Hello again!
Welcome to the new edition of my monthly IFS blog.
I had a conversation at the beginning of the month with a new client regarding an IFS Apps10 implementation.
After the obligatory introductions, the first question I was asked was: ‘Why should I work with you?’
This is a question I hear more and more from existing, new or prospective customers, which always leads to a lengthy discussion about the bad habits and poor practices they have experienced from previous recruiters. Unfortunately, this poor service reflects on the rest of us who are trying to provide outstanding service.
However, it got me thinking about bad habits and how they are quick to form and slowly creep into our lives without warning. Whether you’re drinking too much coffee in the morning, biting your nails, or spamming candidates, bad habits come in all shapes, sizes, and industries.
However, to keep it slightly relevant, I have decided to list four of the most common bad habits I have come across during my conversations with those in the IFS market.
1. Stalking
Always calling, texting, direct messaging and emailing clients (or candidates) every hour of every day isn’t an effective way to create a great relationship with your customer or indeed influence people.
In my experience, customers see this approach as an act of desperation. If customers do not respond after a few attempts, they are either not interested or don’t require your services at this moment in time.
In my eyes, the best solution I have found in this situation would be to email them to say you will follow up again in another three months – and do it!
2. Telling customers what they want to hear and making false promises
I operate in a very niche market space and regularly get requests from other customers who are looking for resources with different ERP systems.
Recruiters earn themselves a bad reputation for making false promises in the hope that, somehow, they’ll piece it together and secure a placement.
In truth though, this only wastes everyone’s time, while making the recruiter, again, come across as unprofessional and desperate to secure a placement.
I have found the best solution for me is to always be truthful from the start and explain to customers my confidence in finding someone suitable for the role – whether that be high or low. This saves me the anxiety of failing to fulfil the assignment and damaging my reputation and also means that if I cannot find the perfect candidate, the client is not wasting their time or resources.
3. Sending CVs without permission
This is my biggest pet hate!! Sending a candidate’s profile to a customer without their agreement is not only a bad habit but on an ethical scale, is pretty much as low as you can go in this industry.
Candidates trust you to act in their best interests; to find a position that is right for them, which includes salary, location, contract length, required skillset etc.
However, sending a CV without their knowledge in the hope an employer will like what they see is in only acting in your best interests, and does not consider the customer or candidate’s requirements.
4. Bending the truth
Throughout my career as a recruiter, there is a reoccurring theme that ‘successful recruiters build their reputations based on trust, integrity and authenticity’.
I have never claimed to a customer that I am working with an unbelievable candidate who can start immediately without this being 100% fact.
When a customer shows interest in this candidate, and it becomes clear you only sent this to them to attract attention, they can, understandably, become frustrated and disappointed – fast.
Again, it seems to be a recurring theme here – I have always found being honest is the best approach. Letting your client down not only potentially damages their project and wastes their time, but it also places a rather large blot on your reputation and your ability to build sustainable working relationships.
Editor’s Note
To summarise, with the demand to fill jobs currently higher than ever, recruiters are going to be asked to complete their assignments quicker and without error, and bad habits need to be squashed if you want to be successful.
In my opinion, to be successful as a recruiter, build an online relationship, create a social network and create healthy, trustful relationships with customers and candidates. The ability to positively influence a hiring manager and a candidate’s situation will make the most significant impact – and honesty is always the best policy.
We are the experts in IFS recruitment so get in touch if you are looking for any of the following roles for your next IFS implementation: IFS Contractor, IFS Technical Consultant, IFS Functional Consultant, IFS System Analyst, IFS Software Consultant, IFS Consultant.
