In today’s economy one issue organisations face is talent management and that isn’t just in recruitment. I wrote an article on the subject at the end of last year that walked through the whole problem.
As any economy shifts so does the whole demand v’s supply equation when it comes to employees. If you talk to any of your own recruitment peer network they will tell you how hard it is to find high calibre candidates. Consequently the same is true in our own recruiting industry.
What happens then for an ambitious recruitment company who wants to grow; where is their talent pipeline going to come from?
10X YOUR TEAM’S OUTPUT
“Your team does a lot of work – but they could do better. “
Attracting great consultants is one thing but what about the managers that will work closely with them to ensure they deliver? Where will they come from? Is the internal promotional route a better option? Possibly, provided you can assess your own talent pool properly.
Here are 5 key factors to consider before you put James or Gemma into that role.
1. A step too far to soon
I have seen this happen more than once. That fantastic ‘new’ recruit is a year in and blowing everyone away with their figures. Wonderful; hang on though stepping into a management role is different. If they have joined as an experienced consultant it could be a good move; provided they are demonstrating some leadership ability. Plus you are observing that they are naturally being seen as leaders by the other members of the team; being asked for advice and opinions is definitely something to watch out for.
If they are ‘new’ to recruitment and the team, they will need longer to understand the environment and your organisation. Which leads me onto something else …
2. Great biller doesn’t mean great manager
Let’s be blunt about it, the skills sets needed to be a great manager are different. The great biller is highly likely to be out for themselves; in the nicest possible way of course! As managers and owners we don’t mind this when they are constantly smashing their billings. It will be a different story when you are expecting them to maintain their own billings and help the rest of the team achieve theirs. It takes some unique skills to master both.
3. How do they think and act?
Consultants ready for management in your company will show some tell-tale signs.
A big tick will be how they live your company values; not just when they have placed a candidate and everything is going swimmingly.
Any successful organisation has clear values and it is a given that managers must role model these consistently. Are they doing this as a consultant? If not they are unlikely to change with more responsibility.
Can they think both tactically and strategically? As responsibility increases so does the need to see the bigger picture; that bigger game that your recruitment company wants to play.
4. Are they coachable?
As any manager reading this will confirm. Becoming a billing manager will involve learning new skills and fast. Prima donnas who can’t accept feedback and coaching rarely do well. On the other hand good solid performers who see recruiting as a worthwhile career and are loyal to you and your company do.
10X YOUR TEAM’S OUTPUT
“Your team does a lot of work – but they could do better. “
5. Attitude is everything
My experience over many years is that if an individual has the ‘right’ attitude there isn’t much they can’t apply themselves to.
- Sales and management skills can be learnt
- Sector expertise can be developed
- Organisational ability comes with practise
Do they take actions over and beyond their job description without being asked? Good manager potential people will normally seek out opportunities to make a difference to others, with patience and consistency and are self less.
How many ticks do they have? If they have all 5 you might have filled a gap in your pipeline. All you now have to do is make sure.
If you want to learn how to set up your business, so that it stops under-performance once and for all, then join my free webinar: The 5 Secrets Our Clients Use to Build 7 & 8 Figure Recruitment Businesses
Warm regards,
