Recruiting News - Executive Job Growth Hits Highest Since 2000

Compliments of www.execunet. com

Recruiters Confidence at New Record as Executive Job Growth Hits HighestLevel Since 2000Much to the dismay of companies striving to hire top talent during thissurging employment market, the business of recruiting and retainingexecutives appears poised to grow even more challenging. ExecuNet'sRecruiters Confidence Index (RCI) reached a new all-time high in Decemberamid expectations that executive search assignments will increase by morethan 20% for the second consecutive year in 2007.According to the survey of 120 executive recruiters, 83% are confident orvery confident the executive employment market will improve during the nextsix months — up from 80% last month. Confidence among recruiters has neverbeen higher in the history of the index.Confidence In The Executive Employment MarketNext Six MonthsExecutive recruiters reported a 23% increase in the number of searchassignments they received from corporate clients during 2006 — thisrepresents the largest increase since the height of the dot-com boom in2000. Looking ahead, search firms are forecasting a 26% increase inexecutive-level job opportunities this year.Recruiters' short-term outlook also improved in December, as 82% said theyare confident or very confident the employment market will improve in thenext three months — up from 77% in the previous month. This bullishassessment of the executive employment market is well supported by theexecutive search industry's own expansion. In December, 60% of all searchfirms reported plans to hire additional professional staff during the nextthree months, which is considerably higher than the number of firms thatadded staff during the past three months (40%).Executive recruiters who use ExecuNet tell us that companies areincreasingly turning to them for help as it becomes more and more difficultto find and attract the best talent.

Planning your candidate search

BEGIN WITH ORGANIZATION

1. Know your client and there competitors
Understand the company and how they do business. It's important that when you talk to candidates that you sell them on the company not the job order. To effectively do that you need to understand what makes this company stand out from its competitors.

2. Know the geography
You need to know the radius around the company where you can reasonably expect to find candidates willing to commute to your client's location.

3. Past searches
Review the past searches you have done for similar clients in the area. Make a list of all the candidates you have submitted. You may find some potential candidates from previous submittals.

4. Top ten target companies
Next, you need to identify local competitors or companies using similar technologies that you can source from.

Once you have completed your preparation you should begin your sourcing starting with the easy things first.

A. Database - Check your company database first. It's easy and an obvious first choice. Ask for referrals!

B. Network Internally and Externally - Talk to your colleagues about who they know and ask your candidates for referrals!

C. Mass Emails - If you have thousands of people in your database you will not be able to reach out to all of them so send out an email alerting everyone to your new opening.

D. Job Boards - Post a job online and search the job boards. Who knows, you might get lucky.

E. Sourcing - Call into companies and try to identify potential employees that are dissatisfied with their current job. (See my post on sourcing)

F. Repeat - Go back to the beginning and do it again.

More Profitable Clients

From Barbara Bruno

Dear Jim,

Barb: I need to develop a more profitable client base for myself. The clients I have are not hiring and as I'm making marketing presentations, it seems most companies do not use the services of a search firm. Do you find that true? What percentage of companies actually utilize the services of a search firm? Do you have any ideas how to attract new clients? Pam, Biloxi, MI

Pam: When you are making your initial marketing presentation to prospective clients and they tell you they don't utilize the services of a search firm - often they "mean" they are not using "YOU!" There is no trust, there is no relationship established and often they don't want to "break in" a new recruiter. There have been many estimates on what percentage of hiring authorities utilize our services. Believe me, there are more than enough clients who realize the benefits of utilizing search firms.

If you need more profitable clients it's important for you to represent the companies your candidates want to work for. Ask every candidate you interview to list their top five companies and you will hear certain ones repeated. Those are the companies you want to target for your marketing presentation.

ONE effective marketing presentation: "I would normally be making this call to one of my top clients, but the person I'm representing listed your company as their #1 choice and I didn't want the fact that I don't currently represent you, to prevent you from interviewing this caliber of talent (Now list two or three strong GRABBERS on this candidate) You want to ask OPEN-ENDED questions - where the response can not be "yes" or "no." Follow up your grabbers with benefits and features, and be ready to overcome at least three objections. When would it be convenient for us to set up an interview?

