Can Your Real Estate Company Attract and Hire Veterans?–Part 2

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Last week, I started a discussion concerning the noteworthy
desire many real estate companies have to hire ex-military individuals.  There are some significant obstacles that
make this process a challenge, and very few real estate companies have been
successful in this endeavor.   If you
didn’t catch the previous discussion, you may need some background to
understand today’s WorkPuzzle.

While real estate companies have not been overly successful
in hiring veterans, there are some other industries that have cracked the
code.   For example, insurance companies
and financial services companies have demonstrated success at transitioning
military personnel into sales positions.

The compensation model for real estate agents (full commission
from day one) is a “deal breaker” for most individuals leaving the
military.  Other industries have overcome
this hurdle by offering “commission draws” or startup compensation packages,
but real estate companies have not embraced this practice.

So, are we at an impasse? 
Perhaps.  However, I’d like to
suggest you consider one more example of an industry that has been successful
at hiring veterans—the franchise industry.

This may come as a surprise, but some franchises have been remarkably
successful at attracting and “hiring” ex-military individuals.   This topic was recently identified as one of
the top small business trends in the country. 
Also, Michelle Obama recently promoted the marketing of franchises to
veterans.

Brand_vetfranWhy are franchises so interested in hiring veterans?  For the same reasons you’re interested in
hiring them—they believe they are uniquely qualified to be successful in the
role as a franchise owner. 

There is much to read on this topic (starting with the
articles cited above), and I hope I have peaked your interest on investigating
this connection on your own.  As I’ve
studied this connection, I’ve noticed three things that franchises do well in
attracting veterans.

The Cookbook Mentality.  Franchises are famous for promoting the idea
that success is the result of closely following a proven system developed by
the franchisor.  “If you meticulously
follow these 50 steps, you will be successful,” is the franchise promise.

Military veterans connect with this line of reasoning
because it is very similar to what they’ve experienced in the military.  A soldier is not expected to develop his or her
own plan for shooting a missile at a target. 
That would be crazy.  Instead,
they are expected to follow a detailed specification that, if executed correctly,
will guarantee the missile will hit its target.

If you want to be more successful at hiring ex-military
individuals, develop your own “cookbook,” and then promote the idea by following the step-by-step procedure that will guarantee success.  Be ready to demonstrate how other veterans have stepped into this position, followed the cookbook, and experienced success according to the plan.

The Expectation of Camaraderie.  Some of the best memories I have from serving
in the military center around shared experiences.  The solidarity in purpose allows
relationships to flourish in a unique manner. 
When people leave the military, they miss this feeling and often seek-out
other individuals with military backgrounds with which to reconnect.

VetMentoringFranchise companies have noticed this pattern and use it to
market to veterans.  Research this topic
and you’ll quickly notice that franchise aggregators make a big deal of
highlighting the number of veterans who are successful franchise owners.

It doesn’t stop there. 
Some franchise companies highlight support and mentoring groups for
ex-military personnel.  These companies
are purposely attempting to duplicate the camaraderie the service members felt
when they were in the military.

Convincing a person that he/she will be successful in a new role
is an important selling point, but convincing a person that they belong there is a
powerful attraction.  Notice the company
highlighted in the graphic—this company produces a searchable list of names,
branch of service, rank when they left the military, and location.  A candidate who goes on this company’s career
site quickly sees how he or she could potentially fit into this community of
veterans.

The Path to Financing.  As you may know, buying into a franchise is
expensive. Start-up costs for most franchises are $50,000 and up.  There are very few veterans (or normal
citizens) who are able to afford this expense as a lump sum. Every franchise
company has to deal with the issue of providing financing options to potential franchisees. 

Real estate companies are fortunate that their startup fees
for agents are not this substantial. 
However, to a military member with a family living paycheck-to-paycheck,
even $5,000 can feel like an insurmountable hurdle.  You’re in the same boat as the franchise
company.

