Give and take
The value exchange
If you’ve had the privilege (your mileage may vary) of talking to me, you might know that I’m someone who’s driven by helping others.
It’s something I’ve always done and is an innate part of my nature.
Yet I’d be lying if I didn’t occasionally see a benefit in kind.
For example, 3 months after launching my business in 2011 I met an HR Manager who’d been struggling to get traction with her CV.
I didn’t have anything for her but helped her move from the classic responsibilities format to one which highlighted her many achievements.
I didn’t think anything of it at the time, so I was grateful when she dropped me a line a little while later to say she’d taken a maternity contract with a major local employer, saying my advice had made a difference.
She introduced me to the business. I placed four people there in six months, which was around £30k in revenue.
I helped her, she helped me, I helped her business find good people, I enabled good people to take good jobs, and I made some money that was a platform for growth.
Win-win and then some.
It’s not that I believe in something like karmic balance, something that is out of our control.
I just focus on what’s in my control and how I can help.
So it’s interesting that people do from time to time reciprocate.
I expect part of it is because there may be a feeling of debt accrued (not something I aim for).
Part of it though is that by helping, you gain trust. You show what you’re all about, and how you can help in other ways.
It’s the opposite of a zero-sum game.
I get benefit from helping others, because I can, because I want to, and because I have knowledge that’s easy for me to share and costs nothing but time.
Of course, in helping others, it’s important not to do so in a way that means I can’t help myself. The lights don’t keep themselves on.
While this may be whimsical, it’s also the crux of the principle of value exchange in networking: go into any interaction trying to give as much as you hope for.
Just think about those olden days networking events – who do you avoid and who do you seek out?
I’d typically avoid the salesy people in it for themselves, while I’ll remember for good reasons the ones who ask after me.
There’s nothing wrong with selling of course. If you want me to sell to you, and you’re ready to buy, we can talk!
Value exchange is one of the pillars of my recruitment process.
Make everything about the candidate and their needs and wants.
In exchange, you’ll find it easier to fill vacancies than if you prioritise your own needs and wants.
Simple.
What makes a great advert?
Copy that appeals to the needs and desires of the candidate, showing them why they should or shouldn’t be interested.
What makes a great job description, for the purpose of recruitment?
Content that clearly and concisely shows the nature of a role, allowing an objective decision on whether to proceed.
How can you best prepare your candidates for interview?
Show them clearly the who, why, when and where of who they are meeting, together with timeframes for decision-making.
How can you reduce the odds of their accepting a counteroffer?
Have your first conversation about their situation, and why they might stay – if their problem is solvable they should explore this with their employer first.
If they were always going to withdraw, and I could identify that, shouldn’t I help them make the right decision for them while reducing the burden on my recruitment process?
There are so many ways in which this benefits candidates, and in the same way, benefits us.
Reduce ambiguity.
Find clarity.
Build trust.
Gain commitment.
Put candidates at ease so that they give their best at interview.
To take what you need from a process, give candidates what they need.
And all it takes is a change of attitude from ‘helping us’ to ‘helping you’.
The benefit for me is that I fill vacancies with candidates who often deliver more than expectation, and enjoy doing so.
I can’t remember the last time I ‘lost’ a candidate to a counteroffer, or had them withdraw inexplicably (some do for good reason).
That helps me, while I help employers by helping great candidates secure good jobs.
Recruitment can be a business of gratitude.
Make your process about your candidates’ needs, their journey, how they reach decisions, their experience, their frustrations with other recruitment processes, their pains, their challenges and where they can be found.
And you’ll fill your vacancies more straightforwardly, with more suited candidates, more quickly and with less frustration.
How’s that for a value exchange?
Regards,
Greg
P.s While you are here, if you like the idea of improving how you recruit, lack capacity or need better candidates, and are curious how I can help, these are my services:
- Go-to-Market, operational and technical key hire recruitment
- manage part or all of your recruitment on an individually designed basis for one client. Get access to an expert recruiter without the cost of a full time hire. Save money, save time, hire better candidates.
- recruitment coaching and mentoring
- recruitment strategy setting
- outplacement support
Just hit reply to check if my approach is right for you.