If they don't want to interview this person, you have shown them a sampling of the caliber of talent you represent and are now involved in a conversation. You can then ask them what type of position does represent their greatest hiring challenge.

Most hiring authorities have learned that they can get the majority of recruiters off the phone if they merely say they don't utilize our services! Don't be one of those recruiters, overcome at least three objections and keep emphasizing the BENEFITS to the client if they utilize your services. Always address their "what's in it for me" and you will identify new clients to represent. Remember objections are "buying signs and requests for more information."

I have many unique marketing scripts and ideas in my book "The clients you select can make or break your future." If you are interested go to http://www.recruitingmarketing.com

Thanks!
Barb Bruno, CPC www.staffingandrecruiting.com

PS. If you'd like to send me a Success Story, Question or Comment, follow these guidelines:

1. Keep it short and to the point. Two paragraphs max.

2. Tell me what's working for you before you ask your questions. Give me specifics because this could help other recruiters to see what's working in different situations.

3. If you have a Success Story, write 'Success Story' in the subject line of the email, I read these first.

4. At the end of your email, give me your initials and tell me where you're from.

5. Send it to me at: support@staffingandrecruiting.com

Barb Bruno - Good As Gold Training, Inc.

Offers are brought to you by:
Good As Gold Training, Inc.
35 E. Wacker Drive #1052
Chicago, IL 60601

Prevent Offer Turndowns!

Email I received from Barbara Bruno

Hi Jim,

Have you ever had an offer turned down? If you've been a recruiter for more than a few months, odds are this has happened to you. Your candidates often say "It's not about the MONEY" but trust me, money always plays a part in their decision. Would you like to learn a process GUARANTEED to drastically reduce the number of offer-turndowns? I am guessing your answer is "yes"! The process is called "CLOSING TO THE NO ON MONEY".

This is a closing process you will utilize from your first interview with a candidate throughout the entire process, right up to the offer. The greatest mistake most recruiters make is quoting the top of a salary level in order to entice a candidate's interest in the position you are representing.

The problem? This candidate could be earning $65,000, but when you give them a range of $70-$85,000, they only hear $85,000. When you are asked what a position will pay, your answer should always be the same- "I don't know, it depends on how well you interview." Then ask, what is your current compensation package? Remember to include bonuses, 40lK contributions by the employer, cost of benefits, and anything else that will be considered.

Once you know their current package, if it is within the range of your client you say, "Your compensation package is definitely within the range my client will pay". "It does depend on the interview. If my client feels you will hit the ground running with little or no training dollars can go up. I also want to ensure you that the more money I get you, the more money I earn. I have a vested interest in getting you the best offer possible, and never leave money on the table when I'm negotiating an offer for you." "Let's talk about salary. I see your current salary is $65,000, is that correct? I need to know when I pick up the phone and present an opportunity to you..Let's assume my client can offer you everything else you are looking for..."what is that dollar amount? They may answer, "I understand the position you have goes up to $85,000 so that is my bottom dollar.

You need to explain that they would possibly consider the top of the range for: a. Extensive experience b. Someone from a competitor You then start to close them to the NO on money. If I have an opportunity that addresses everything you told me was important to you and the salary is $75,000 should I pick up the phone? What about $70,000? What about $68,000? What about $65,000? I'm going to keep asking this question until the candidate says "NO", I will not accept anything less than $68,000. I then reduce the dollar amount by $500."If I have an awesome opportunity that pays $67,500 and can offer you everything else you told me was important to you should I call you?" Once the person says "NO".you put that figure on your application/profile form and circle it!

You verify that number several times:
1. When you present opportunities to this candidate

2. When you prep your candidate for an interview

3. When you de-brief your candidate after an interview

4. When you are ready to extend an offer The number tends to increase as the process continues.

If your client calls and extends an offer of $75,000 and you have your candidate closed to the NO on money at $70,000, you make one more vitally important phone call to close the candidate on money. The reason for this is simple- you don't know who your candidate has talked to in the last 24 hours who may have impacted their decision.