Franchise companies have become very creative on this
issue.  Options include commercial loans,
SBA loans, collateral-backed bank loans, crowd-sourced funding, angel investors,
third-party lenders, etc. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that
the Department of Veterans Affairs runs a program called Patriot Express (it is
called this because of the fast approval times for the loans) that makes business loans
up to $500,000 to active-duty military preparing to transition to civilian
life, as well as to spouses and survivors of veterans.

When a veteran makes contact with a franchise company, they
are ready and well-prepared for the financing question.  They assume the candidate will not be able to
afford the start-up costs, and they put time and effort into helping them solve
the financing issue.

To successfully hire veterans, real estate companies need to
adopt the same posture.  The financing
issue needs to be “front and center” and addressed early in the hiring process.
 To someone leaving the military, there is not much to talk
about until this issue is addressed and solved.

 Summary

I had one of our readers write me earlier this week and
mention (after reading the previous WorkPuzzle) she was looking forward to
hearing about my “magic bullet” for hiring veterans.

I wish there was a magic bullet.  Unfortunately, hiring veterans takes
strategic focus and a lot of hard work. 

Most real estate companies have not boiled down their
process to the franchise “cookbook” level. 
Often new agents are expected to be self-directed and creative in how
they build their businesses.  This is a
tough transition for most veterans to make.

Most real estate companies do not have groups of veterans
working in the company who are ready and willing to provide the camaraderie
that makes an ex-military person feel at home. This takes time, effort, and
focus to build.

Most real estate companies have not thought through the
financing challenges that veterans face in making a transition to the real
estate industry.  On this issue,
franchises are very proactive.   They
know the challenges the candidates face and they’re ready and able provide
solutions.

If your company is ready and willing to address these
issues, you can be successful at hiring veterans. Franchise companies have
proven it can be done.  Real estate companies could potentially have even greater success because the financial barriers to entry are not as significant as franchises. 

Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)

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BenHessPic2011Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Can Your Real Estate Company Attract and Hire Veterans?

Thursday, June 20, 2013

One of the questions we often get from owners and hiring
managers is this:

“Can real estate companies successfully source candidates
who are leaving the military (usually because their service commitment is
complete) and attempting to transition to the civilian employment world?”

The motivation for this question is usually two-fold.  Many companies (especially those in close
proximity to military instillations) simply want to help veterans in their
communities.  They feel a sense of
gratitude towards those who have served our country and know many of these
individuals have a difficult time finding a job in the civilian workforce.  If a company can offer a helping-hand at this critical juncture, many
are glad to help.

Military-to-civilian transitionThe second motivation for seeking out the veterans is the
perception that many of these individuals would potentially make outstanding
real estate agents.  Traits such as integrity,
self-discipline, attention-to-detail, persistence, and service mentality are
many of the qualities that also make agents successful.  I’ve had several owners introduce me to new
top-performing agents who recently left the military.  It is an impressive package when it all comes
together.

I know what I’m describing sounds like nirvana.   If you could fill your company with these
outstanding men and women, you’d be unstoppable.  Right?

I wish it were that easy. 
The problem in this equation is the veterans themselves.  From their perspective, the real estate
employment world does not look very enticing. 

How do I know this? 
First, I am a veteran and I have many friends who are ex-military as
well.  I have some personal insight into
the military to civilian employment transition, but there are very clear
indicators in military publications that also make this point.

Here are a several articles/publications to consider:

1.  Top 10 Ex-Military
Employers.  Forbes and Payscale.com
recently completed research benchmarking the top ten companies in the U.S. who
hired “skilled labor” ex-military employees. 
These are individuals who typically have advanced training that would
equate to a bachelor’s degree or higher. 
Here are the companies that made the list:

Booz Allen Hamilton

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

Northrop Grumman

L-3 Communications

Lockheed Martin

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

BAE Systems

Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)

CACI International

The Boeing Company

What do most of these companies have in common?  They are all defense contractors or the
government itself (i.e. DOD).    Many
people who have advanced skills and training find it comfortable to seek
employment in an organization that operates much like the military—both in the
work they perform and company culture.

