What's luck got to do with it? How to make your own 'luck' in recruitmentPosted over 2 years ago by Nick Boulton

Recruitment isn’t just luck, winning the lottery is luck.

Being successful in recruitment requires a myriad of things—hard work, planning, discipline, desire and competitive nature.

Yes, there is good fortune involved like in any walk of life, you sometimes need the breaks to go your way, but it’s no coincidence that the harder working among us will always get the rub of the green.

There is a stigma in recruitment that’s largely self-inflicted. We spend a lot of time boasting, bragging, and oversharing on places like LinkedIn and creates a sense that bad days are rare.

Let me dispel that myth. Recruitment is littered with failures, bad days and emotional ups and downs. If you spend any amount of time in recruitment, your bad days will outweigh your good ones, but it’s the height of those good days that we really live for.

In 2022, the only luck you need is to be working in the recruitment industry and gainfully employed!

The market is the most buoyant it has ever been. Salaries are rising, vacancies are growing daily, fees are at an all-time high and there doesn’t seem to be any signs of this slowing down.

If you know a recruiter who finds perfect candidates consistently, you’ve probably wondered where their luck is. You probably think there has to be a catch, right?

It may surprise you, but recruitment is an extremely strategic and prescriptive process. Consistency yields big rewards. There is a lot that takes place behind the scenes to source, vet, hire and negotiate for the right candidate, and there is even more effort to ensure the candidate, starts and assimilates into the company culture.

So perhaps a better question would be, “How do you make yourself a ‘luckier’ recruitment consultant?”

Time is of the essence and unless you have a thorough tried and tested process, you are going to fall behind your competitors. So here are a few things you need to get right to have consistent success.

Look for qualities other than just skills and experience

A candidate’s skill set is important for getting a foot in a company’s door. They’re almost taken for granted in technology.  But what is becoming more important—and for me, the number one trait I look for—is a candidate’s EQ (I think that’s the woke term for it). I value a person’s personality, manners, company fit and general zest for life above all else. If you have the drive and character, Client Server will train and upskill your skillset.

One of the most successful recruitment practices is hiring someone with about 80% of the skillset you want, with the other 20% covering personality and company fit – we call it the 80/20 rule. In fact, I would go even further and say if they have 60% of the right stuff, everything else can be taught.

Have self-confidence

Don’t confuse confidence with arrogance. It's crucial to your success as a recruiter to demonstrate the right level of self-belief. This will improve the way your colleagues see you, and your opinions/ideas will more likely be considered.

Confidence often comes with experience and knowledge, but striving to learn, teaching yourself the best techniques and practices, while studying the habits and routines of other successful consultants will increase your confidence levels.

Build trustworthy relationships

Relationship maintenance is a day to day task. Sincerity and a will to build a rapport is the first building block to trust.

You should never talk to anyone with the singular goal to ‘make a deal’. Your aim is to discover your candidates and/or clients’ needs while getting a feel for their personality, culture and leadership style. Showing those soft skills – the ability to listen, learn, and take their requirements on board – will help found strong relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Set yourself high standards and stay consistent.

As a recruiter, it’s easy to get bogged down in the bad stuff. But remember, positivity and consistency ALWAYS pay off. It might not happen immediately, but it will happen.