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- Satnam Brar
They like the look of the commission cheque, but do they know how much work is involved? Satnam Brar offers some guidance on managing new consultants.
If you’re managing new and young staff, fresh out of university or college, you may need a series of strategies in place for getting the most out of them. This group of ambitious budding recruiters tends to have high expectations, but at the same time, a talent that can be leveraged for your business.
Focus on the induction process and commit to regular performance reviews and feedback sessions using a variety of structured and unstructured means. Welcome them to your agency and give them a mentor if necessary to help them bed in and learn the ropes. Commit to their ongoing development and learning opportunities and be quick to celebrate their success. Remember that your talented young staff may be your directors of the future. And the more engaged and appreciated they feel at your agency, the more likely they are to give you that all-important 110%.
Agreeing on salary
The starting salary for the average new consultant tends to be around £18-£19K basic. However, most agencies pay on a performance-based or OTE (on target earning) basis, which can easily see new recruiters earning a healthy £30K in their first year. This means that, as an employer, you can set targets which stretch your new recruits and see them performing at their best.
Encourage them to socialise
For those that adore going out after work, mixing with new people, enjoying the best meals, drinks and having business trips away, recruitment is ideal, as it is a very social, people-oriented industry. It is also one that rewards good performance in tangible ways, and many recruitment agencies will reward their top billers with lavish trips and luxurious travel breaks. This often provides a great incentive for those who are motivated by the good life. Again, use this to your advantage and as a tool to incentives your new young recruits and encourage them to achieve.
Overcoming challenges
Of course, with any new role there are challenges as well as a raft of benefits to look forward to. The long hours can be a drain on some recruiters and the need to be constantly proactive and hungry for new business will be tiring for those without a genuine aptitude or hunger for this type of work. Recruiters need to be proactive and self-starting. From the moment they get into work, they will be constantly on the go, cold-calling clients, carrying out business research, setting up and attending meetings with potential and existing clients, nurturing new business, networking and entertaining clients well into the evening. If the thought of this turns new recruits off, then recruitment might not be the industry for them. Additionally, new recruiters must remember that recruitment is effectively a skilled sales and fulfilment role, so if they don’t enjoy the game of selling, or delivering excellent customer service and results in a high-pressure environment, then they might want to consider working in a different kind of industry. Be clear about this in interview and seek to be as honest as possible to avoid a mismatch
Be realistic
If your new starters are raring to go and keen to progress their career as quickly as possible, they will often have to put in long hours. Tell them that they must always give 100% effort and energy to their role and manage their expectations about the amount of work involved. One of the issues is that established, big billers will have already proven their worth and be able to deliver more easily. New starters will need to build up their own professional standing and reputation, which they can do via delivery and attitude. Encourage them to network, too, as this is also key to being seen by the right people and demonstrating their value.
One great piece of advice is to greet all people in exactly the same way. Impress upon consultants that they may never know how influential that PA will be in getting them to speak to the right director – and that rudeness will soon see their professional standing diminish.
Keep talking
Newly appointed recruiters should also enter into regular, structured dialogue with their manager or employer to seek feedback on performance and always keep learning and developing. Refining their approach as they develop and never being afraid to admit to seek out further development are additional keys to success. Some of the best recruiters are constantly committed to doing things better and differently and they keep challenging themselves to go one step further, winning hearts, minds and new business in the process. Equally, recruiters should be open to developing complementary skills such as foreign languages, office management, team development and sales coaching to broaden their CV and skills portfolio and open up plenty of future opportunities.
Satnam Brar is director of Maximus IT
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