2.  Hourly-Wage
Employment.  It’s natural to believe
that specially skilled workers would
seek employment in specific areas of their expertise, but what about
“blue-collar” workers?  Military.com
recently cataloged the most enticing jobs in this arena:

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians –Average Salary:
$54,500

Boilermakers –Average Salary: $56,650

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas –Average Salary: $58,540

Commercial Divers –Average Salary: $58,640

Subway and Streetcar Operators –Average Salary: $59,400

Electrical Power-line Installers and Repairers –Average
Salary: $59,450

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators and
Gaugers –Average Salary: $60,290

Transportation Inspectors –Average Salary: $65,770

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation
and Relay –Average Salary: $65,950

Elevator Installers and Repairers –Average Salary: $73,560

While some of these jobs require unique technical skills
that can be transferred from the military (ex. aircraft mechanic), many do not
(ex. subway operator, commercial drivers, etc.).  The common thread among these jobs is
stability.  Employees show up to work,
they’re told exactly what to do, and perform well.  Much of the military operates on this formula
and many people joined the military because they want and enjoy this type of stability.

3. Corporate Employers.  As you might suspect, there are many
traditional corporations (outside the real estate industry) who are trying to
hire military veterans as well.  A
military career site called GIJobs.com has tracked and ranked the top 100
corporate employers on this topic since 2003. 
GIJobs (in partnership with a website called MilitaryFriendly.com)
produces a list of the “Most Military Friendly Employers.” 

Military to civilianYou’re welcome to page through this list (they broke the
list into ten pages so it takes a while to load the pages one-at-a-time), but here
are some things that I noticed: 

There are no residential real estate
companies on this list.  None. Zero.
Nada.   The closest thing to residential
real estate is one commercial real
estate company (CBRE..#79 out of 100). 
Also, there is a secondary list of “Most Military Spouse Friendly
Employers.”  No residential real estate
companies made this list either.  This is
surprising considering there are large, prominent residential real estate
companies in areas that have high military populations (ex. Long and Foster in
Washington DC, Prudential California Realty in San Diego/LA)

There are multiple insurance and financial
services companies on the list.   The
insurance industry (ex. USAA, Allstate, Hartford, etc.) and the
banking/financial services industry (ex. Charles Schwab, JP Morgan Chase, CITI,
etc.) seemed to have cracked the code on hiring ex-military.  Many of these companies hire ex-military personnel
into sales positions.  

Many of the top companies hiring
ex-military are brands you probably do not recognize.    Do you know these brands?

ManTech

Combined Insurance Company of America

J.B. Hunt Transport

All three of these companies are among the top ten companies
who are most successful at ex-military hiring.  
By the way, you’re not the only person who finds these brands
unfamiliar.  Most military personnel have
never heard of them either.

Summary

So, let’s get back to the original question:

“Can real estate companies successfully source candidates
who are leaving the military (usually because their service commitment is
complete) and attempting to transition to the civilian employment world?”

 The answer:  Yes, but
not easily.

The greatest challenge to accomplishing this goal is that
veterans are not familiar or experienced with the idea of being a real estate
agent.  There is no job like this in the
military and many will find the culture of a real estate company
unfamiliar.  There does not appear to be
prominent, widespread success stories of real estate companies turning veterans
into successful agents.

The good news is other industries have figured how to
accomplish this goal.  If others have
done it, there is a possibility that you can do it too.  It is also good news that being successful in
this arena does not require a nationally recognized brand.

In our next discusssion, I’ll give you some ideas on becoming more successful in hiring ex-military individuals. In particular, we’ll study
a group of  companies (that have some
close similarities  to real estate
companies) that will teach us how to break through the barriers that keep
veteran hiring from happening in your company. 

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BenHessPic2011Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Understanding Why Recruiting is So Difficult—The Assembly Line Mentality

Monday, June 10, 2013

I recently read an article about
procrastination that helped shed some light on what I’ve frequently observed
concerning recruiting in the real estate industry.

AssemblylineAlthough real estate owners put a great deal of
emphasis on recruiting, first level managers (ie. hiring managers) often
struggle to consistently perform the high number of the well-known tasks that
lead to acquiring the best hires. The hesitation to perform the correct tasks
soon turns into full-blown procrastination.  

