The Resilient Recruiter

Why should clients do business with you instead of your competition? What do you offer that is genuinely unique? Couldn’t your competitors make exactly the same claim?  Are your prospects able to discern the difference between what you offer vs your closest competitors? It’s not easy to explain how your service is better in a way that is tangible and believable.  Yet it’s critical that you create a “unique value proposition” if you’re going to thrive in a saturated recruitment market - especially during tough times.   In this episode of the Resilient Recruiter, my special guests, Kevin Redman and Matt Halfpenny share their journey - the highs and lows - and discuss how they have differentiated their service from their competitors. Kevin and Matt are owners of the Property Recruitment Company, founded in 2012 with offices in London and Manchester.  Episode Outline and Highlights [1:34] The how and why - Kevin tells the story of how he started the business in 2012. [6:57] Matt and Kevin unveil their “highs and lows” that they had to navigate through as leaders and entrepreneurs. [12:52] A vision of trying to be different and having a unique value proposition. [16:10] Kevin and Matt talk about differentiating themselves from the competition and what you can learn as a recruiter. [29:46] What it means to lead the change in recruitment instead of just catching up. [33:05] How the retained model can provide more options, flexibility, and a better sense of protection to your clients. [41:10] “The CV is dying” - this is a bold statement you should hear more about! [50:00] What the future holds for the property recruitment company “Dare to be Different” Early in our interview, Kevin and Matt shared the vision that they are working to achieve together. It is “daring to be different.” As Kevin puts it, “I think the biggest value in our business and in my world, personally, that resonates with me and our business is ‘dare to be different’… We got to be different. There are thousands of recruitment companies out there who all transfer people into jobs. We got to have a unique selling point. And I think it was exploring what is different.” Matt also added, “The first thing I wanted to do was be different in terms of the clients or sectors we operate in. We didn’t want to go, or stay in, markets that are overly saturated in my view and actually be confident in our niche.” Hear the different ways on how they are able to differentiate themselves from the competition and how you may be able to apply this to your own recruitment business. The “CV is Dying” While discussing how to keep up with the changes in the recruitment process, Kevin mentioned that the “CV is dying.” What exactly does he mean? Kevin said, “It is a bold statement...I just think now, in a world with a million different job titles, and really duties being fairly similar inside of these job titles, how do you tell? We talked a lot about the culture and as a recruiter the easiest thing for us is skill-matching. Look for a CV, you do XYZ in that CV, my job description says XYZ, that is a match, great! But look, your hiring decisions are motivated, it’s rarely on the skill, it’s cultural fit. Who is right for my organization? Who resonates with my values? … I think you can waste a lot of time looking at ‘CV to skill match’.” To emphasize, he also mentioned, “I think it’s dead because it lacks personality… our world is all about personality, we are service driven, particularly in the UK nation.” Matt added, “If you look at the CV, how many times does a hiring manager look there and go either,  “Wow they’ve worked at that place, they must be great,” or “They’ve worked for this organization they must be terrible.” These very quick assumptions based on length of service, who they work for, all of that, can be mitigated, all of that risk can be reduced, by showcasing another side of them. For us that is usually a recorded Q&A, still got a bit of competency into it. Shows personality, delves into some of the values and experience.” Listen to their other insightful takes on how to remain unique and relevant in the recruitment industry. Property Recruitment Background and Contact Info  Property Recruitment was initially born out of the desire  to change people’s minds about the relevance and value of recruitment agencies and that is still the key attribute to the culture within the company.   The business prides itself on being a challenger recruitment company identifying emerging property sectors and deploying their solutions and expertise in helping organizations connect with incredible talent  The business was founded by Kevin Redman who has 12 years of recruitment experience having previously worked for  the UK's fastest growth Public Sector Recruiter then later with a Global Recruitment Agency.  Kevin has had an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age and his can-do attitude are characteristics that have been a key influence in the growth of the business  In 2017  Matthew Halfpenny became the second equity director.  Matthew was previously a Senior Director within one of the UK's largest recruitment companies with expertise in securing high volume recruitment accounts whilst managing large personnel teams.   Matt and Kevin are passionate believers that the traditional recruitment model will soon not be fit for purpose in the digital revolution. In line with their culture of changing mindsets, they have been early adopters of tech and made it part of the fabric of their business. Website link: www.propertyrecruitmentcompany.com Property Recruitment on LinkedIn  Connect with Kevin and Matt Kevin on LinkedIn Matt on LinkedIn Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter  

In this episode, I grill Doug Johnson on the secrets to his extraordinary success in recruitment.  Listen in as I persuade him to reveal the strategies, skills and techniques he’s developed over the years that have enabled him to generate millions of dollars in placement fees. Old-school sales and recruiting techniques are coming back in vogue during the Covid-19 environment.  Out of necessity, recruiters are going “back to basics” with their business development and candidate generation.  Unfortunately, these classic skills have become something of a lost art. Especially if you started your recruitment career after 2003 (when LinkedIn was founded).  Most recruiters would profit from the wisdom and insights of a veteran who developed their skills pre-LinkedIn era.  