Let’s address stats from the start.
1st requirement: 50 calls a day.
50 calls to who? If you need to speak to your client every week, I would assume you might have some relationship issues. If you’re calling 50 candidates a day, there is no guessing why people hate recruiters. They are working. Earning their living. Majority of the tech people I speak to is during after-hours or we’ve arranged a time. God help me if I call out of the blue – who does that anyway? Oh yes, call centre.
2nd requirement: Send 50 CV’s a week.
Unless you’re recruiting for call centre, support or junior roles, how on earth do you manage 50 CV’s a week? (Please keep in mind my experience only comes from the tech industry, so if you do send 50 CV’s a week, I’d love to hear your process) Ah yes, by skipping your screenings, interviewing, due-diligence and just spitting out rubbish to you clients, and in turn, pissing every client off. No wonder companies don’t want to use recruiters, you’re wasting their time!
3rd requirement: Arrange 50 interviews a week.
Salespeople push candidates to go meet their clients. They push clients to meet their candidates, without proper due-diligence and what does this yield? You guessed it – terrible quality. (p.s there is a difference between pushing and influencing) You’ve upset that developer that now hates recruiters and the client will never use a recruiter again.
And I’m sure there are tons of other stats.
So between these requirements, how do you expect your salesperson to deliver a consulting service? Recruitment isn’t a stat. It’s not your typical sales scenario. We not comparing computers, shoes, insurance quotes, we are dealing with humans. The whole idea that recruiters are salespeople needs to change. We are consultants. We consult to our clients and offering a consulting service to candidates. If you’re not doing this, you shouldn’t be a recruiter.
My solution? The entire recruitment model needs to change.
(I am prepared for the backlash from recruitment agency owners. This is my personal opinion and if you disagree, I’d love to hear why).