This procrastination eventually morphs itself
into the development of bad recruiting habits—a focus on a low number of more
enjoyable tasks that equip poor candidates to progress through the recruiting
process, but keeps high-quality candidates at bay. 

As our company has studied the recruiting
process over the past seven years, I’ve noticed it often takes a multitude of
two-minute tasks to get one high-quality hire. In contrast, low-quality hires
rarely take this level of individual task volume.  Instead, it tends to be a low number of tasks
(sometimes involving longer, more emotionally draining interactions) to get to
the final signing.

You’d think that a bunch of two-minute tasks
would be an easier “basket to empty,” and a hiring manager might even welcome
the brevity of the tasks.  But, this is
not the case. For some reason, if hiring managers are given sixty two-minute
tasks to knock out, they get overwhelmed and throw in the towel (even though it
is only two hours of work). Why is this?

Although diagnosing such a problem may seem
simple (common causes are assumed to be traits such as laziness, lack of focus,
poor attention to detail, etc.), it is actually quite complex.  This pattern of behavior can be most likely
attributed to a set of erroneous internal expectations.  In essence, it’s an aversion to, what I call,
“assembly line” work.

Think of it this way: Managers are hired with the
expectation they will be called on to coach, train, inspire, manage office
personalities, and see to it that everyone is productive. These tasks take
thought, strategy, and emotional intelligence.   This is the type of work most managers get
excited about doing, and it is not “assembly line” work.

Assembly line work requires a completely different
mindset than creative work. There is a different rhythm involved in knocking
out a set of tasks quickly and then moving on to the next task.  But this is the work of recruiting.  I estimate that 90% of recruiting is assembly
line work.    

Is it even possible for real estate hiring
manager (who spends a majority of their time in the creative realm) to be
successful at recruiting? Yes, it is. 

But, he/she must become aware or the creative /
assembly line reality.  Successful hiring
managers understand they must consciously
switch into a different mode of mental output when they put on their
recruiting hat.

Part of the reason I figured this out was that I
have a similar problem with my clinical work. Even though conducting
psychotherapy for eight hours straight might sound like difficult work, it’s work
I am very comfortable with doing.  After
more than 20 years in this role, I am an expert. I know how to respond and the
work is right there in front of me. 
Because I have a stable client base, I don’t have to pick up the phone
and prospect.  I get to enjoy the
creativity of the work itself.

But, part of my practice (and some of the other
consulting work I do) involves dictating reports and completing insurance
paperwork. This is “assembly line” work, and as you might suspect, I don’t
enjoy it.

Like many real estate hiring managers, my
natural tendency is to procrastinate on these tasks.  To be successful, I too have to change my
mindset and move into an assembly mind mode.

Here’s the bottom line:  For a real estate manager, creative work is
going to seem easier because it tends to be reactive.  It is going to take more energy to do the
proactive tasks of recruiting.  Proactive
work will continue to seem uncomfortable until you list it out, get in an
assembly line mindset, and knock it out.

As Sir Isaac Newton once said, “Objects in
motion tend to stay in motion. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest.”  The real estate hiring manager must
understand both realities and know how to be effective in both arenas.

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DMPhotoWorkPuzzleEditor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

5 Tips for Networking at Conferences

Monday, June 03, 2013

There are many businesses that still depend
upon face-to-face networking for generating new prospects.  Obviously, most real estate companies rely on
this important business strategy, but there are many others as well.

ConferenceWhile some believed that the rise of online
social media would cause face-to-face networking to decline in importance, this
has not happened. The traditional techniques for networking are as relevant as
they’ve ever been.

I was fortunate to read some invaluable
information on this topic back in 1987 as I began to build my clinical practice.
By putting into practice the principles I discovered, I was able to reap the
benefits that well-executed networking activities consistently provide.

For my work at Tidemark, many of the same
networking concepts have applied and produced predictable results.  However, there was a new wrinkle to the
process that I didn’t anticipate—the art and science of networking at
conferences.

