Cold-Calling Is So 1990

If you are still MPC-ing (short for “most placeable candidate,” the act of sending unsolicited resumes to companies in a bid to get an appointment) and cold-calling prospects, you need to know a little something about what happens on a typical morning for an internal talent acquisition leader.

They arrive at the office at 7 a.m. to 20 new voicemails or emails. They check to see who contacted them. Without surprise, they learn that 17 of the messages are from outside recruitment firms.

What do I, as a talent acquisition leader, do in that situation?

I delete them all. There is no relationship, nor is there any context as to why I should respond. Most companies have applicant tracking systems that hold all of their prospects over time. Often, the company's prospect list and connection activity are robust. Your services are not needed.

What is the end result?

You are not heard. If you are, you are simply an annoyance.

Heads up! Hiring managers, more often than not, have to get all of their outside agency usage approved through talent acquisition. You can take them out to lunch, but ultimately the decision comes down to talent acquisition and, in some cases, procurement. If you do not have a master service agreement with the company, they cannot use your services. Your outreach is moot.

Who do I, as a talent acquisition leader, actually use for recruitment services? My trusted colleagues. In some cases, these are folks I competed with in agency, and I have a deep respect for how they partner.

I will, however, give recruitment professionals a chance. If their approach is unique, creative, and brings value, it may instigate a conversation for future needs.

In light of all this, what can you do?

The model has changed. How you approach the market today matters. Here are three best practices that actually get results:

1. Start Marketing Yourself and Not Your Candidates

Talent acquisition is becoming increasingly dependent upon internal resources for sourcing and hiring quality talent. This accommodates the growing need for ambassadorship of the company brand and culture to increase qualityof-hire metrics and reduce turnover.

The question you need to answer to get noticed is: How can you, as an expert in the recruiting domain, bring value to your prospective clients in this area?

2. Stop Being One of Those Recruiters

You know what I mean. Recruiting today requires a partnership with both your candidates and your clients. People follow people, not companies.

How are you presenting in the geographies you serve? How are you positioning yourself in the market? What is your expertise? How well do you know the company you are targeting? What are the vision, mission, and values of the organization?

Be present at events, on podcasts, and at other extracurricular venues your clients and candidates attend. Be the expert, not the same old recruiter pushing resumes and fancy cupcakes.

3. Recognize Your Why

Why are you in the recruiting profession? If it is to make a ton of money, then you are doing it for all of the wrong reasons.

Yes, you can make money, but your why should be grounded in providing immense value in the recruiting profession. You should be pumped to help a person find valuable employment while providing excellent service and candidates to your clients. If you are solely in it for the money, you will fail.

It takes a lot of work and personal branding to become successful for the long term. Your existing and future clients will know right away what value you can bring by how you present yourself.

In 1990, LinkedIn was not available. Agency recruiters had to go out and build relationships hand to hand. Over time, technology made connections easier, but the concept of hand-tohand relationship-building is still necessary.

This relationship-building can be done on a greater global scale with social media. Your LinkedIn profile should represent your value as a recruitment professional. Your fish-on-thewall connection is now much easier and better targeted.

Back in the '90s, agency recruiters were told to bypass HR, but that strategy doesn’t work in 2019. To provide value now, recruiters must understand the needs of corporate HR departments and, specifically, the trends within talent acquisition.

Lean in on value and strategy rather than “I have this great candidate who just became available.” You will see your success soar now and into the future.

As a side note, in the present-day keto, glutenfree, and forks-over-knives world, your cupcakes will probably not make an impact.

Laureen Kautt

Laureen Kautt is a global talent acquisition executive and the founder and principal coach of Volitionary Movement, LLC.