Doug is the president of Valor Partners, an executive search firm he founded in 2002. Doug specializes in recruiting leaders in sales, marketing and strategy within enterprise software. He has a particular focus on working with and placing female leaders in tech. Over the last 20 years Doug has placed 600 high performers with companies such as SAP, Microsoft, Salesforce.com, Honeywell, GE, and numerous startups. Prior to founding Valor Partners, Doug spent six years at MRI where he was a five-time top ten account executive of the year, and two-time national account executive of the year. Episode Outline and Highlights [2:40] Doug’s “accidental” career in recruiting and why he wanted to quit every day for the first 3 months!  [7:10] Doug shares his technique for getting referrals - a skill he developed in the pre-LinkedIn era which is just as relevant today. [11:18] Doug’s recruiting call script which is effective in opening conversations with potential candidates [19:10] How Doug went from a rookie to billing $1M two years in a row - the critical success factors. [25:24] An insightful perspective on why the “generalist is dying.” [32:20] The monumental challenge faced when he decided to go out on his own.  [39:29] Doug’s take on our current market and how best to get through this. [46:15] How do you convince a client on why paying an engagement fee makes sense? [51:56] Doug’s story about summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro, and how this experience is transferable to the recruiting business. Doing it Old School - How to be Good at Getting Referrals  Recalling the early years of his career that started in 1997, Doug shared the story of how they looked for referrals before LinkedIn or even before the internet was widely used in the recruitment industry.  “Let’s also remember that way back when you and I got started, the internet was not necessarily a thing. Cell phones were not a thing. LinkedIn wasn’t even an idea. So when I started, I would have to go home at night and I would have to do my research where I had an internet connection… If I wasn’t doing my research at night, [the office] had this big thick book called Corptech and there were about three volumes of it to find companies. I had to look through and find these phone numbers and then call.” He added, “It wasn’t like I could flip through LinkedIn and find the next sales guy in Chicago or the marketing guy in Detroit. I couldn’t do that. So you had to get really really good at asking for referrals and networking and getting information from the people so you could maximize these phone calls.”  Listen further as Doug revealed his secret on how to be good at getting referrals in this episode. Douglas Johnson Bio and Contact Info Doug founded Valor Partners in 2002. He has been working with enterprise software executives to identify and recruit the people who lead, build and manage top sales and marketing teams for over 20 years. His expertise is in SaaS software.  His practice focuses on helping his clients with the unique challenges of building the revenue side of their businesses- sales, marketing and customer success.  He has one other unique aspect to his practice; working with and placing female leaders in tech. "Discretion, exceptional judgment and over 20 years of industry expertise (with a heavy dose of humor and humility) allow me a network, relationships and market knowledge rivaled by very few people." Away from the office, Doug is a single dad with two kids, Grace and Murphy, and two dogs (Ash and Moose). He is a competitive tennis player (played in college), he runs Spartan races and is a year and a half into learning to salsa dance (so frustrating). He feels very fortunate that his career in search has allowed him the opportunity to travel the world with his kids- highlights have included reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro and watching the Northern Lights in Iceland. Doug on LinkedIn  Valor Partners website link: https://valorpartners.com/ Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

From working in a recycling facility to becoming a million-dollar biller, my special guest Tyler Frisbie shares his inspiring story on how hard work, building sincere relationships, and staying humble helped him become a successful recruiter today. Tyler is a Managing Partner of Global Recruiters of McKinney (GRN), based in McKinney, Texas. He specializes in recruiting exceptional leadership talent in environmental and industrial sectors globally. Tyler launched his search firm in 2012, with no prior recruiting experience, and has become the number one office in his network. Episode Outline and Highlights [1:23] Tyler reveals his amazing story leading up to his recruiting career. [16:49] Tyler didn’t close a deal in the first 6 months - here’s how he stayed positive and turned things around. [21:18] Always be open to opportunities - hear how attending one event became a game-changer for Tyler’s recruitment business. [32:28] How relationships and connections enhance your brand. [40:40] Becoming selective - why you should not be afraid to say NO to business. [56:47] Memento mori - how remembering our own mortality can help us make better decisions and live a good life Tyler’s Journey from Garbageman to a Million Dollar Biller Driven by his motivation to support his family, Tyler’s story is amazing in terms of his transition from working in a recycling facility to becoming a million-dollar biller. He shared his struggles when he started working while in high school, doing several jobs while attending night school. It took him eight years to get his degree, but the challenges he overcame laid the foundation for his future success.   Do Not be Afraid to Say No to Business One of Tyler’s key learnings is to eliminate the fear of saying no. “From early in my recruiting career… I say yes to everything. I wanted to get experience and I learned a lot of hard lessons in doing that. Working for cheap and working for … people that I didn’t like.” In hindsight, Tyler appreciated the value of being selective in the assignments to take on for his business.  “There is so much power when you say no. It really shifts psychologically. I think in the minds of people you are saying no to, and in your own confidence.” Hear how Tyler applies the above principles especially on fee negotiation and other aspects of his recruitment business. Tyler Frisbie Bio and Contact Info Tyler is the Managing Partner of Global Recruiters of McKinney (GRN), based in McKinney, Texas. Since 2012, he has been recruiting exceptional leadership talent in environmental and industrial sectors globally. He is a member of The Pinnacle Society since 2019. Tyler’s route to becoming a big billing recruiter was quite unconventional.  At the age of sixteen, Tyler began working the second shift at a telecommunications manufacturing plant in Dallas, Texas. One year later he took a purchasing agent position at a different manufacturing facility that specialized in-flight safety-critical parts for Boeing, LearJet, and Cessna. Shortly after being promoted to purchasing manager, Tyler realized his passion for people and took a sales position at Balcones Resources where he worked with Fortune 1000 companies in implementing creative landfill diversion strategies throughout the US.  