June 2012.pdf - RCSA

focus: RECRUITMENT AT THE SPEED OF TOMORROW
Of course, there needs to be a baseline for
skills – but sometimes it’s actually better for
employers to develop an individual’s skills to
meet the organisation’s own practices and
standards, as it avoids them having to “unlearn”
old habits.
However, understanding which skills are
transferable for a particular role isn’t always
obvious – this is where you need to have
your antenna out, in order to get to the heart
of the role and what it requires. It’s likely that
the clients know what they need; it just may
not be apparent to them yet.
If you’re leading a team, you need to embed
this process and thinking in all of your team
members too, and make it both normal and
acceptable to spend time on the brief.
However, the common objection to this
approach is time – or a lack of it. With sales
targets and quotas to fill, how do you find
time to have long conversations with clients
The answer is that investing time at the
start of the process saves time and tears later
on. Getting the brief right, first time, avoids
the back-and-forth that happens when
candidates aren’t right, because expectations
are unclear and wires are crossed. It also
takes a lot of frustration out of the process
– for both you and the client!
Crafting and influencing the brief also means
you’ll spend less time looking for “hen’s teeth”
– that elusive perfect-fit candidate – because
you have set expectations at the outset and
have scope to present the seventy per cent fit.
This stage of the relationship is also an
opportunity to provide input on the client’s
selection process overall, and can be a real
value-add to the client. If, for instance, you
think that a four-stage interview process is
going to undermine the client’s best efforts
to woo your hard-to-find candidate, then
you need to raise it.
Work with them to ensure the onboarding
process is sound as well: the best employers
have a structured “First 90 Days” plan for
employees, because that’s when people
often make their decisions about an employer.
The candidate is the key
To make this approach work, you also need
to work with your candidates to bring them
on the journey. The individuals who
undertake our outplacement programs get
an opportunity to step back and see their
strengths and achievements. They don’t
end up with a shopping list of roles and
responsibilities, but a considered summary
of their professional profile.
We encourage candidates to design their
CV afresh for every job application, creating
a 1-2 page career summary targeted at the
opportunity. The goal is to have an employer
say, “this person looks interesting” and start a
conversation with them, rather than focusing
on where their CV differs from the job brief.
Making change stick
Changing the way we work is not always
easy. If you want to move away from the
“order-taking” mindset into “trusted adviser”
territory, you may need to revisit the
fundamentals of change management.
• Be clear on why you (or your team)
should change. What are the benefits in:
increased fill rates, more client satisfaction,
less stress
• Find someone who does it well, and
use them as a role model
• Keep the issue top of mind and on the
agenda. Are there some successes you
can celebrate at team meetings, or
obstacles you can workshop
• Survey clients specifically on this to see
if it’s working and being embedded
• Measure and reward outcomes related to it
– for example, the success of applicants in
their roles after six months, or the
longevity of client relationships.
Ultimately, everyone wants to deliver great
service to clients. If that means drilling down
to what the client genuinely needs, rather than
what they think they need, then changing the
brief may just change the game altogether.
Bridget Beattie is the Regional
General Manager for Right
Management in India, Australia
and New Zealand, providing
talent management and career
management consulting to
clients across a broad range
of sectors.
JUNE 2012 13