I’ve developed some methodologies in this arena,
but I still have a long way to go before tapping the full potential of the
conference venue.  This is why I’m always
on the lookout for good articles written on this topic.  I ran across such an article last week. 

David KerpenThe article is written by Dave Kerpen.  Kerpen is the founder and CEO of Likeable
Local,  and
the best selling author of Likeable Social Media and Likeable Business.   Here
are some of his thoughts on the topic:

1) Research speakers and attendees ahead of
time – and reach out. A week or two before the conference, look at the speaker
list and, if available, the attendee list. Research the people you'd most like
to meet and spend time with, and then reach out via email, Twitter or LinkedIn.
Figure out how you can truly help them – and then offer your
help. By showing your friendship first, you'll be
differentiating yourself from everyone else, who just wants to get something
from them. Set up a 10-15 minute meeting over coffee or a drink. That way, you
won't have to scramble and compete to get their attention once at the
conference.

 2) Use social media to connect with and
compliment the speakers.  Chances are,
you want to meet and network with speakers even more than with fellow
attendees. But so does everyone else. One of the best ways to grab a speaker's
attention is to engage with him or her on Twitter before
the conference, and pay him/her a genuine compliment before or during the
speech. I'll often then send a private message on Twitter to set up a meeting,
so that I don't have to fight through the crowd after his/her speech for 2
meaningless seconds of conversation.

3) Skip a panel or two and hang out in the
break room. As valuable as the content of a conference can be, if you're there
to meet people, it can be more valuable to hang out outside the panels, in the
break room, trade show floor, or by the coffee or snacks. There, you'll have
more time to meet people – a speaker who's just arrived, or an attendee who
stepped out to take a phone call, or a sponsor you might be able to partner
with. Most conferences have built-in breaks and networking time, which can be
very valuable. But consider making more of this time for yourself – you can
always get the notes from that panel later.

4) Forget just giving out business cards –
collect them. The traditional thinking for conferences is "Bring lots of
business cards to hand out to everyone you meet." I bring my business
cards to conferences. But I'd rather be in control of who I connect with –
collecting cards from the people I most want to stay in touch with. So, do ask
each person you meet for his/her card- and then, do connect with them on
LinkedIn – either after the conference, or right then and there. Always include a personal message when connecting.

 5) Ask meaningful questions of the people you
meet. Everyone else is asking, "Where are you from?" and "Where
do you work?" and other small talk at conferences. Larry Benet taught me to ask better
questions, such as "What are you most passionate about?" and
"What charity do you care most about?" and "Who at
this conference would you most like to be connected with?" That
way, you get people talking about something they really care about, and you can
form a more meaningful relationship faster. Of course, the most important question you can ask of someone is,
"How can I help you?" When you ask these questions, listen
well, and be genuinely interested. This will make a difference for
you."

While I don't personally connect with the questions
Kerpen recommends asking, I do think the questions need to be personal and
different.   I would also add that
questions should be genuine.

If you are a naturally inquisitive and
thoughtful person, utilize your gift for reaching out and connecting with new
people. In looking back on my career across multiple domains, it may be the most
valuable thing I have ever done.

Question: 
In what ways could you increase your value to others and your business
by being more proactive about face-to-face networking?

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

DMPhotoWorkPuzzleEditor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Post Memorial Day Insight: To Do…Or…Not To Do

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The WorkPuzzle gang has been a little slow in recovering after Memorial Day Weekend.  We'll be back to our normal publishing schedule next week. 

To wrap up this week, I thought I'd post something a little more eclectic than normal.  I found two "lists" this week that caught my attention.  Whenever I spend significant time away from the office, I tend to come back and question my priorities–what am I doing, and why am I doing it?  As I try to get back on track, rules that speak to priorities tend to resonate with me. 

The first list was orginally published in Reddit and was consolidated by Dina Spector, one of the Business Insider contributors.  It is an intriguing list of small things you can start doing to make yourself more healthy.  If you click through to the original article, most of the insights are documented with original research citations.