The final call is as follows: "My client is getting close to a decision between you and another candidate. I want to make sure I understand what offer you will accept. If I get an offer at $70,000 with a two week start date, do I have your authority to accept this offer on your behalf?" You then wait for them to speak. At this point, they may say I'll accept $70,000, but would really prefer an offer of $72,000.

If you can not close your candidate on the offer you have received or lower, you need to call your client back and see if they will increase the offer. You then call your candidate back, extend the offer which they are anticipating somewhere between $70,000 - $72,000. You congratulate them and tell them you were able to get them a "raise up front". When you extend an offer of $75,000- this is an offer that IS accepted. Your goal is to always close your candidates LOWER and your clients HIGHER so you have room to negotiate when the offer is extended.

When dollars come in higher than anticipated, counter-offers lose their impact. CLOSING TO THE "NO", will close more deals and make you more income! If you enjoyed this tip when it comes to negotiating and closing to the "no" with your candidates, you will surely love my book, "Increase Your W-2". In it, you will learn many of the secrets I have personally used in the last 30 years to place more candidates more often! This book is jam packed with information that can drastically improve your closing ratio and therefore your income!

http://www.recruitingclosingskills.com/

CLOSING TO THE NO ON MONEY! Guaranteed to drastically reduce offer/turndowns!

http://www.recruitingclosingskills.com/

Thanks,
Barb Bruno
barb@staffingandrecruiting.com

Good As Gold Training, Inc. Offers are brought to you by: Good as Gold Training, Inc. 710 N. Main Street Crown Point, IN 46307

Urgency!

So much of this business is timing. The Recruiter/Sales Professional that reacts quickly to new information is always going to have a leg up on the competition. That is why it is so important that we have a sense of urgency in everything we do. Why wait until tomorrow to interview a candidate when you can do it today. Tomorrow might be too late!

You need to identify the events in your day that require immediate action. For example:

If you a strong candidate online you need to screen him and get him in front of your client ASAP. If he is online then six other recruiters are trying to court him as well.

When you are arranging sendouts for your client do not let them push off interviews until next week. You need to convince them if they wait that long your candidate may accept another offer. In this market, nobody good is available for long.

When you hear a company is laying off start sourcing that company immediately. There is nothing better than a massive lay off when you need some good candidates.

If you hear that, a company got a new round of funding you had better believe one of the first things they are going to do is hire more personnel. Do not hesitate for a moment to forward market one of your candidates to the hiring manager.

Perfect Voicemail

This was passed on to me by a fellow recruiter.

The Art of the Perfect Voicemail
by Jim Citrin
Wednesday, January 17, 2007

In the age of email, there are still times when you need to let your voice do the talking. You may be initiating contact with a prospective client, soliciting advice on an important project, or trying to secure an interview for a job.

In these cases and many others, your initial outreach will inevitably require you to leave a voicemail. What you say and how you say it will, in large measure, lead the listener to decide in a split second whether or not to return your call.

Six Tips for Effective Voicemails
Sometimes leadership and performance has to do with broad notions and momentous issues. But sometimes it's about the granular and the practical. Since it will determine whether or not you make progress on an important task, the art of leaving an effective voicemail is very much a case in point.

Here are six tips to keep in mind when leaving voicemail:

Be clear about the goal of the message.
Don't try to do it all -- close a sale or get the job. The objective of the message should be to get your call returned.

Be authoritative yet upbeat in your tone.
Your communication sends a clear signal about who you are and how important you are. You need to portray a sense of confidence, authority, and respect.
People also respond better to an energetic, positive-sounding person than to a bore. But at all costs, avoid being obsequious -- there's nothing more annoying.

Find a bridge to the person you're calling.
People feel comfortable if there's a familiar connection from them to you. This can be someone who suggested you call, a mutual acquaintance, a shared affiliation with an organization (such as your alma mater), a hometown, or any number of things. Do your homework and be creative in finding a link.

Be brief.
Everyone's busy, so keep your message short. Your listener will resent it if the voicemail's recorded announcement says, "New message received at 7:45 p.m.; five minutes."

