Today’s recruiters need to know industries, not people

Peter Linas

The old adage that it’s not what you know but who you know doesn’t ring true for recruiters any more. Today’s recruiter operates in a very different landscape to the industry of old – and this is signified no more clearly than in the demise of the little black book.

We’re in a digital-first world, and pen and paper won’t cut it anymore – we want the ability to email or tweet a candidate from the same interface; to bring up a great CV at the click of a button. The result of our changing needs is that now, it’s not who you know that matters: it’s what you know.

It used to be the case that the recruiter with the most contacts in his or her little black book was the one who made the most placements, and therefore brought in the most revenue. If a client wanted you to locate the best talent in the industry, your ability to deliver rested on the contents of your little black book.

Now, that’s no longer the case. As recruiters, we’ve had to shift our focus to stay ahead of the competition, and look for ways in which we can work smarter. This is where an intelligent approach to recruiting, armed with technology to increase efficiency, comes in.

If you’re not using the latest technology to integrate and streamline your workflows, you risk letting your competitors get the better of you. Don’t let them gain ground on your business simply because they’re using technology more effectively than you are.

The key to finding the right software for your business is to ensure before you purchase and implement that it integrates with all the other pieces of software you use. This is where cloud-based software really comes into its own: the best options allow seamless integration with a wide range of tools.

Your CRM, for example, should let you view email correspondence between a colleague and a client in a matter of clicks, without the need for a frustrating fight with your email client’s search capabilities. Likewise, if you want to check a candidate’s Twitter or LinkedIn, it should be a matter of a single click from their CRM profile. The time true integrations like this save in a working day is significant; add that time up over a year and you will have reclaimed valuable time in which you can make more placements and generate more revenue.

But flexibility doesn’t stop at integration. Recruiters are increasingly on the move, and need software that can be used on any device with an internet connection. The cloud enables these new working practices. Combine these benefits with the low capex of the cloud, its easily scalable nature and the lack of unproductive downtime as on-site or third-party engineers install critical updates, and it’s clear that in-house servers will soon be a thing of the past.

Intelligent recruitment isn’t just a buzzword – it’s increasingly demanded by clients in all industries who want to see candidates who are a great fit for their respective organisations. As recruiters, this means a shift in our working practices to develop a deeper understanding of the roles we’re recruiting for. At its most basic, this means that recruiters in the marketing sector should follow the blogs their clients and candidates read, attend the events they attend, and learn to use the vocabulary they use.

However, this isn’t truly intelligent recruitment. If you recruit web designers, learn to use the software and the coding languages they use. If you are able to converse knowingly about JavaScript with your clients and candidates, you’ll earn a new level of respect and develop a stronger relationship that is more likely to result in future commissions.

This doesn’t mean that networking activities of old are out – far from it. These activities have just changed shape with the advent of social media. Smart recruiters spend time starting and engaging in industry-relevant conversations on Facebook and Twitter, knowing that candidates look for jobs via these networks as much as on LinkedIn. And, for more niche roles, you’ll often find these same recruiters on specialist forums looking for highly skilled talent.

Ultimately, you should ask yourself: am I developing what I know or who I know? We operate in an incredibly competitive industry, with the best candidates often signed up to your competitors as well as your business. The result? The recruiters who can make placements quickly and intelligently win the day – with technology and knowledge, you will stay ahead of the competition.

Peter Linas is international managing director at Bullhorn.