Through his hard work and determination, Tyler became the top sales producer and began developing his extensive professional network. During his 14 year tenure at Balcones, Tyler worked his way up to Business Development Manager and ultimately Vice President of Sales and Marketing. He gained expertise in commercial recycling/trash service, plastics recycling, electronic recycling, metals recycling, glass recycling, document destruction, product destruction, fuel technology, and various zero waste initiatives. While working full time, Tyler earned his BA in Business Management from LeTourneau University. Tyler is happily married to Heather of 23 years and they are recently empty nesters. They have two daughters - Rylee 23 & Waverly 18.  Tyler on LinkedIn People and Resources Mentioned The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The Pinnacle Society website link Rob Bowerman on LinkedIn  Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy TRR #32 How to Build a 7-Figure Search Firm with a Small Virtual Team, with Rob Bowerman Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

As a recruitment business owner, how do you balance internal operations while strategically generating revenue? In this episode, my special guest Kris Holmes shares fascinating insights and ideas on internal operations - from rewards and compensation, peer to peer evaluations, and culture.  Kris is an executive recruiter and partner at the O’Connell Group, which is a leading search firm in consumer marketing and market research. She is also the best-selling author of Ignite Your Career! which is a book she launched in July 2020. Before becoming a recruiter, Kris worked for a decade in consumer marketing with companies like Johnson & Johnson and Kraft Foods. She is also a member of the Pinnacle Society which is a consortium of industry-leading recruiters in North America. Episode Outline and Highlights [2:19] Kris shared the biggest challenge she’s faced in her 25 year recruitment career.  [14:10] Internal recruitment is a major challenge for recruiting firms - what are some best practices and KPIs? [20:06] How to manage internal operations while strategically generating revenue. [23:46] An insightful approach to rewards and compensation. [30:26] Peer to peer evaluation - effective metrics to measure performance. [33:25] The four steps O’Connell Group are taking to face the C19 challenge. [37:30] How to add new revenue streams including coaching services. [40:00] What inspired Kris to write Ignite Your Career? [44:45] The “One-Two punch” business development approach.  [48:00] Stoicism - its relevance today for recruiters. Insights on Recruiter Compensation, Company Culture and the Power of Peer to Peer Evaluations In this episode, Kris was able to share insightful approaches on different aspects of managing internal operations. One of the best practices she shared is the compensation program that they implemented that effectively rewards the “superstars” or their high performing recruiters. She also shared their practice of peer to peer evaluations, on which they evaluate each other’s performance using at least 20 peer metrics! Hear this fascinating idea from Kris. Although the mentioned practices sound like it would create a very competitive environment, you might be surprised at how O'Connell is able to inculcate a very nurturing and supportive culture for its employees. This has fostered fantastic staff retention and enabled some of their employees to stay with them for more than 15 years. Game Plan to Address the Challenge of Covid19 How does Kris plan to lead O’Connell Group through the C19 crisis successfully? This is what she said: “I’ve been doing this for 25 years. I’ve seen September 11th, I’ve seen the Financial Crisis. I have never seen anything like this that is rocking everybody to their core… But the steps we’re taking work. Our philosophy is whenever we go into these times of crises, where we cannot control the external market, we can control what we do. And so we have taken many steps.” Listen to the four steps that they are proactively taking that you may find also beneficial to your recruitment business. Yes, this may not be a good year, but with focus and determination, Kris was able to confidently say:  “This is not gonna be a good year at all. But I think we’re gonna come out of it much stronger than when we went into it because we’ve been very strategic and focused on how we streamline, cut cost, and how we increase our capabilities going forward.” Kris Holmes Bio and Contact Info Kris Holmes is an executive recruiter and partner at O’Connell Group, a leading executive search firm in consumer marketing and market research. With more than twenty-five years of experience, she is also a member of the Pinnacle Society, the premier consortium of industry-leading recruiters in North America. She is also a best-selling author of Ignite Your Career! which launched in July 2020. Kris has counseled tens of thousands of candidates in setting goals and leveraging their strengths. Before shifting to recruiting, Kris worked for a decade in consumer marketing with major corporations like Johnson & Johnson, Kraft Foods, and Ralston Purina. She’s a graduate of Tufts University and has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. Kris on LinkedIn O’Connel Group website link O’Connel Group on Facebook You can purchase the Ignite Your Career! Book here: www.igniteyourcareerbook.com  People and Resources Mentioned The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The Pinnacle Society website link Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter  

