What really matters in the recruitment world?

The baker sells bread
The florist sells flowers
The junk shop down the road sells… well pretty much anything, and if you ask nicely he might give you a discount.

Working in recruitment is a eye opener. You’ll meet people from all walks of life – some need money, some don’t. Some will walk into the office having just been laid off an hour ago, some won’t have worked for about 10 years. They won’t all fit into one category, and that’s what makes things interesting.

When we sell candidates, we can’t sell them like objects. We can’t offer discounts or sell the damaged ones off cheap, and even those reaching their sell by date still have as many rights as the freshly baked do! There’s a saying ‘there’s nowt as funny as folk’ (maybe there’s a southern equivalent…) and it rings so true. How a person lived yesterday won’t necessarily be how they live tomorrow.

Relationships really matter in this industry, and that applies to both client and candidates. The rapport between recruitment consultant and candidate can make the difference in how the candidate acts for the client. A candidate who is friendly with the consultant will aim to please them, and show gratitude for the opportunity of work. The client sees a great worker, and thanks the consultant.

A candidate who feels no interchange of respect between themselves and the agency may result in negligence of appropriate action, such as not calling in sick until last minute (or not calling at all!) not showing up, behaving inappropriately etc. If you show us respect, we’ll show it back. Getting friendly with a consultant can be pretty beneficial to you, you know! First impressions really count, too, so start from your very first interaction.

A client who feels no warmth from the agency will obviously be more drawn towards the agency with the more inviting atmosphere, most likely one with a relationship spanning outside of service related enquiries. Formalities are needed, but starting with something simple such as asking how their weekend was could lead to an insight as to how far they’re prepared to share their personal life with you.

As with anything in life, nothing is set in stone, and no amount of joking with a candidate will make them roll out of bed any earlier. Here at Essential we’re working on promoting the fact that we’re super approachable. We really do care about the people who interact with, and that’s the result of the perfect package: Great company culture, hiring the right people and sharing achievements.

Have a great weekend everyone.