Design Thinking and Recruiting-There is no special sauce…..

I have done a lot of thinking about the recruiting industry and the misconceptions that go along with it.  One misconception is that there is a “secret process”  that some firms have that make them better than others….clients are led to believe that one firm has an advantage simply because their “process” is superior…….what a bunch of hooey…..

Clients and potential clients pay attention…..the process is the same……1) engage the client and learn as much as you can about them , their organization, their culture and the role  2) define the role in great detail as well as the hiring process 3) hit the phones, internet, boards, twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc….. and talk to as many people as possible 4) screen the candidate, then screen them again, then screen them some more. 5) present them to the client and educate the client about why they are the best possible fit for the role……and do that over and over and over……..That is it !  Nothing scientific, nothing magical, just plain old hard work……

I liken this process to the Design Thinking genre.  Simplicity is better.  Good Design is not necessarily complicated…in fact  minimal and simple is better than robust and complicated.

I am working transform my thought process. I have a habit to make things a ton more complicated than they need be.  I have to start looking to “Get to the Point”.  I think Twitter has it right…..140 characters to get your point across…..I think as we live life we need to try to express ourselves in focused but expressive ways…..so that is my goal and my challenge…..to focus, and to communicate without being so  “wordy”

But back to the original point of this post.  Recruiters have to stop making the process so complicated.  Tell the client the real deal.  Tell them that the reason they should work with you is because you are going to outwork your competition and then go out and do it.  However be prepared….actions speak louder than words…..so you better Bring it everyday !!!

Oh, wait a minute……  now I see why some of my competitors have to make the process so difficult…..because they know that they can’t outwork anyone, they can’t out recruit anyone…..so they have to throw some crap out there to make themselves seem better than they are….  Results are what matter folks……Can they fill the roles that they are given ?  Ask Them !  Point Blank ask them about their success rates.  In fact ask their other clients…..if they are as good as their “process” their clients should rave about the experience…….and they should offer to put you in touch with their entire client list if you ask for it……if they hesitate, or hedge then you know something is up…..and that is your sign to look for someone else….

The good recruiters in Nashville know who they are……and the ones who are full of crap know it as well…….but clients you are the ones that have to know…..and that way you can work with the firms who are actually going to give you a great experience and the positions are going to get filled with the hard-working, honest, top ten-percenters that you the client are paying the recruiter to find…….

Ask the questions……call the recruiters to the carpet and demand results…….every recruiter worth his/her salt is willing to get out there and Put Up or Shut Up….

Have an Epic Day….Be Good !

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