To thrive in tough times requires us to embrace change and make adjustments - both in terms of our business model and our mindset. In this episode, my special guest, Patricia (Tish) Conlin shares how she was able to future-proof her recruitment business and create multiple revenue streams.  She also shares one of the most difficult times in her life, when she felt like she’d “hit the wall,” and the step-by-step process she used to manage her emotions, rebuild her business and ultimately reach new levels of success and fulfilment... Tish is President of Global Consulting Group Inc., based in Canada. She has delivered strategic Talent Solutions to build great teams for her clients for over 25 years. During that time, Tish has produced millions of dollars in fees and built an office with 20 people at its peak.  Fortunately, prior to the pandemic, Tish had already moved to a remote working environment with a small team of full-time and part-time employees.  In addition to running her recruiting firm, Tish is an international speaker, author, and trainer delivering educational and engaging programs to boost performance and build tomorrow's leaders. Episode Outline and Highlights [4:06] How and why Tish started her recruiting firm. [11:12] Hitting the wall - Tish shares the story of an especially difficult period in her life and business and how she turned things around. [17:00] Three practical tips to rebuild - changing our personal reality, micro-goal setting, and transitioning from negative emotions. [25:43] Creating multiple revenue streams by adding soft skills training - both live group training and online learning - for her corporate clients globally  [31:20] The shift from contingency recruitment to a retained business model [34:45] Getting money upfront! Moving to an RPO model / winning Managed Service Agreements with two tech clients who outsource all recruiting to Tish’s firm [42:06] Why this is a great time to retool and continuously learn. [44:05] How being a blackbelt martial artist translates to the recruitment business. Hitting the Wall and Going Through Tough Times During the global recession of 2008, Tish had a very chaotic journey of not only struggling in business but also having to take care of her husband’s and mother’s health as well as caring for her two kids. Despite the difficulties and overwhelming situation, Tish took action to focus on what she can do to bring things in order. Listen to how she turned these challenges into inspiring stepping stones to success. Recent studies show that the key to success is more than intelligence (IQ) and emotional quotient (EQ). Adversity quotient (AQ) plays a major factor, which is defined as the ability to handle adversity, which is in other words, resilience. A recruiter’s career is full of adversity and challenges that can come from both internal and external sources.  And a very practical tip from Tish: “When you find that you have a lot of negative emotions, you can break it down simply… your whole personality is made up of your thoughts, your feelings, and your actions. And when you take control and change those, you can really change your personality which is only your personal reality. So you can change your whole life.” Hear three practical tips to help you rebuild when encountering tough times - changing our personal reality, micro-goal setting, and transitioning from negative emotions. Practical Business Strategies During this Covid19 Pandemic - Multiple Revenue Streams, RPO model, Retained, Getting Money Upfront  To thrive in tough times,  during the pandemic, Tish made sure that effective business strategies are in place. Hear about some of the best practices she took such as using her hobby as part of her sidegig, like doing training and webinars. Amazingly, this gave her multiple revenue streams. Her expertise in emotional resilience gave her opportunities, as she puts it “I saw the burnout in the workplace… we all see that as recruiters, there is disengagement… that is when it started and the passion of how I started speaking on that but it shifted into performance and now it is moving from both to mentor and coach, all of these soft skills.” She also moved from contingent to retainer model, with the agreement that all leads will come through her firm. She moved to an RPO model as well, which proved to be very successful as some of her clients even signed up annually! “What I like about that model, and I think it could be useful for recruiters.. Then you’ll get their email address, you get their database, you have the flexibility working remotely.. You can be part of their internal team, and you can build really good relationships with the  manager.” Also, hear very creative ways of charging fees to your client (depending on client’s revenues and what they will take) such as flat fee monthly, tiered based on volume, or straight hourly rate with guaranteed minimum hours per annum. This gives Trish’s client flexibility in reducing their costs while giving the recruiter stable recurring revenue streams.  On Continuous Growth and Learning  As you listen to my interview with Tish, it is obvious that she is someone who strongly believes in continuous improvement and learning. From being a black belt martial artist to becoming a recognized international speaker on performance and leadership, to moving from a successful recruitment career to becoming a talent expert. She encourages the same for all recruiters, especially this time of the pandemic. In her words:  “Learning new skills all the time keeps you energized, keeps you happy. We are living beings, we need to grow just like plants. And so constantly learning and breathing and nourishing our minds are so important. I think, all recruiters, this is a great time for us to retool and learn something. It doesn’t even have to be directly related to our business… I do recommend decluttering your business and your life. Because that takes the weight off you for the next time.” Patricia (Tish) Conlin Bio and Contact Info Tish is President of Global Consulting Group Inc. and has delivered strategic Talent Solutions to build great teams for her clients ( Talent Acquisition, Leadership Training, Coaching, and Career Transition) for over 25 years. Tish's passion, energy, and professionalism have established her as an outstanding leader, mentor, and coach and earned her a nomination for a Toronto Business Leader award. Tish is an International Speaker, Author, and Trainer. She delivers educational and engaging programs to boost performance and build tomorrow's leaders. She is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Trainer, Black Belt Martial Artist, and Registered Holistic Nutritionist and speaks French, German, and some Spanish. Tish is currently working on her second book, which is about Emotional Resilience.  Tish is a mother of two boys and an active member of her community. In her spare time, Tish loves playing soccer, being in the forest, tending her large vegetable garden, or spending time with family and friends at her cottage. Tish on LinkedIn Tish website link: www.tishconlin.com Global Consulting Group website link Tish on Facebook Tish on Twitter @TishConlin Tish on Instagram Special Offer for listeners of The Resilient Recruiter:  Tish says, “Our Soft Skills Mastery training programs include live monthly training on 14 different core topics and she is selling them to companies all over the world. They are available as individual training products at www.tishconlin.com. For listeners of this podcast, I can offer a 20% discount code-ResilientRECRUITER25 for a limited time.” People and Resources Mentioned ABCs of Food: Boost your Energy, Confidence, and Success with the Power of Nutrition, by Patricia Conlin Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals | Stephen Duneier | TEDxTucson  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  by Marie Kondo Scott Adams podcast Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

