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Recruiting
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Training &
Commentary
by Bill Radin
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The
Recruiter's Digest
Recruiting
News, Training & Commentary by Bill Radin |
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December, 2006 |
Time Management: All You Can Eat
When I
was a freshman in college, a nearby tavern offered a special deal every
Sunday night: All-you-can-eat pizza for only $5.99.
My favorite was mushroom and pepperoni. The second it was under my nose,
I'd wolf it down slice by slice until it was gone. Then I'd order
another.
After a couple of weeks, I discovered a more satisfying strategy.
Instead of eating the whole pizza, I'd scrape all the mushrooms and
pepperoni onto one slice. After the super slice was finished, I'd order
another pizza and repeat the process.
Since the all-you-can-eat price was the same no matter how many
pizzas I ordered, I could load up on the tasty toppings and toss out the
crust.
Years later, I discovered that time management works the same way: For
best results, put your assets where they'll do the most good, and
discard everything else.
What's an Asset?
I like business author Robert Kiyosaki's definition: An asset is
something that makes you money; a liability is anything that doesn't.
As a recruiter, your assets are the intangibles that make you money. The
greater the intangibles' value, the more each asset is worth. And the
more assets you're able to leverage, the greater your cash flow.
Unfortunately, it's not always easy to tell the difference
between an asset and a liability. For example, many recruiters look at
the resumes in their database and assume they're all assets, when in
fact, most of them are liabilities.
To make
matters more complicated, each resume's value depends on the intangibles
you add to the equation. Think of each resume this way:
|
$ |
By
itself, the resume is virtually worthless.
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|
$$ |
But if
the resume contains bullet points and keywords that match a job you're
trying to fill, the value just went up. |
|
$$$ |
Let's
say you've interviewed the candidate and you know everything about his
work history, his strengths and what he's looking for in his next job.
The value just went up again. |
|
$$$$ |
Add
your knowledge of the job you're working on, how the candidate fits the
job, the candidate's interest in the job and your strong belief that the
candidate is perfect for the job. Add more value. |
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$$$$$ |
Now,
consider the employer's trust in your ability to refer the right person
and not waste his time. More value. |
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$$$$$$ |
You can
call the employer, present the candidate and schedule an interview
for next week. There's lots of value in that.
|
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$$$$$$$ |
For
good measure, you decide to present additional candidates who also
fit the job. You schedule their interviews within 24 hours of the
first candidate. The value has multiplied. |
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$$$$$$$$ |
Now
take a look at the resume, and consider its value. Is it worth two
sheets of copy paper or a $20,000 fee?
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It's Just Like Pizza
Successful
recruiters attach a value to their services, and spend their time
placing their assets where they'll do the most good.
In contrast, inexperienced
recruiters devalue their assets by spreading them too thinly, or by
placing them where they have little chance of return. At worst, they get
their assets and liabilities confused.
As you plan your day, think of whether each activity has an asset value,
how much the asset is worth, and how you're using it. If the activity
has no value, put it aside or figure out a way to add to its value.
Time management has more to do with organizing your assets than it does
watching the clock. The more value you put on each slice of time, the
more satisfyingand
profitableyour
business will be.
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