Being in the recruitment industry I have always believed that customer service is key, and is the mark of a model professional; you can usually gather what quality of person (and subsequently, what quality of service) you will receive within the first 5 minutes of meeting someone.
However, as each week goes by I am more and more alarmed as to the drop off in quality, presentable, professional recruiters in this industry! It seems like this once great profession is turning into a hotbed for people who are just looking for a salary and have no concept of what it takes to build and maintain quality relationships with individuals in your sector, and quite frankly it scares me a little!
To give you an example, in the last month, I have attended two very sizeable recruitment fairs in London. Fairs which, in years gone by, were packed full of hungry, hard-working professionals who each offered an excellent service to their clients and customers. And the reason they did this was that they knew the earning potential for doing their jobs thoroughly and to the best of their ability. Laziness never seemed to be a word associated with recruitment. It was the opposite! It was like a Wall Street Trading floor sometimes!
But, in the last year or so, there seems to be a new breed of employee coming through. People who treat a recruitment desk like a fair-weather gym; workout once and expect to have a six-pack for life. Of course, these people don't usually last very long as this is a results based industry, but what worries me is that these 'recruiters' (came up with that all by myself!) are poisoning the marketplace for the rest of us and, more importantly, affecting the mentality of candidates who will start to tar recruiters with the same brush. A scary thought when you consider we are in a candidate driven market!
The way to get around this is simply an issue of customer service. Even for people starting out in the game and who are lacking experience, the KEY TO SUCCESS IS SIMPLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! The first thing I look for before experience/qualifications and all the rest of it, is simply the core basics that allow people to create an excellent first impression. I am fortunate enough to be part of a team that thrives due to putting customers and clients at the very top of its priority list. We move mountains for our clientele, and in turn have developed a strong, lasting working relationship with each; and a huge portion of that success comes from, very simply, doing the little things well!
5 Easy Tips to get you started
1) Keep in constant contact; today's candidates are tomorrows clients!
2) Be different from the rest; start each sales call by asking how the person's week is going!
3) Look the part in meetings; dress sharp, smile, and offer a big firm handshake!
4) Be direct; show you know your subject by being polite but direct. No-one wants to babble on for ages. You're busy. They're busy. Get the information you require but do it in a manner that will leave a positive impression on the recipient!
5) Respond swiftly; if a client or candidate contacts you, get back to them as soon as you can to show them that they are a priority to you!
To quote one of my favourite film lines;
'The difference between ordinary, and extraordinary...is just that little extra!