Most people are afraid of failure. Especially in recruitment, we’re very focused on achievement -- making placements and hitting sales targets.  We’re concerned about how we’re perceived by clients, candidates, coworkers, friends, and family.  We naturally want to project an image of being a successful person.  In reality, success is like the tip of an iceberg. Beneath the surface, success is built on a vast multitude of challenges, mistakes, failures and struggles. In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, my very special guest, Nick Price, shares his perspective on why he celebrates his mistakes and downplays his successes.  Nick is the CEO of Bright Purple Resourcing which he co-founded in 1995. They are headquartered in Edinburgh, with 25 staff specializing in placing technology change and transformation professionals. Listen to the entire episode and hear Nick share a number of critical mistakes that he made during his 25 years in business -- and why he believes those setbacks have been stepping stones to sustainable success. Episode Outline and Highlights [3:30] Nick shares his recruitment journey and the biggest challenge he dealt with as a CEO. [14:58] Nick’s perspective on business growth - and why he prefers to remain small. [18:06] A mentor’s insight on “big pitfalls” that new business owners should avoid. [27:50] What it means to stick to the core of your recruitment strategy. [30:14] Why Nick turned down a big offer to buy his business. [35:13] Hear about “Fvck Up Nights” and Nick’s views on success Avoid the Mistake of Not Making Mistakes Nick is a mentor to several founders of start-up technology businesses. When asked about what advice he can give to those aspiring to be recruitment business owners or those who are new to the industry, he believes that learning from mistakes is essential.  In his words, “I suppose the important thing is that they make the mistakes. One of the things I am a firm believer in is if we don’t try and take those risks, we will never know.” Listen to the entire episode and hear Nick share a number of critical mistakes that he made and why he believes it is key to him successfully running his 25-year-old business. Why We Learn More from “Commonality of Failure” Nick also shared a very interesting perspective on why he’s sick and tired of hearing “success secrets” from ultra-rich entrepreneurs and self-appointed experts.  “I am 59, I am not a young recruiter anymore… I still have the spark and energy when I entered this industry. But what happens when you get older is you start to realize that the people who tell you how successful they are -- and how they can afford their Ferraris and Lamborghinis and their yachts etcetera -- they never really teach you anything. You go along to a chat by some amazing guy or some amazing lady, you get super motivated. You feel invigorated.” “I’ve been on many of those over the years, but I never learned anything. Because their view of success isn’t the same as my view of success… The problem with trying to view success is it means different things to everybody else. So how do you teach success? That’s impossible. But one thing you can learn from is the commonality of failure.” Nick Price Bio and Contact Info Nick is the CEO of Bright Purple Resourcing which he co-founded in 1995. They are headquartered in Edinburgh, with 25 staff specializing in placing technology change and transformation professionals. Nick is someone who is deeply involved in business and community in Scotland, including industry associations, entrepreneurial groups, and charities. He is also currently working as Director of Communications of PRIMED, an information technology business, as well as a Non-Executive Director of Lifelink, a non-profit organisation supporting mental health. Nick on LinkedIn Nick’s email: nick.price@brightpurple.co.uk Bright Purple website link Bright Purple on Facebook Bright Purple on Twitter @BrightPurpleR PRIMED website link Life Link website link Fvck Up Nights website link People and Resources Mentioned Richard Hoon on LinkedIn Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy TRR #24 Father’s Day Special: Bringing Honour Back to the Recruiting Profession, with Richard Hoon   Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

Why do some recruiters bill $200k while others bill $750k in a single year with similar work ethics? This is a question that my special guest, Jeremy Sisemore will answer in this episode of the Resilient Recruiter.  In Jeremy’s words, “luck has nothing to do with it.” Jeremy is the founder of ASAP Talent Services and has been a leading IT Executive Recruiter for 20 years, achieving $14 million in personal production during his career.  In this interview, Jeremy gives an in-depth overview of his business development process, including some fantastic verbiage for handling objections.  Plus, we explore the mindset required to create sustainable success and longevity as a top-producing executive recruiter.   Episode Outline and Highlights [2:56] How Jeremy became “Rookie of the Year” at MRI. [10:30] Jeremy breaks down his business development process. [15:53] Jeremy shares his exact verbiage for handling the objection from HR/Talent Acquisition, “Don’t talk to the hiring manager.” [23:10] How to use “transitional statements” when selling - e.g. “If I, Will You?” [28:30] The impact of niche / specialization on your success as a recruiter. [32:10] Business development and marketing - volume vs quality. [44:30] The top 3 digital marketing strategies for generating inbound business. [55:38] How do you channel your inner grit? On Niche and Specialization One of the key catalysts in Jeremy’s success is when he understood the importance of niche and specialization. When he attended an event, a very successful co-participant in his field gave him advice on setting himself apart. How much of a big difference did it make? It increased his fees from $320k to $450k just in one year. Jeremy is convinced that specialization is a game-changer and a significant factor why some recruiters are more successful than others. In Jeremy’s words, “How can some people do three to four to five placements a month when someone else can only do one or two a month? Well, that is one of the key lightbulb moments. The epiphany moment that said ‘I feel like I’m working super hard and I billed this, how come that guy over there is billing that?’ Well, that was one of the things.”  Channeling Your Inner Grit Jeremy’s early life played a major role in his current success and why he has such a solid grit. Growing up poor, and small for his age, in rural Texas taught him not to give up and to fight for everything he is going to get. This shaped his character and explains how he deals with unwelcome circumstances as a recruiter.  “Our early life helps to make us who we are. How do you channel your inner toughness? In this business, it’s a big thing. Because bad things happen. And so let’s say you thought you have a $50,000 fee and next thing you know they backed out… That’s demoralizing for some people. And it’s like, how do you internalize that? Are you gonna let it get you for an hour or two? Are you gonna let it get you for two or three days? Are you gonna let it get you for a week or two? If you can shorten that, you’re gonna have a better year.” He added, “Even how you internalize a “NO.” In business development, if you are told “no, no, no, no, no” are you hearing “no, no, no, no, no?” I actually hear, “not right now.” Jeremy Sisemore Bio and Contact Info Jeremy Sisemore has been one of the leading IT Executive Recruiters throughout North America for the past 20 years.  He started his career with MRI and was Rookie of the Year in 2000 and quickly became the go-to resource for SAP & ERP talent acquisition needs nationally.  Jeremy billed millions of dollars in placement revenue over 6.5 years with MRI, received a CSAM Certification, and became known for public speaking on “best practices” within the recruiting industry.  In his career, Jeremy has over $14 Million in personal production (billings) and has placed IT Executives and Cyber Security talent at all levels up to and including CIO, CTO, CISO levels across all areas of emerging technologies.  ASAP Talent serves over 75 major Fortune 500 clients throughout North America and internationally in Singapore, Germany, and the UK. Today, Jeremy is CPC and CERS Certified and is a former member of the Board of Directors as Education Chair for The Pinnacle Society, a premier consortium of 80 industry-leading recruiters in North America.  He speaks regularly at industry conferences such as NAPS, NCASP, The Fordyce Forum, HAAPC, and MASA among others. Jeremy and his business partner, Erek Gerth, founded ASAP Talent Services in 2006 and haven’t looked back since.  Today the ASAP Team of 5 supports well over 75 of the world's leading companies and generates annual revenues around $1.7-$2M. Their mission has been to create a boutique talent acquisition firm focused on the highest quality service and to form lasting partnerships with clients that are poised for growth, to be a total solution provider with respect to SAP & Cyber Security Talent.  Jeremy writes industry articles and has been quoted in CIO magazine.  On a personal level, Jeremy graduated from the University of Missouri where he was on the Swimming & Diving Team.  He's married and is a father to two daughters and a son based out of Houston, Texas. Jeremy on LinkedIn Jeremy on Twitter @SAPheadhunter ASAP Talent Services website link ASAP Talent Services Facebook page ASAP Talent Services Youtube channel People and Resources Mentioned Rich Rosen on LinkedIn Pinnacle Society website link The Pursuit of Happyness (book) by Chris Gardner The Pursuit of Happyness (movie) with Will Smith PRWeb Vyral Marketing Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy TRR #6  Habits of a Million-Dollar Biller, with Rich Rosen   Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter  

What are the parts of your job you’re best at?  What are the things you don’t enjoy or aren’t very good at?  How much of your time and focus is devoted to just those few things you’re best at, versus all the other tasks that eat into your day? This self-awareness of one’s strengths and limitations, together with a conscious decision to specialize with laser focus, have been key to the success of serial entrepreneur Maarten van der Kwaak.  In this episode of the Resilient Recruiter, I had the opportunity to talk to Maarten, co-founder at MatcHR, Apollo Executive Search, ConsulantcyExit, Legal Top Talent, and The Legal Bench. Surprisingly, Maaten started his first recruitment business while still in university studying law, recruiting his fellow students and placing them with law firms.  On occasion, he would find himself recruiting people while chatting with them in bars!  Later, he kept his recruiting firm going as a side-hustle while working full-time as a management consultant for an international strategy consulting firm. Since then he’s founded or invested in multiple start-up businesses in both recruitment and technology.    Maarten shares his wisdom on self-awareness, specialization, transparency, and really valuable insights about successfully running your business even in this time of difficulties. Episode Outline and Highlights [4:41] Maarten’s insight on getting quickly into profit from the startup phase. [10:17] On specialization - hear the big difference between sourcing and recruitment. [16:00] How Maarten successfully applies specialization within his different business lines. [29:02] Thoughts on marketing - lessons learned on video outreach campaigns. [38:22] What made Maarten decide to choose a career in recruitment. [51:48] How MatcHR adjusted when the coronavirus pandemic hit. [1:02:00] What special quality can help strengthen company culture during this pandemic? Applying the Concept of Specialization Given that there are many different types of activities in a recruitment business, Maarten shared his insights on how to apply the idea of specialization. His analogy is to compare the business in a production facility. “If you would have so many different activities in a production facility, you would have a dedicated person for each activity. But what we do in this industry, we say to one person, ‘These are all the activities, please go ahead and be successful at all of them.’” From there, he elaborated on the difference between the skills of sourcing versus recruiting which further emphasized his point on the importance of specialization. “If we specifically pick out the responsibilities of the sourcing part, if you look at sourcers and recruiters, very often sourcers have very technical backgrounds, more data-oriented background and what they need to do is very different from that of a recruiter to be successful.” He continues, “If we look at the recruiting part … you need to turn those candidates into hires, it’s a lot about building relationships, selling the company, managing the process, both on the internal side as with the external side… I do not still understand why many companies still have all these responsibilities within their recruitment team without specialization within the team”    How Transparency Contributed to the Strength of Culture During Covid19 In these difficult times when tough decisions had to be made, what helped Maarten’s group maintain a strong culture even if they had to let some people go?  “I’m a big fan of transparency...Everything was going extremely well with the company and then one week after people needed to be fired... I think also research has proven that transparency and having them involved (employees) in the business is also better for their engagement.” This commitment to transparency led to a strong internal culture. Even when Maarten had to let go of some valuable employees, they understood why.  Even when they were leaving, they wore their MatcHR T-shirts supporting the brand. Maarten van der Kwaak Bio and Contact Info Maarten is a serial entrepreneur in the recruitment industry and started his first company, Legal Top Talent, while still in university.  After five years in strategy consulting including an MBA at INSEAD, Maarten decided to become a full-time entrepreneur. In just four years, Maarten co-founded four other companies. The Legal Bench, focused on contract lawyers, ConsultancyExit, focused on former top tier strategy consultants, Apollo Executive Search, focused on leadership roles for PE-owned and VC backed companies, and MatcHR, a sourcing and recruitment outsourcing company based out of Kyiv, Ukraine. All companies are profitable and, despite COVID-19, growing.  Next to running his companies, Maarten actively invests in technology companies and serves as a board member of several start-ups. Maarten is known for his sharp analytical mind and his vision of the recruitment industry.  As a former skiing instructor, you can find Maarten every winter for multiple weeks on the slopes in the Alps.   Maarten on LinkedIn  MatcHR website link MatcHR on Facebook Apollo Executive Search website link    If you wish to contact Maarten, you may reach him through email maarten@matchr.io. Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach   Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

“This is a unique opportunity. We have a choice here. We can either sit back and wait for this whole thing to blow over. Or we can go on the offensive.  We can have the mindset that there are companies that are going to be hiring, despite the pandemic, and we’re going to find them.” Meet George Atuahene, Founder and Managing Director of the Kofi Group.  George’s parents wanted him to study medicine. Instead, he dropped out of college to pursue a career in sales, eventually becoming a recruiter instead of a doctor. Were they disappointed when he broke the news? “Their first reaction was not positive… but after they saw that I was very determined to go a certain way they decided to throw their support behind me and they’re pretty happy with what I’ve done so far.” What has George accomplished so far? In 2018, he billed $500,000 in perm fees and decided to shift his focus towards building recruitment teams around the country. He currently leads two recruitment teams in San Francisco/Silicon Valley and New York City, with plans to scale Kofi Group to 50+ recruiters by EOY 2025. During this pandemic where the vast majority of recruitment firms are in difficulty, George’s business is bucking the trend.  In this episode, George shares the mindset and practical steps he took to maintain his firm’s revenue at pre-COVID levels and continue winning new business. Episode Outline and Highlights [4:54] George talks about competing in Taekwondo and its parallel with recruiting. [9:15] Why George dropped out of college to pursue a career in sales. [19:26] Two critical success factors when starting a recruitment firm.  [26:00] George explains his chosen niche, it’s unique advantages and challenges. [32:50] Solo practitioner vs building your team - What are the factors you should consider? [36:07] The three biggest lessons George learned while building his team [45:39] Two significant factors that have helped Kofi Group to maintain their billings during the pandemic. [56:46] Best practices in managing content marketing. Don’t Start a Recruitment Business Unless You’re Willing to Work 10x Harder When George started his recruitment firm, the first couple of years were tough.  A lot of people start their recruiting firm with the goal of having more freedom.  But George believes that starting your own business requires you to work ten times harder compared to being an employee. In his words, “If someone wants to start their recruitment firm and they expect to have freedom in the first couple of years, I tell them not to do it.” “I would get up, first thing in the morning, get ready for about 10 to 15 minutes, get to work, and then work until I can’t work anymore… As long as it took to get the results I wanted to get. I did nothing but work, for the first couple of years. I barely went out. You would have thought I was quarantined.” What drove him to work so hard? “My ultimate goal is freedom and having an impact on the recruitment industry. And the most gratifying thing for me is when I am able to bring someone on my team, coach them, and mentor them and see them blossom. And I see them able to enjoy a lot more freedom and autonomy… so that’s a big driver for me.” Having an Internal Locus of Control During this Pandemic   During this crazy pandemic, the vast majority of recruiters are finding the market extremely tough. Yet Kofi Group was able to maintain their billings and even brought on new business. George believes that two things are contributing to their resilience.   George says, “We’ve been very fortunate … the niche we’re focused on, the demand is constantly going up… it’s somewhat recession-proof.” In addition, George talks about a daily focus on business development and their unique message. In addition, George points to two significant factors.  One is his mindset, having an internal locus of control and believing that although the pandemic brought about a lot of challenges, there is always a silver lining and unique opportunities for people that take advantage of them. Secondly, they took really practical steps in order to keep in touch with their market. This includes working together as a team and going on the offensive. George Atuahene Bio and Contact Info George Atuahene is the Founder and Managing Director of Kofi Group, an executive search firm that helps early-stage startups hire highly sought-after software engineering and machine learning talent.  Kofi Group's clients include: Series-A open-source framework that is an industry-standard for software engineers Stealth mode artificial intelligence startups A computer vision R&D startup Robotics and RPA software companies Series-B FinTech that is democratizing financial services Cloud security startups Autonomous driving startups Before founding Kofi Group in early 2017, George started his career in B2C/B2B wireless sales, built a six-figure affiliate marketing business that drove online traffic for major online retailers and worked for 2 national recruitment firms along with a boutique agency. George has placed dozens of professionals, ranging from mid-level software engineers to a VP of Data Science. He has bootstrapped Kofi Group from the very beginning, reinvesting profits to grow the company. In 2018, he billed $500,000 in perm fees and decided to shift his focus towards building recruitment teams around the country. He currently leads 2 recruitment teams in San Francisco/Silicon Valley and New York City, with plans to scale Kofi Group to 50+ recruiters by EOY 2025. When he’s not growing his firm, George loves spending time with his wife and family, competing in Taekwondo tournaments, and reading books about leadership, investing, and philosophy.  