearly a full year of unemployment I can honestly say that I have been comforted and helped in many ways by the support and generosity of my friends.  I am one of the lucky ones who has been able to make the most of it, but it has still been a frustrating, frightening and humbling experience; never have I felt more vulnerable.

If you know someone who is unemployed, and almost everyone does these days, you want to help, but may have no idea what to do.  The most important thing to remember is rather than asking “What can I do to help?” — just do it.

1.  Stay in touch, especially if you are a former colleague. Call, write, or drop by.   Do something out of the ordinary such as offering to bring lunch or dinner.  If they live alone, share the meal with them.  Isolation can be devastating and your presence will help.

2.  Don’t ask if you don’t want to know. Most people ask “how are you?” and don’t really want to know. Letting out the real truth is invigorating and the unemployed need reinvigoration.  Encourage them to dump on you if you can take it; if you can’t, don’t ask.

3.  Include your unemployed friends in opportunities to network. Painfully obvious when you become unemployed is that your identity in Washington, DC is about who you work for and what you do.   Invitations stop because you no longer have the work identity; you lose your connections quickly. Include your friends in events with networking opportunities or simply to stay current in their field.

4.  Share relevant information. Send helpful articles about employment trends, movements in the industry, or actual jobs.   Tell them about your work and ask for their guidance.  Give them the latest gossip.  When you are unemployed you miss the rush of being able to give advice and help to others.

5.  Invite them to meet for lunch during the work week. You do not need to buy, but do suggest a place that is inexpensive.  While well-intentioned on your part, it is awkward to be on the receiving end of a free lunch if it is not your usual arrangement.

6.  Help them network by asking some of your contacts to meet with them for an informational interview.  Forward their resume and give them contact information to make the follow-up calls. Building a network is the foundation for job-hunting success; each person they meet with should provide additional contacts.  Follow up to make sure they have a clear plan of action for follow-ups.

7.  Offer to critique their resume and sample cover letter. This is invaluable help. Nobody can be objective about their own writing; you may identify obvious errors, lack of clarity, or inconsistencies that could cost them an interview.

8.  Help them practice their elevator speech. In particular, those making career changes need practice selling their qualifications and their career objectives to others.  Offer to listen and critique or get others involved and provide group support.

9.  Put on a little bit of pressure. We unemployed are insecure and defensive. Unemployment breeds lack of confidence and your encouragement and gentle push can move them through the fear that poisons the ability to act.   Be firm but kind when they need to do something differently or more diligently.

10.  Ask them to use you for accountability. It may help for them to report to someone daily or weekly about the number of contacts they make or resumes they send.  It helps to have someone to crow to and receive high-fives from.  You could spur someone to action when they are feeling depressed and deflated.

Please make it one of your resolutions to reach out to someone who needs employment.

Katherine Dudley Hoehn is an active blogger and traveler who never goes anywhere without her camera. Her blog is http://observationsindailylife.blogspot.com and she writes from Falls Church, VA

By John Sacerdote, CPC/CTS

Circle the wagons, quickly!  We are all about to die, let alone go out of business!  Well, to continue the pun, let’s all just hold our horses.  I have been through a number of recessions since I started in this business in 1977.  While this is tougher than most, my best advice to you is to stop watching the television.  The doom and gloom makes for great ratings, but doesn’t do much for us.  Let’s just get back to work and start doing the things that made us so successful in the first place.  Forget what those things are?  Let’s refresh our collective memories.

3 weeks ago, I heard Dick Stewart, CPC, founder of RJS Associates (one of the largest search firms in Connecticut) and owner of Stewart Staffing (also in Connecticut) give a talk to CAPS members about “Leading in Tough Times.”  It was a great talk from an experienced owner who has lived thru several recessions.  While there were many dead-on points and take-aways, the main theme of Dick’s presentation was all about getting back to the basics and even spending more money on education and not less (most of us tend to close our wallets and see if we can outlast the problem).  Now is the time to do something to assist our recruiters, not later when times are good.

Today, we are talking about hiring an assistant.  The good news is that it will cost you nothing and they will never stop working, no interview is necessary and you’ve already checked their references.  We are, all kidding aside, talking about your ATS (Applicant Tracking System).  During Dick’s presentation (while I was jotting down a ton of notes), I was thinking, “What would I do if I were an owner, a manager or a recruiter as it relates to what I know. How can I put this to use?”

When I train people on ATS best practices, I always tell them that, first and foremost, this is a phone business – always was and always will be…so your most important tool is the phone!  But, the next most important tool that a recruiter has is their ATS.  The point being is that we need to tune it up a notch in terms of how we use it, especially now.

This is not without some investment in time, so be prepared.  This is all about prepping yourself so that you can spend more time on the phone during those critical hours, those “golden hours.”  The end game here is to create more daily pipeline activity with the same if not less effort.  It requires some set up at first, but once you’re ready, it’s off to the races!

What does an ATS actually do for us?  Really only a few things:

-          Track all conversations with people (Candidates, and contacts/hiring officials – and I mean no matter what stage of development they are in;  i.e. prospect to new lead to long time client to whatever.)

-          Search for things that you need (Jobs that fit that new super-candidate that has just walked in the door.  Conversely, candidates that fit the job order that you have just taken from that favorite client or that new client that you have been dying to work with for weeks, if not months).

-          Track activity with regard to the hiring cycle (log in those resumes that have been sent, the interviews that you have set up, offers and of course, those wonderful placements!) and then, as the coup de grace, I need to be able to draw relationships between them all….metrics!

Any ATS worth its salt will allow you to do all of the above and at a much greater level of detail….First, and in order that this “assistant” can get started working for us, we need to prep appropriately:

“Prep work” can be summarized with two quick questions: Are all of your candidates that you are actively working in the system?  Are all of your contacts and the job orders/requisitions that these contacts have given you that you are actively trying to fill, in the system?  If they are not, how can you expect to stay current with what is going on every day in your life?  Frankly you can’t, so the only pre-requisite to this is to be current and stay current with regard to ALL people.  Do this one thing and the rest will fall into place.

The best technique or habit that you can develop is the following: As I work my desk throughout the day, I want the record (or file) of every single person that I talk to up on the screen BEFORE I talk to them.  That means I need a fast find mechanism to call up that record in seconds.  I want that record in front of me EVERY TIME I talk to someone, so that I can first, talk to that person with intelligence, second, be ready to make changes to the record that affect my ability to make money, and third, be able to add a note that we talked as well as a reminder if I need to call them back for that job order that they just promised me for next week (as an example).  This all needs to happen to me while I am on the phone with that candidate or contact.  If my ATS cannot keep up with the way I work, I begin to lose faith in it and that’s the beginning of the end…I will not trust it and will eventually stop using it.  So, the first thing that my assistant must be able to provide me with is data, fast – on everyone that I speak to, every day, all day.  If that one basic truth cannot happen, I will fire my assistant!

Next, my assistant must be able to get in touch with these folks fast and/or automatically.  For example, I want to be able to “point” to specific records or similar types of records and send them periodic messages, whether they are requests for an update of data, an “I’ve got a job or you” message or a marketing list of available, hot candidates that I can send to favorite contacts.  On occasion, I will need to be able to email all of them immediately, and I want that email to be personalized and further, I want that email that I am about to send to be stored in a library of pre-existing emails so that I never have to type a similar email over again, ever!  Using this one technique, I will be able to contact that many more people on a regular basis – just one way to keep my pipeline of activity full whiling taking no phone time away from me.

My assistant must next organize my life on a number of different levels.  With regard to searching the database, I want a list of my favorite searches already saved so that the next time I have a need, I can just run the search and have it check the database anytime I want…in real time, for that type of person or job.  There’s no way I have the time to enter that same set of criteria for that same type of person over and over again….my assistant can do that for me.   Further, when the latest results are presented, I want to be able to store selected lists of folks in the form of a “call list” so that I can check in on them whenever there is a need.  These saved lists can be candidates or contacts depending upon my project du jour.

Now, I’m getting smarter and more efficient, thanks to my assistant, in that I want to “chain” a bunch of the items previously mentioned together.  Consider this scenario as an example:  I talk to a hiring official who has a real (qualified) need for a Linux/Unix system administrator whose main app is Oracle.  I simply call up my list of “sys admin favs,” (that I have previously marked in the data base), select an item that says email to all of them, it grabs all their email addresses and puts me in outbound email. I call up my pre-stored email that explains “hey, have I got a job for you…call me…like, now” and I hit send.  In less than 10 seconds, I have sent out a personalized email to every single person that I have pre-qualified in the past as a great sys admin.  Since the list is pre-stored, I’ll give it a couple of hours or even a day and follow up with all of them, since the list also doubles as my call list….But, how many of them will call me?…think of all the phone activity you have generated by sending a targeted email, personalized, to a group of people that you have already coached and/or prequalified….nice!

What about all these “devices” (for lack of a better word – I’ve never been that technical!) that snoop around out there looking for passive candidates on the internet.  Wouldn’t it be nice if I can enter a job, point to the important specs for the job (all the “must haves”) and then tell it to go looking for candidates that fit the need….and get back to me when you have X number of candidates that might be right for that job.  Now, that really is like having someone searching the internet while you go about your daily recruiter work.  And, have your assistant link them to the job that you asked about (to keep my life even more organized) and one last thing, automatically email me when you have some candidates!

Finally, as a result of generating all this activity, some of it starts to pop!  That is, you have found people that are right for a job or conversely, you have located a job that is perfect for a candidate.  As a result, you need to start tracking activity.[1]  It must flow in a manner that works with the way I work.  That means if I am on a candidate record and I need to log that fact that this person is right for a particular job, then I need to be able to do that right from that candidate record.  Yet, the very next scenario might be that I am looking at a job and it dawns on me that a particular candidate is perfect for that job.  This means that I need to have that activity added directly from the job.  And, to top it all off, I need to then see that activity that I added, relative to all of the records involved, whenever I am on ANY of those records.  That means if I am looking at the candidate, I can see all the places that I thought this person is good for, including every place his resume was sent, everyplace he/she has interviewed, all offers and placements, etc.  I also will need to see that same info relative to the job, or the contact who gave me that job.  I may even need to see all the activity that has transacted at a company…AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, I must only enter that info ONCE and have it appear all over the place….now that’s an assistant!!!!

I can then take all of that activity that I enter through the normal course of my recruiter day and see how I am doing compared to my goals, see what my send-out to interview ratio is, see what my offer to placement ratio is and more.  And, I may want to do this several times throughout the day or week.  It’s the automatic accumulation of this data that will save me so much time….there’s no way I have the time to make tick marks on a daily planner to report how many cold calls, interviews, etc. that I worked on during the day…my new assistant will do that.  Besides, I need to stay on the phone!

To quickly summarize, there is so much more your ATS can and should be doing for you in addition to what has been discussed here.  Consider these as basic/beginning tasks that you can “teach’ your new assistant in order that you get through your day.  Get these beginning items down so that they become a regular part of your life and then we will talk about giving that assistant of yours a promotion!

You are in the best profession and in order to take ownership and hold yourself accountable, the topic of attitude needs to be addressed as part of your Recruiting Training.

In Recruiting your success depends:

• 10% on what happens to you
• 90% on how you react

You have 100% control over how you choose to react!

No one can upset you, disappoint you, ruin your day or month, or control your emotions unless you “Give Them Permission” to do so. No one can motivate you, it comes from within!

Do you know you deserve more, but settle for so much less?

Recruiting is a Sales Profession. Let’s discuss the meaning of sales?

The one-word meaning of sales: Work
The two-word meaning of sales: Work Harder

We all want to know the fastest, easiest best way to make a sale. One day I asked an audience of recruiters the following question:

“How many of you would like a list of Top Talent (100 names and contact information) in your most difficult area to find candidates?” Of course EVERYONE raised their hand. In reality, that list doesn’t exist. But don’t we all wish it did!

If you are going to take ownership of your career, you need to set achievable goals.

Ask yourself the following:

• Where will I be a year from now?
• What will I produce in sales?
• How will I achieve that goal?
• Are my real world goals established and written down?

The definition of a Goal: A dream with a plan and a deadline

Are you aware that 74% of adults don’t write down their goals!

If you tie in your Goals to your Dreams, you will hold yourself Accountable! Remember there are no limits in our profession!

There are steps to goal setting with an accountability factor:

STEP ONE: CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WANT
Write down exactly what you want to achieve, in as much detail as possible

STEP TWO: DATE YOUR GOALS
You need to indicate a start date and completion date for all goals. Unless you commit to a start and target end, your ability to hold yourself accountable is questionable.

STEP THREE: LIST THE OBSTACLES YOU WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME
We are in a sales profession and there will be obstacles along the way that try to prevent you from attaining the goals you have set. You need to identify them, up front.