The second list is written by Jeff Hayden and published in Inc. Magazine. It is a list of things that you should immedietly elliminate from your daily routine. 

So, here is a slight adaptation Hamlet's famous question:  To do, or not to do.  That is the question.

To Do

1. Learn to drink your coffee black. Coffee is good for you (in moderation). Eliminating milk, cream, sugar, or flavorings will cut calories and maximize coffee's health benefits.

2. Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. This is an easy multi-tasking activity that can improve your balance. 


Todo3. Spread avocado on your toast instead of butter. Avocados are a good source of healthy fats. The fleshy green fruit is a mainstay on the "superfood" list. 

4. Meditate for just 20 minutes a day.  At least a dozen executives swear by the relaxing technique.

5. Eat fruit instead of candy.  Candy is sweet because it contains processed sugar, usually high fructose corn syrup. Fruit is sweet because it contains natural sugar, while it's also rich in fiber and vitamins. 

6. Learn how to cook. You will eat healthier, save money on dining out, and boost your self-esteem armed with a new skill. 

7. Park farther away from your destination. This is an easy way to squeeze more physical activity into your daily routine. 

8. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. This will burn calories and tone leg muscles.

9. Shop on a full stomach. Studies show that people who snack before a grocery trip buy fewer unhealthy foods. 

10. Drink more water.  The benefits of staying hydrated are endless — healthier hair, skin, and more energy. Some fitness experts claim you can lose weight if you drink water before every meal. 

11. Turn off your phone from time to time. Occasionally unplugging can help stressed individuals achieve a state of complete relaxation. 

12. Read a book. Expand your knowledge, reduce stress, and briefly cut ties with the Internet. 

13. Walk faster. Power walking will help blast fat — and get you to your destination sooner. 

14. Eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread.  Whole wheat bread is higher in fiber than regular white bread. Fiber helps with digestion.

15. Moisturize daily. A good moisturizing regimen prevents dry, flaky skin.  

16. Stretch every day.  Studies have shown that, in addition to enhancing flexibility, stretching makes you stronger and increases endurance. 

17. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water and dry properly.This simple step gets rids of germs and drying off prevents the spread of bacteria.  

18. If you are a regular public transport user, get on the bus one stop later than usual, and get off off one stop earlier than usual. Walking burns calories, reduces anxiety, and strengthens bones. 

19. Wear sunscreen. You don't want skin cancer. And you don't want to look like this. 

1. Check my phone while I'm
talking to someone.  Stop checking your
phone. It doesn't notice when you aren't paying attention.  Other people? They notice. And they care.


Not to do2. Multitask during a
meeting. The easiest way to be the smartest person in the room is to be the
person who pays the most attention to the room.

3. Think about people who
don't make any difference in my life. 
Trust me: The inhabitants of planet Kardashian are okay without you.

4. Use multiple
notifications.  You don't need to know
the instant you get an email. Or a text. Or a tweet. Or anything else that pops
up on your phone or computer.  They can
wait. You, and what is truly important to you, cannot.

5. Let the past dictate the
future.  Mistakes are valuable. Learn
from them. Then let them go.The past is just training. The past should
definitely inform but in no way define you–unless you let it.

6. Wait until I'm sure I will
succeed.  You can never feel sure you
will succeed at something new, but you can always feel sure you are committed
to giving something your best.

7. Talk behind someone's
back.  If only because being the focus of
gossip sucks. (And so do the people who gossip.)  Spend your time on productive conversations.
You'll get a lot more done–and you'll gain a lot more respect.

8. Say "yes" when I
really mean "no."  When you say
no, at least you'll only feel bad for a few moments. When you say yes to
something you really don't want to do you might feel bad for a long time–or at
least as long as it takes you to do what you didn't want to do in the first
place.

If you follow the advice on both of these lists, your summer will be off to a great start, and you'll be making investments in yourself that will pay dividends far beyond the next few months.

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BenHessPic2011Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. 

Turning Your Sales Expertise into Recruiting Expertise—Part 2

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

In our last discussion, I outlined two of the five steps
that allow you to connect your previous sales expertise to the
recruiting process.