George Atuahene on LinkedIn Kofi Group Website link Kofi Group on LinkedIn Kofi Group Facebook page Kofi Group on Twitter @kofigrp Kofi Group on Instagram People and Resources Mentioned Retained Recruiters Academy - How to Leverage Content Marketing by Mark Whitby video link  Justin Satterfield on LinkedIn Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins The Master-Key to Riches by Napoleon Hill Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy TRR #5 How Justin Satterfield Hit $1M Within 2 Years of Starting A Recruitment Agency Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

When I ask recruiting and search firm owners, “what is your Vision for your business?” the answer is often a variation on the following theme. They tell me, “Mark, I don’t want to build a large firm with hundreds of employees and huge overheads.  I’d much rather have a small, high-performing team so we can generate 7-figures while keeping overheads low and staff management issues to a minimum.”   Of course, that’s easier said than done.  Few in our industry manage to make the leap from 6-figure solo practitioner to the 7-figure firm owner.  After all, hiring and managing remote employees can be a real challenge.  For many, the additional hassles and headaches involved are not worth the effort.  Yet if you get it right, the rewards are obvious.  How do you set things up so the business runs like a well-oiled machine? To answer that question, I invited Rob Bowerman to share his experiences as someone who’s successfully made that journey.  In this episode, Rob talks about his transition from being an executive recruiter to building his own recruitment team. Rob shares his best practices and as well as the hurdles he’s faced, giving practical insights on several key business issues, from managing your workload to managing staff turnover.  Rob started The Bowerman Group (TBG) in 2009 after having been a successful Executive Recruiter since 1994. TBG serves the retail industry, particularly specialty on luxury brands, and has developed long-standing relationships with many respected American and European designer apparel, accessory, jewelry, and home furnishing companies. Rob currently serves as the President of The Pinnacle Society, the premier consortium of industry-leading recruiters in North America. Episode Outline and Highlights [1:33] Rob talks about the Pinnacle Society and why he got involved [9:30] How the Bowerman Group is dealing with the current challenges brought about by the pandemic. [13:46] Lessons learned from starting his firm in 2009 during a recession. [21:26] Two critical elements of managing a team remotely. [26:20] Should you stay as a solo practitioner or should you build your own team? Listen to Rob’s great career advice. [28:40] Managing your workload - the formula for when to outsource certain tasks. [32:41] How to avoid hiring mistakes and high staff turnover - a common challenge faced by the many recruitment business owners [35:55] Rob shares his greatest achievements and biggest hurdles. Effectively Managing a Small Virtual Team Even before the pandemic, Rob has been successfully running a small virtual team. When discussing best practices on managing a team virtually, he gave two key pointers: (1) Stay connected as a team, (2) Stay involved and support them as you can.  “It’s daily setting out what are your goals for the day, and on Monday what your goals for the week, and holding people accountable for that. So I think honestly that morning time together is the most important function. Like everyone sharing, “this is what I’m doing,” “this is my focus,” “this is where I need support,” And how is this affecting the team relationship? “We actually only physically see each other, even in good times, three or four times a year but we feel like we see each other every day.” The Formula for Deciding When to Outsource Certain Tasks Managing a small recruitment team can also be daunting. As a business owner, you have to run the company, run your desk, and you are also a manager - you have to do training, coaching, on top of process management. How should you juggle all those responsibilities? Rob shared a very practical formula.  “Figure out first and foremost what you can outsource… If you do the simple math… look at your annual earnings, what you want it to be. Divide it to calculate your hourly rate. Say that comes out to be $400. Then, anything that’s not worth $400 an hour, somebody else should be doing that.” Rob Bowerman Bio and Contact Info Rob started The Bowerman Group in 2009 after having been a successful Executive Recruiter since 1994.  He discovered his passion for Search following a career in merchandising and shares his love for the industry with his team, clients, and candidates every day. Carving out a unique niche that focused on specialty and luxe brands, he has developed long-standing relationships with many respected American and European designer apparel, accessory, jewelry, and home furnishing companies.  Rob had a vision of creating a boutique firm that matched the unique profile of this niche—excellence, brand heritage, and an unwavering dedication to quality.   This vision has manifested itself into a dynamic group that is experiencing consistent year-over-year increases in successfully completed searches within TBG’s unique niche. Rob currently serves as the President of The Pinnacle Society, the premier consortium of industry-leading recruiters in North America.  He is proud of his association with this group of the “best and brightest” within the search profession as well as honored to be the only “retail guy” in the organization. Rob Bowerman on LinkedIn The Bowerman Group website link The Bowerman Group on Facebook The Bowerman Group on Instagram The Bowerman Group on Youtube People and Resources Mentioned Rich Rosen on LinkedIn Sharon Hulce on LinkedIn Next Level Exchange on LinkedIn Pinnacle Society Website link Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy TRR #6 Habits of a Million-Dollar Biller, with Rich Rosen  TRR #28 Recruiter Midlife Crisis: Boredom, Burnout and Reigniting Your Passion, with Sharon Hulce Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter