Welcome to Issue 4 of Recruitment Trends & Industry Insights

Hi I'm Joanna Oakley CCWP MCIPD . With over 20 years of experience in the staffing and recruitment industry, I am a Transformation and Change Consultant and the Owner/Director of Argylestone Consulting Ltd . I help multinational staffing firms and local recruitment businesses implement technology and operational change and transformation programmes to drive growth and productivity.

TRENDS

Where have all of the candidates gone?

Contrary to popular belief finding qualified candidates has always been a challenge for as long as I can remember, however this becomes especially so during times of low unemployment. Traditional methods for recruiting have historically focused on experience, job titles, and education levels however, as skill sets rapidly evolve, more and more companies are expanding their search for talent beyond these basic parameters. As many recruitment blogs have detailed over the last 6-9 months, this includes considering candidates from different countries, age groups, genders, ethnicities, and educational backgrounds.

Job types

One of the interesting changes being reported this year is in addition to the above, is that both employers and employees are more flexible in their approach to hiring tenure with both parties now being prepared to seek out shorter-term commitments. Employees prefer temporary projects over long-term positions, while employers prefer temporary assistance rather than permanent roles. With the rise of remote work opportunities, there is now a global market for talent that knows no boundaries.

Streamlined processes with AI-powered automation

Automation is crucial for streamlining manual tasks in recruitment. Intelligent automation powered by AI takes this a step further by enabling faster feedback, cleaner candidate pipelines, and an improved candidate experience.

Real-time optimisation through predictive analytics

Many of the persistent challenges recruitment leaders face is the fact that traditional reports and dashboards only offer insights into past performance, which means business leaders may not be aware of problems until it's too late to make significant changes. With predictive analytics tools providing timely alerts and recommendations, recruitment leaders can address issues in real-time and continuously improve without waiting for reporting cycles. In the future, recruitment teams will be able to use data proactively to anticipate trends and stay ahead of competitors.

User-friendly experiences

Getting users to adopt new technology can be challenging. Even after investing time and resources into a new system and adjusting processes accordingly, some employees may resist changing their behaviour. This can include simply logging into a different platform or tool. To combat this resistance, user-friendly experiences meet users where they already are - in the tools they use every day. For example, hiring managers can receive notifications and provide feedback on candidates without leaving their preferred communication platform like Slack or Teams. Just as other apps like Zoom integrate with essential workplace tools, it is expected that hiring tools will follow suit.

Generation Z

By 2025, Generation Z will make up the majority of the workforce. Born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, this demographic will represent 27% of the global workforce and a third of the population. With their unique needs and preferences, employers may need to adapt their operations to attract Gen Z talent. This generation values a flatter organisational structure and seeks opportunities to make a positive impact in the world. Employers may need to adjust their business practices to align with these values to attract top Gen Z candidates. As many of you may already know, Gen Z candidates have mixed feelings about using recruitment agencies to find work. They appreciate the structured support and industry connections that agencies offer, but they also have certain expectations and concerns, especially regarding communication and timeliness.

Gen Z places a high value on efficiency and transparency in the recruitment process. As recent research shows, they often use AI-powered tools to optimise their job applications, so they expect recruitment agencies to be equally tech-savvy and up-to-date with the latest trends. However, there is some scepticism towards chatbots among Gen Z candidates. They worry that past experiences with chatbots have led to a less personal and more transactional experience, which has negatively impacted their perception of a company's commitment to its employees. Despite these concerns, chatbots are becoming more common because of their ability to speed up the hiring process and provide quick answers to candidate questions, changing many perceptions. The key for recruitment agencies is to balance the use of technology with maintaining a human touch, ensuring that candidates feel valued and understood throughout their journey.

INSIGHTS

Revitalising Recruitment: Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter

I often refer to myself as "Old School" I love being onsite with my clients, I always have enjoyed face to face client meetings as well as being in the office with my teams and enjoying the atmosphere and buzz as they ring the bell and cheer each others successes. As primarily a sales role I am always surprised to hear there is an ongoing debate among recruiters about the necessity of meeting clients face-to-face. Some, I am told, believe it's unnecessary, while others recognise there importance but acknowledge that it may not always be feasible. 

Those who continue to prioritise in-person client visits explain that they provide valuable insights into a client's needs and company culture, which can be difficult to gather through phone calls alone. Likewise, clients appreciate the opportunity to discuss their internal or supplier challenges more openly and in-depth when meeting face-to-face rather than virtually in an open plan setting. 

While virtual meetings are convenient for quick updates, building stronger relationships and trust is still valued through face-to-face interactions. The key is to carefully select which clients to meet and have a compelling reason for doing so. At a time when many agencies are struggling with new business development and decreased numbers of bookings, I wonder how the perception of in person client meetings may be impacting growth. 

I recently read an article by Isabel Jackson for People Magazine where fashion retailer Asos, following the shift to hybrid working, stated it has become increasingly common for meetings to take place with at least some attendees joining over video platforms such as Zoom and Teams. 

According to The Times report, Asos is resisting the change to virtual meetings, telling staff that virtual meetings have a “detrimental” impact on company performance. Paul Holcroft, managing director of Croner, tells People Management that although online meetings became a “real lifeline” for organisations during the pandemic and have remained a “fixture” for some, “many businesses find that meeting in-person is a better way to effectively communicate. Face-to-face communication allows colleagues to read each other’s body language and there are no time lags because of poor connection issues.

Why the disparity?

In my experience successful recruiters understand the value of well-planned and targeted client meetings where they can establish trust, identify needs, and build rapport. Despite the current shift towards videoconferencing, savvy recruiters are starting to engage with clients in person again in order to thrive in their business.

Winning new business will always be crucial for recruiting success, whether it's done through in-person or virtual meetings. However, securing meetings may be more challenging now than before. Giving up however is not an option; instead, recruiters must find ways to create compelling reasons for a client to want to meet with them. Unfortunately, these meetings often end up being a wasted opportunity due to various factors, some of which may not even be within the recruiter's control. To mitigate this risk, it's important to ensure that the client's your recruiters are meeting with, fit within your target market and has ongoing hiring needs. Proper preparation is also essential, including researching the company and individuals' recruiters will be meeting with, as well as familiarising themselves with their clients, competitors, and recent news. Additionally, utilising your agencies database can provide valuable insights on past relationships with the client or their employees. The key is to ensure that recruiters are armed with knowledge and use it to their advantage when creating successful client meetings. 

One thing I consistently notice when observing recruiters in client meetings is a lack of preparation. This not only affects the clients confidence in the individual but the perceived value of their and your agency services, but also the overall organization and effectiveness of the meeting. From creating an agenda to delivering key messages and tangible objectives, proper preparation is key to successfully closing a deal with a client or simply executing a meeting.

So where do you start? 

Effective coaching and leadership strategies are essential for supporting recruiters in conducting successful client meetings. Before any client meeting begins, do your recruiters give themselves a mental pep talk. Do they recognise that they are an expert in their field and should not act subservient or apologetic towards the client, even if they hold a senior position. The client relationship should be seen as a partnership between equals. As you yourself will know, structure is essential for success in client meetings. Have they set an agenda in advance and is the client is clear on the objectives of the meeting. If it's been a few weeks since the meeting was booked - have they reminded themselves of the agenda and what they intend to cover.

Many recruiters tend to approach discussions without a clear plan, jumping from one topic to another without direction. This can lead to confusion and make it difficult to effectively sell your services. It's important to have a structure and agenda in place for the meeting. In order to successfully conduct client meetings, it is crucial for recruiters to have effective coaching in place. As a recruitment leader it is easy to assume that everyone knows and remembers the basics, but if meetings in your recruitment business continue to struggle, it's worth a spot check or if necessary, a deeper dive into the recruiter's meeting preparation process. 

Gaps to look for:

Effective questioning skills are crucial for a successful client meeting. While recruiters may excel at speaking, listening and asking relevant questions are also key components of effective selling. Are your recruiters familiar with active listening techniques or do they ask the tough question? Sometimes, in our eagerness to promote ourselves and our services, recruiters may overlook what is truly important to the client: their pain points and critical needs. It is crucial to actively listen and prioritise addressing these needs.

Effective Communication Ratios

It is important to remember that during a client visit, it is ideal for the client to speak 70% of the time while the recruiter speaks 30%. By asking relevant open questions will they truly understanding the client's needs, and be able to effectively address and respond to them.

