10 Recruitment clichés that are actually true

1. “The more you put in, the more you get out.” When you can’t close a deal to save your life and you’re wondering why you ever got into recruitment, pick the phone up. Something will happen.
2. “It’s a contact sport”. Next time you start writing an email, ask yourself why you’re not making a phone call. Then pick the phone up.
3. “Have the conversation”. Not sure about the candidate? Speak to the client. Discuss your reservations; you won’t be wasting your client’s time. What if you don’t and your competitor does?
4. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Relationships and networks are the lifeblood of what we do. 
5.  “Trust your gut instinct.” A hunch is normally based on something that went well, or badly, in the past.
6. “There’s no such thing as a nice surprise.” If it’s a surprise in a recruitment process, you probably don’t want it.
7.  “Billing is a habit.” Unfortunately, so is not billing.
8.  “Old school” works. Listening skills, open questions, objection handling, closing. Activity, activity, activity.
9.  “People buy people first.” Would you spend money where you got no service, no value, no peace of mind?
10.  You can’t win ‘em all.” Sooner or later one of your competitors will place a candidate you are working with, that you decided wasn’t right for the role. 
11.  “Internal recruiters are washed-up billers.”

Ten of the above are true.

This is part of our 600 Interesting and Useful Things for Recruiters series. Supplied by Luke.schanche@astburymarsden.com (0207 065 1246)