Secret number 11 in Successful Recruitment

A series of articles revealing all the secrets for Successful Recruitment written for HR professionals and amateurs having the drive to become outstanding. By Gerard Koolen (please react to Gerard.Koolen@lugera.com, thank you!).

Passive, Active & Pro-Active Search!

Applying all passive, active and pro-active search tools is one of the biggest secrets for long-term everlasting success in recruitment. And itís a guarantee for having an exciting and wonderful career. And an exciting personal life. And an ever-growing bank account.

Iíve experienced, learned thru mistakes and errors (numerous), with falling and standing up again:

Passivity in search loses, applying all tools is the BIG winner!

Massive total action is decisive in successful recruitment. Itís the difference between the magnificent in recruitment and the amateurs. Itís the difference between average and breathtaking. Applying as many search tools all at once is a proven success strategy which guarantees you all the candidates you need, when you need them. Itís a guarantee that youíll have better candidates faster than your competition.

Most recruiters think theyíre already quite somebody when having applied some passive tools. Theyíve the feeling theyíre quite active. Itís because theyíve no imagination nor the motivation to dive deep into all the recruitment tools at their disposal. Passive search tools are best described as publishing your vacancy somewhere, sitting back and wait for reply.

Active tools mean: going for it! Pro-Active tools are candidates coming to you when you need them.

I have 3 lists (sure, incomplete) with simple suggestions (and except the passive ones, they need your commitment, dedication, perseverance, creativity, experience, and constant learning):

Passive Search Tools (bwahhh):

1. Advertising in print.
2. Publishing your vacancies on the Internet (your own website and career sites).
3. Looking in your database.
4. And then, sit back, relax and wait.
5. Complaining why it takes so long and why it doesnít work (tip: blame the labor market).

Well buddy, your customer doesnít need you for this as they can do it themselves, and probably better. And cheaper.

Active Search Tools (now weíre talking, list not complete though):

1. Mass e-mailing selected groups of contact persons in your database.

2. Direct search, or headhunting. Selecting target companies where your candidates are working.

3. Field search. Standing in front of the factory and when people finish their job to address them.

4. Business mixers, social events, seminars, training events, where your target group is joining.

5. History cases, searching in your (companies) history of similar searches.

6. Labor office search, youíll be surprised!

7. Campus Recruitment, distribute flyers and posters, make presentations, organize student contests.

8. Job fairs, organize them, participate.

9. Walk-in recruitment events. Rent a nice place and invite people to walk in. Give them great food and drinks!

10. Flyers & Posters, in shopping centers, Internet Cafís, Bars, Theatres, Cinemaís, places where many people come.

11. Parties, bars, restaurants, airports, hotel launches, elevators, busses. When you see a Ms. Perfect, give her your card (and take hers).

12. Special interest forums and chat boxes on the Internet, where your target group is active.

13. International Search, expatriate clubs addressing those whoíd love to get back to their home country (where you need your candidate).

14. References, if you have any.

15. HR Managers, at other companies, if they love you theyíll help you (if you give help, you get help, remember?).

16. Outsourcing & Downsizing, approach companies who are in this process, theyíll love you.

17. Your own customer. Ask them for tips, they know much more than you might think.

18. Your Network. Now the fruits of your hard work of networking are yours to collect.

19. Work with the best recruitment software available on the market (TalentBase!)

The real recruiter, after having quickly applied the passive tools (taking only a couple of hours), is applying the proper selection of all the active tools. And in the meantime, always busy with:

Pro-active Tools (this is only for winners):
1. Write articles, humorous and informative read by your target group

2. Give presentations, humorous and informative for your target group.

3. Go on radio & television, talk shows, breakfast shows, do interviews with reporters.

4. Write books, become an authority in your field.

5. Become a chairman, of a club, organization, or at least become an active member.

6. Donate, to your customerís/candidateís charity they organize.

7. Organize events, sport events, manager of the year election, company of the year election.

8. Help, Respect, and Love unconditionally.

I know, I know, applying the active tools, require the greatest recruitment software you can find. I know a program which is called TalentBase. That will make the active tools a peace of cake. In order to create the time to get to real mastery. Being Pro-Active! This also happens to be the most fun. The most rewarding. I know, you have a burning desire, deep down inside of you, to become the greatest. Yet not many of you will act on this. No problem if you love being average (but you donít, unless youíre lying to yourself). I am delighted that Iím working with a bunch of recruiters who go for the extra mile!

I am curious what you will decide. Will you let me know? Thank you! For more secrets read next timeís issue or write an e-mail to gerard.koolen@lugera.com (thanks again) and you will receive regularly all other secrets (also if you work at the ìcompetitionî, Iíll be more than happy to help you). Gerard Koolen is Managing Partner at Lugera & Makler.