Closing Techniques Matter

While some recruiters may feel uncomfortable or pushy, if the meeting has been booked to discuss current vacancies, it is necessary to ask for the job order at the end of a client meeting. Whatever the reason for the meeting make sure the recruiter confidently presents your agencies offering, resolves objections, and then ask for the business.

This advice may seem incredibly basic, but I am sure you too would be surprised by the many recruiters I have witnessed, fail to follow it. Regularly scheduling in-person meetings with clients and continuously improving closing skills are vital aspects of successful recruiting practices and as leaders in order to thrive in challenging market conditions it is important to review and evaluate your recruiters capabilities and confidence in this area, especially following Covid when face to face meetings have reduced considerably.

Key points to consider when it comes to coaching:

Establish Clear Objectives: Make sure that recruiters have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives for each client meeting. This includes being familiar with the client's needs, preferences, and pain points.

Provide Structured Training: Offer comprehensive training sessions that cover best practices for client meetings. This should include simulations/ role play, dealing with objections, and effective closing techniques.

Utilise Performance Coaching: Implement performance coaching to help recruiters continuously improve their skills. This should involve identifying strengths and areas for growth, providing constructive feedback, and offering practical advice.

Create Consistent Workflows: Develop standardised workflows that can be shared with recruiters to ensure consistency and quality in client meetings. These workflows should be adaptable to different scenarios.

Encourage a Supportive Environment: Promote open communication and teamwork within the team. Leaders should be available for guidance and support, fostering a culture where recruiters feel comfortable seeking help and sharing insights.

Evaluate and Adapt Strategies: Regularly assess the outcomes of client meetings and gather feedback from both clients and recruiters. Use this information to make adjustments to strategies and training programmes to better meet client expectations and enhance the effectiveness of meetings.

Prioritise Empathy And Relationship Building: Train recruiters to focus on building strong relationships with clients by genuinely listening and showing empathy. Understanding their concerns and establishing trust is crucial for developing long-lasting partnerships.

GUEST EXPERT: Ali Braid, Assoc CIPD , The Recruitment Trainer has kindly shared her thoughts with me on why face to face meetings still matter.

“One of my summer sessions was all about “Unlocking the secret to face to face client meetings” (now available as  part of a training bundle here: Summer Sessions - The Recruitment Trainer)

 Like Joanna, I am true believer in being “eye ball to eye ball” with your clients.

 In the first 4 minutes, 40 opinions will have been made: how successful you are, how old, experienced, whether they trust you, respect you etc. So first impressions really do count (see picture attached) – be prepared, look the part (whatever the dress code is in your sector – follow it) and make sure you are clear on your objectives for the meeting.  

Plan your questions – usually this person is someone you have been trying to get in front of for months – so make the most of it! People often see being prepared as something you only do when you are inexperienced – my advice is always to over prepare, no matter how long you have been doing the job. This means you will not only hit your objectives, but you will also make a positive impression on the person you are meeting. Who wants to meet someone who isn’t prepared, hasn’t done their research, and doesn’t really seem to care? Exactly. Being in front of your client also helps you spot those buying signals:

This is great list to be aware of – and being asked for any kind of data or interacting with you on social media should will come after a successful meeting and will be a welcome buying signal.

To find out more about Ali go to The Recruitment Trainer - The Recruitment Trainer

 WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING

Watching the 2024 Olympics has been an absolute joy for me! The women's gymnastics, especially the floor routines, have been nothing short of spectacular. Simone Biles has been incredible, leading her team to Olympic gold and delivering stunning individual performances that remind us why she's such a superstar. There was a moment when fans noticed her expression midway through her floor routine, and it was clear just how much passion and determination she brings to the sport . I was also immensely proud of Team UK, particularly our gymnasts who have shown remarkable skill and spirit in their performances .

Beyond gymnastics, I’ve always had a soft spot for synchronised swimming. Watching it this year has rekindled my childhood love for the sport. The power, the attention to detail, and the sheer precision of the routines are mesmerising. There's something magical about seeing athletes move in perfect harmony, creating such beautiful patterns in the water.

These Olympics have truly been a highlight, filled with moments of pride, awe, and inspiration. It's been wonderful to see athletes from all over the world come together and showcase their talents.

Have you been watching?

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