The first two steps—developing a relationship with the
candidate and identifying the candidate’s needs are critical to the
process.  If this important groundwork is
not laid at the beginning of the recruiting sequence, the remainder of the
interaction with the candidate will feel “sales-y.”  Talented candidates shut down and run the
other way when they detect an interview heading down this path.

Assuming you’ve laid the proper groundwork, here are the
remaining components of the recruiting strategy:

Preventing/Overcoming Objections: Although
objections are inevitable in any sales process, the key for successful sales
professionals/recruiters is actually preventing objections. By asking the right
types of questions in step 2, many objections that would have occurred in the
process are addressed before the candidate has an opportunity to bring them
forth. Keep in mind that some objections are inevitable, that they are often
training responses, and that most are emotional and not practical.

It is not uncommon for candidates to
experience “buyer's remorse” at some point during the recruiting process.  After the initial attempts to build a
relationship and share information, candidates often get cold feet.  If this should happen after an interview (during
the follow-up process), reminding your candidates of why they started down this
path in the first place may help them get back on track. 

Filling
the Need/Providing Benefits:
Identifying the need (step 2) is considered the most crucial skill in sales or
recruiting; filling the need (step 4)  is
the second-most critical step to ensure success. Often recruiters and sales
professionals alike pay little attention to step 2, and focus solely on step 4.

Like many sales
professionals, recruiters often focus on what is commonly known in sales language
as their “product knowledge.” They have an in-depth understanding of the
organization they are recruiting for, they understand every detail of the
position and its function, and they completely understand the requirements of
the role.

Armed with all of this
product knowledge, these untrained recruiters contact potential candidates and
attempt to “tell” them about every benefit of the position and company they
represent, never addressing the real needs of the candidates. This is a common mistake
that is made by most sales professionals and is illustrated further in this
article.

Most of our recruiting coordinators (ie. the
individuals who first make contact with candidates) have been advised to not
over-share information.  While many of them
do have the “product knowledge,” that information is best shared by the hiring
manager later in the process (if it even needs to be shared at all).  If a candidate is told everything about the career and company, there is little reason
for the person to invest time in an interview. 

When a hiring manager is face-to-face with a
candidate, it’s important to only address the unique and specific needs
identified in step 2 of the process.  At
this stage of the hiring process, the candidate’s needs are the primarily
concern.  Product knowledge and information
overloading just muddies the water and makes it difficult for the candidate to
gain clarity in an important career decision.

Advance/Close
the Sale: In recruiting and
sales, advancing the sale is the final objective throughout every step of the
process. By filling the need in Step 4, you are in a position to advance the
sale to the next step.

In recruiting, closing
is most commonly compared to presenting the offer and gaining acceptance from
the candidate. At this stage recruiters often focus on the practical aspects of
the offer being made: compensation, benefits, perks etc.

Effective recruiters
and sales professionals alike understand the importance of re-emphasizing the
emotional drivers identified in Step 2 of the sales process prior to presenting
the practical aspects of the solution.

In the real estate recruiting process, there
is often more “advancing” and less “closing” required.  After learning about the candidate’s unique
situation, figure out a reasonable first step (or next step) in the hiring
process and attempt to get the candidate to commit to that step.  Mutually select a date when the next step
will be completed and then hold the candidate accountable to the target
date. 

Without “closing” a candidate on the next step,
the hiring process will not gain and maintain momentum.  Seemingly great interviews result in
disappearing candidates—i.e. individuals you never hear from again after the
interview is finished. 

Knowing what to ask, when to ask, what to
share, and when to listen is fundamental to both the sales and recruiting process.  Here’s to becoming an expert at both!

Note:  Note: Quotations (italicized text) are excerpts from a great article written
by  Stephen Lowisz.  Read more of Stephen’s article by visiting
his author page on Electronic Recruiting Exchange.

Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)

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Already of a member of TMOC?  If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage.  Questions?   Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.

SeattleEditor's Note: Lee Gray is the Senior Account Manager at Tidemark Inc. Lee is a guest contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. .