There are certain tenets that recruiting managers should follow to ensure success in their offices and within their firms. Those tenets are listed below, in no particular order of importance. (They’re ALL important!)
The 8 tenets recruiting managers should follow
- Be committed to this business—You can’t expect commitment from your account executives if you don’t make that commitment yourself. You teach best by becoming the best role model.
- Be capable of working the basic/practical concepts daily—Account executives most respect those managers who work a desk on a daily basis.
- Provide defined, well-planned goals for your office—Well-defined goals guide the success of an office. You have to know where you are going in order to get there.
- Provide advanced training for your tenured people—While the “classics” never change, the tenured account executives want more—behavioral technique training, advanced negotiating technique training, advanced selling skills training, etc.
- Provide a fair and rewarding compensation plan—As long as our comp plans are fair and equitable, we won’t lose our people.
- Set up “minimum standards of employment”—Your weakest link is your minimum acceptable standard in your office. If you expect everyone to bill $250K per year and one account executive, who remains employed, bills $150K per year, then $150K is your minimum standard of employment, no matter what you say.
- Set a positive, enthusiastic, and committed environment—We are in a sales business and attitude is key for us. Set the tone in your office and don’t let distractions destroy it. If an account executive is not feeling well or is upset and exhibiting negative emotions, send them home. Negative people are vexations to our spirit.
- Be open to talk to account executives about successes and failures—These can be personal as well as professional. Regardless, be open to communication with your account executives.
Recruiting managers, how closely do you follow these tenets? How closely do you plan to follow them during the next 12 months? The New Year is nearly upon us, and this is the time to make the adjustments necessary to take your firm’s productivity to the next level!
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Bob Marshall of TBMG International, founder of The Marshall Plan, has an extensive background in the recruiting industry as a recruiter, manager, vice president, president, consultant, and trainer. In 2015, Marshall is celebrating his 35th year in the recruiting business. He can be reached at bob@themarshallplan.org or at 770.898.5550. Marshall’s website is www.themarshallplan.org.