November 22, 2016

Formulas bring us a certain type of comfort, a surprise-less sense of certainty. But the reality is that formulas like 2+2 = 4 work on numbers, but not on people. The recruitment industry just somehow hasn’t caught up to it yet.

“It’s a numbers game” ….No. It isn’t.

Here at Sage, our entire team of recruiters has worked for various recruitment companies, yet the one constant in our previous roles was the ubiquitous presence of formulas:

Scheduling a minimum of 3 interviews per day for a week = 1 placement
Calling non-stop from 9am to 11am during a week = minimum 1 client meeting
Send 50 emails per day = 5 positive responses

Submit 6 people per role = 1 placement

But what kind of calls are these? Who are these interviews with? Is this mass mail/spam? Do you know what makes a candidate/client unique? But really, do you? Did you take the time to research their websites, Githubs, Twitters? Did you though?

Truth is, recruiters, clients, and candidates alike are all unique individuals and a formula towards success is a simplistic and short-sighted solution.

Value-based metrics Vs. Activity-based metrics

Old school sales and recruitment practices revolve around the idea that if you try something enough, something will stick… eventually. This old school style is activity-based, where managers will expect you to make a certain number of calls, set a number amount of interviews, or send a specific amount of candidates to guarantee success.

Sage does things differently. We focus on the value our recruiters bring to the table at the end of the day. We have goals and yes, they are focused on placements and yes, we have guidelines focused on personalization, but how we ultimately achieve success depends on the individual’s style, personality, way of learning, and everything else that makes us unique.

Making a Connection

Our industry has a problematic lack of human connection. We are in a people-focused industry, working with people with a plethora of experiences, personalities, and backgrounds; which is exactly why embracing this uniqueness will be the only way to guarantee success.

What works for one recruiter will not work for the next
What works for one candidate will not work for the next
What works for one client will not work for the next (templates and spammy emails don’t work either — surprise, surprise).

When sending an email, calling someone, or conducting an interview… Make it count. It is not about how many calls you make, but rather the content of that call that makes the difference. If you are sending out six candidates to an interview, and know only one of them can get the job, why waste everyone else’s time? Send one candidate, get him or her hired, and focus on the quality over quantity. Even if it takes a bit longer to find this individual, both your client and your candidate will respect you for it — believe me.

Recruitment is not a numbers game, it’s a human-driven business that demands personalization and a critical eye, not a formula.