5 Top Tips for Recruitment Newbies
by Abygail Forsythe – Recruitment specialist at Honeycomb Jobs
As countless newbie recruiters have joined the fast-paced booming industry in 2022, commonly the first thing on conscience for new starts can be the seemingly dooming learning of the fact that 80% won’t make it as a career and, scarier, 50% don’t surpass the first 6 months! In my first few months I have often questioned ‘what does being a good recruiter look like at my stage’ and ‘how do I succeed?’. 6 months in and I now know these questions have no short, easy answer, so here are my top tips for starting out in recruitment for the first time:
1. Recognise that you’re in Sales
But also that this isn’t a bad thing! You don’t have to push sales of mobile phones or house insurance, however you are still selling your services to clients and job opportunities to candidates. So my main advice is to embrace the sales process and get good at it (work out what works best for you and factor in soft-sales approaches so that you continually have leads and build up experience before making ‘cold-calls’).
2. Be brave
Walking out onto a busy recruitment floor can be so daunting at first, so you do need courage for this desk job. Making cold calls when it’s the time to do it, negotiating fees if clients are reluctant, interviewing candidates for their first time. Your willingness to tackle the deep-end parts will help you to learn fast!
3. Pick up the phone
Just. Pick. It. Up. When it comes to recruitment, the outcome you want will be better achieved on the phone rather than lost time and communications via email.
4. Build your digital brand from day one
I personally found immersing myself in the recruiting marketplace by posting to social media difficult – but building an online community is paramount to finding clients and candidates alike. Learn about LinkedIn as a branding platform, get on other platforms (if your audience can be found there) blog, and build an online community. However, be wary of your use of social media as a tool rather than distraction or comparison – use it little and often and as part of a strategy that encompasses more “traditional” business development and sourcing routes. Find your own style – learn the basics from the company you join, stick to the rules and processes but find some space to develop a personality.
5. Don’t take it personally
Take it as no surprise if you are let down last minute. Things will fall through and go wrong. Just keep swimming! Also never assume anything – keep checking in and checking in again. Reset and adapt to updates where need be. The more up-to-date you keep with clients and candidates can minimise the last-minute let downs!
The list could go on – but these are the main points I would tell myself in the early days. Before you know it, you won’t give a second thought to picking up the phone and speaking with prospective new clients to offer your services and you will also have built the resilience to deal with the highs and lows, staying positive while chasing the rewarding feeling of placing the perfect candidate in their perfect role! I promise.
I honestly can’t imagine a better place than Honeycomb to enter the world of recruitment. It has been the most challenging role I have placed within to date, but the patience, coaching and mentoring of the entire Honeycomb Jobs team have made it the most rewarding and enjoyable – being part of a motivated team who genuinely care about our organisation’s vision and delivery of service!
If you are interested in joining our team – reach out to us on hive@honeycomb.jobs
We are currently hiring check out our latest recruitment roles.
