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Recruiters’ Resolutions. Really?

At this time of year it’s really difficult to get away from articles yacking at you about resolutions for the new year. It is a concept that is overdone carrying with it the stigma of pressure to improve your life. How about just losing the word “resolution” and think rather of a game plan or road map for 2018.

Hopefully these considerations guide you through an efficient year in the world of recruitment.

Communicate more effectively with hiring managers

Yes, you have a hundred things on your plate, but regular updates to hiring managers — whether they’re at your company or at an agency — make your life so much better in the long run. If you find this hard to do on a daily basis, then put a weekly block of time on your calendar for communication and status reports. Whether it’s a five minute face-to-face check-in or an email with fresh information, your relationship with hiring managers will grow if you take the time to nourish it. Keeping everyone informed curbs frustration and builds trust.

Make relationship building a priority

When you have too many positions to fill and the quotas are knocking on your door, it can push you into treating candidates like numbers. It’s time to shift your focus from filling vacancies to building relationships with candidates. You may shake your head at the time it takes, but you’ll find that stronger people connections make the process more efficient. You’ll be bringing in stronger candidates and using those relationships to create a solid referral program.

Build your pipeline

As your candidate relationships grow so will your pipeline. Instead of rushing from one opening to the next you can forecast positions you will need to fill and turn to your pipeline to minimize the talent search. There is strength in numbers so don’t think of candidates that didn’t work out as a failure, but as potential for upcoming vacancies or referrals.

Don’t be a spammer

Don’t give in to temptation to spam candidates. This practice breeds bad will and can thwart future efforts to recruit top talent. It can damage your personal brand, the reputation of your company, and gives all recruiters a bad rap. Do your part to stop the cycle of recruitment spamming.

Stay current with industry blogs

There is a plethora of good blogs available with timely and important information. These postings make an efficient way for you to keep current on industry trends, innovations and sourcing. Recruiting websites like Fistful of Talent and Recruiting Daily provide good information along with business publications like Forbes. Take advantage of these efforts from smart people.

Build your community

It’s hard to do any job in isolation – that’s why building a community is so vital to successful recruiting. Take a look at the year ahead and plan on attending recruiting conferences or meet-ups. Find a buddy or form a coffee klatch with other recruiters where you can share ideas, successes and even failures. For building your pipeline, join professional associations for your company’s industry or your particular recruiting niche. You’ll find that this not only builds your recruiting chops, but also can offer a rewarding social environment.

That wasn’t so bad, was it?  Considerations not resolutions. Suggestions to make 2018 a remarkable and successful professional year for you. Raise your coffee cup — a toast to the new year!