Be specific in your request.
People are much more likely to get back to you when they know that the conversation will be confined to a clear topic.
Request an answer to a specific question with the promise of a well-defined timeframe, rather than introducing an open-ended issue that the caller may fear will turn into a black-hole conversation.

Leave your contact information slowly and clearly.
This sounds painfully obvious, but you'd be surprised by how many people rush through their phone number and email address so fast that you have to replay the message three times before you can understand them.

Since many people check their voicemail when driving, the easier the number is to hear and remember, the greater the likelihood that you'll get the return call immediately. Also, leave your email address and invite your caller to start the dialogue via email. This can be less threatening given its more detached nature.

Which Calls Would You Return?
To bring these points to life, here are three actual voicemails that I received (all personal details and contact information have been changed):

Caller No. 1: "Hello, Mr. Citrin. My name is Dick White from Bain and Company. I'm a third-year associate and I'm looking to make a move out of management consulting into general management, either in technology or media. I understand you work with executives and clients in these areas. I would appreciate it if we could get together to discuss my background. My number is (646) 555-1234 and my email is richardbwhite@bain.com."

Caller No. 2: "Hello, Jim, this is Kate Peters and I'm calling regarding a reference for your former colleague, Tony Thompson. We're speaking to Tony about potentially joining our company. Can you please call me over the next two to three days so that I can get your views on his strengths, weaknesses, and potential fit with our organization? If it's easier, I can have my office schedule a call with you so we can avoid phone tag. My office number is (212) 555-5678."

Caller No. 3: "Hello, Jim, this is Dennis Lions. I'm a fellow Vassar grad from the class of 1998 and I'm currently working at a small Internet company in Palo Alto. I have a difficult decision that I need to make in the next 48 hours. Can I run it by you? It'll only take five to seven minutes of your time. My office number is (650) 555-9101, my cell is (650) 555-1121, and my email is dlions@dlions.com. Thank you very much in advance."

Who Got the Callbacks
Which calls do you think I returned?
I returned the calls of callers two and three, but deleted No. 1 with only a small pang of guilt. His call promised to be a black-hole conversation, there was no specific bridge to me, and he sounded fairly junior (meaning unrealistic but not necessarily young) on the phone.
Since many people check their voicemail when driving, the easier the number is to hear and remember, the greater the likelihood that you'll get the return call immediately. Also, leave your email address and invite your caller to start the dialogue via email. This can be less threatening given its more detached nature.

Qualities of Success

What are some of the characteristics of people who do well in the staffing industry? I think it's important to understand the keys to success. If you are falling short or have not reached your full potential maybe you should take a look of some of these characteristics and ask your self where am I falling short?

Confident/Positive Attitude

Personal Responsibility (Do you control your own destiny?)

Determination/Goal Driven (Do you hate to lose?)

Dependable (arrive early; consistent attendance; do what you say, say what you mean)

Self Discipline/Self Motivated (Do you work just as hard when somebody is not looking over your shoulder?)

Organized/Consistent

Probes/Curious (Are you asking enough questions or do you let things slide)

Initiative (Spot and seize opportunities)

Team Player (collaborates; contributes to the team)

Insightful (Do you take things at face value?; Are you probing?)

Calm, Cool, and Collected (When everyone else is panicking do you keep your head?)

Thorough (back to probing; are you asking all the right questions?)

Integrity (win/win relationships; ethical behavior)

No Excuse Attitude (when things go wrong do you blame yourself or the job market)

Have clear goals!

It is the beginning of the New Year and I can't think of a better way to have another great year then having clear goals and creating a plan around those goals. It's not enough to have revenue goals for the year you need to break those further down into weekly and even daily goals.

You need to know your numbers, so go back over all your stats for last year and figure out how many submittals for a sendout, and how many sendouts you need before you get a placement.

For Example:

If you need five submittals for every sendout and five send outs for every placement, then from their you should be able to calculate how many submittals and sendouts you need each week to meet your placement and revenue goals. If you are really on the ball you know how many contacts (spoken with), you need to make each day to get a submittal. These numbers should become your daily goals. By trying to achieve these numbers you will ensure that you are doing, the worked needed to be successful.