Recruitment is stressful, it’s messy, and it’s unpredictable. In an industry where everything can change at the drop of a hat, recruiters simply have to stay on top of their game. So, how can those of us working in this volatile industry stay on top and be successful?
The truth is that the best recruiters never stop learning and they never stop improving – not only their skills, but also themselves.
So, to help you be one of the best, we’ve picked some of the best (in our opinion anyway) recruitment-relevant TED talks to share with you. These seven talks cover everything from how to pitch, to how to manage the stress that comes with the territory of being a recruiter. Watch a few and we guarantee you’ll pick up some knowledge that helps you get that bit better at your job.
Perfect your pitch
Not just an integral thing to have during a karaoke competition, recruiters need to have their sales pitch down when they’re looking to pull in new business leads. This talk by Simon Sinek discusses how people don’t buy into what you do, they buy into why you do it. They don’t care if you’re a recruiter, they want to know why your recruitment company exists and what purpose you serve. If you can’t speak with integrity about why you do what you do, you’ll always struggle to convince anyone else they should care about it too. Watch the talk here.
Improve your candidate relationships
Any good recruiter will tell you that candidate relationships are key. Without this, you pretty much can’t do half of your job. What makes candidate relationship management that much more difficult is the fact that it’s the small things that make a big difference, and recruiters need to be aware of this in everything conversation.
That’s why every recruiter should watch Celeste Headlee’s talk on how to improve the conversations you’re having with candidates every day. She highlights the impact that small, and sometimes imperceptible, habits can have on the flow of conversation that, ultimately, negatively impact the relationship that you are building with a candidate. Watch the talk here.
Make more successful phone calls
Recruitment is fundamentally about talking to people; so if you can make a good phone call, you might be on your way to success. Julian Treasure outlines the 7 deadly sins that turn people off from listening to what you have to say, and the 4 pillars upon which powerful speeches stand.
Watch his TED talk, cut the seven deadly habits and implement the four good ones, and you’ll be having successful calls left, right and centre. Simple. Watch the talk here.
Fill your talent gaps
A lot of HR professionals will confess to struggling to fill their roles right now. It’s not a reflection of any incapability on their part, but rather of the widening skills gaps that many industries are facing today. But that doesn’t mean that there is a way to turn that around.
In this TED talk Regina Hartley, VP of Human Resources at UPS, shared her thoughts on how in-house recruiters can screen a CV and look for experience that can turn a technically disqualified candidate into a strong contender for a difficult to fill role. You might be sceptical or think it’s lowering your standards, but she’s simply offering a way to view candidates through a different lens. Watch the talk here.
Create a high-billing office
Probably more applicable to the agency owners and managers, but this TED talk by Andrew Sillitoe draws attention to how businesses can create a high-billing culture by establishing their company story, understanding their positioning, and putting this at the core of everything they do.
These three pillars are integral to developing a culture that breeds high-billers, and that is fundamental to the success of a business. Watch the talk here.
Increase confidence and resilience
A lot of recruiters will tell you that you need thick skin to survive in this industry. Whilst this talk applies to everyone and anyone wanting to better themselves in the workplace , in fact, this is the second most-watched TED talk of all time, it’s particularly relevant to recruiters.
Adopt Amy Cuddy’s principle of ‘power posing’ for a few minutes each morning and you’ll find it not only increases your confidence in yourself, but also the confidence that others have in you. Watch the talk here.
Manage stress and increase productivity
Just as recruitment can knock your confidence, it can raise your stress levels. Whether you’re nowhere near your billings as the close of the month looms, or you’re trying to broker an acceptable salary between a candidate and client, there’s more than enough in this job to get your blood pressure up.
Kelly McGonigal wants people to flip these situations around; to own times of stress rather than fearing them, and embracing our nature response to stressful situations rather than fighting them. Watch the talk here.
Are you looking for your next recruitment role? Third Republic are hiring so, get in touch with us today to hear about potential opportunities.