STEP FOUR: LIST WHO WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL
This could be your co-workers, manager, clients, candidates…

STEP FIVE: MAKE A LIST OF THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED
Do you have these skills, or do you need to develop them? If you need to acquire new skills or knowledge, write down a specific plan to develop those areas – with a timeframe.

STEP SIX: COMPILE ACTION ITEMS
Write down exactly what actions you need to take for each goal. Know your:

• Numbers
• Ratios
• Minimum daily results you must achieve

Make a commitment to hit those numbers on a daily basis!

STEP SEVEN: LIST THE BENEFITS OF GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
This will address your WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) question if you achieve your goals. What is your incentive to do this? Is the incentive strong enough to ensure you will achieve this goal?

STEP EIGHT: TAKE ACTION EVERY DAY
Make a personal commitment to act on your goals, and live up to that commitment every single day.

ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
What price are you paying and what price are the people you love paying for you not becoming as successful as you should be.

Hold yourself accountable to a certain level of results every single day – no exceptions!

HOW DO YOU DO YOUR BEST EVERY DAY?
I’ve interviewed hundreds of outstanding Recruiters who have set hiring records year after year, to get their answers. Their responses are listed:

• Start your day EARLY. If you started one our early every day – think of the impact!

• Love what you do. Think of how you are changing peoples’ lives daily!

• Dedicate yourself to being a life-long learner. Replace one hour you spend reading the newspaper or watching TV with learning every day. That would give you fifteen, 24 hour days of learning. What would benefit you more?

• Convert anger to resolve. Remember you have 100% control over how you react.

• Convert barriers to breakthroughs. You’re in Sales, and will face barriers, objections, and rejection on a daily basis. Learn from the experience and grow!

• Tell yourself “You’re the best!” Self Talk creates Self Image which creates Real Performance.

• Understand the importance of establishing strong relationships with the clients and candidates you represent. Rainmakers are great Relationships Builders!

• Surround yourself with positive people. To have the greatest impact on your life, change the 5 people you hang around with most!

Remember, if you take ownership and hold yourself accountable – You truly will turn your dreams into reality!

These Steps are just the “Tip of the Iceberg” of the Information included in the Premiere Coaching Club. If you want to Differentiate Yourself, Continue Learning New Techniques and Hire Barb as your Coach and Mentor by investing in yourself. The Benefits of Membership in the Premiere Coaching Club are PRICELESS!

Your site mentions, “Job seekers can learn about open positions and opportunities within the ‘hidden job market’.” What percentage of jobs is filled on the hidden job market?

The “Hidden Job Market,” represents job openings that are not advertised through sites such as Monster, Career Builder, Hot Jobs, as well as newspaper advertising. These positions within the “Hidden Job Market” are often given to recruiters to work on due to confidentiality issues, unique qualifications, etc. Job seekers just need to “tap into” the recruiters listed on Recruiters Connection to discover the possibilities in the “Hidden Job Market.” The percentage of jobs filled through the “Hidden Job Market,” is difficult to estimate, but what we do know is that only a small percentage of open jobs are advertised.

Read the entire article here

The internet provides many popular social networking choices today, such as Youtube, MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook, to name a few, but if you are not careful, what you put out there about yourself can harm your chances of getting that dream job. 

Aside from customary reference checks of previous jobs, prospective employers are increasingly using these common internet sites as a means to quietly and informally investigate your background and discretely probe into your private life.  Whether this is intentional or not, the fact remains that a future employer can and will use the internet to Google your name and visit these sites in order to check your past, which may reveal a concern to them.  For example, for those job seekers who still have not cleaned up their MySpace or Facebook page, you are only decreasing your chances of obtaining a job.  With the job market as tight as it is today, employers are not impressed with your pictures of last night’s crazy party pictures or that wild weekend with friends.  That said, what you do in your private life is your business.  However, what you enter on MySpace.com, YouTube.com, or Twitter, will be exposed to the world.

In going forward, consider the following suggestions on what you can do to help make your social networking page “employer friendly.” 

·         Do not post photos or videos that you feel would potentially shock an employer.

·         Do not write anything that you feel would be too personal and/or embarrassing for an employer to read.

·         Be mindful of what you post in general.

If you are going to use social networking sites as a means to enhance your background, do not post anything offensive or embarrassing which could hinder your job search. 

Wendy Oliveras is a search consultant and career planning and development advisor.  She can be reached at (201) 947-6662 or by email at wo@oliverascoinc.com.  For further information visit www.oliverascoinc.com.