One of the most enduring perceptions of the recruitment industry is that recruiters simply follow the money when it comes to choosing their job.
While there is no denying that money plays a key part in any employment decision, there are actually a broad range of factors that most recruiters consider before accepting a job offer:
1) Working location:
Recruiters need to be working in a location that makes sense for them. This means, a location that allows them to visit clients easily, which minimises wasted commuter time, which facilitates access to public transport and parking alike, and which allows individuals to maintain a good work life balance.
The best recruitment locations tend to be based within town or city centres. This makes them convenient for staff and clients alike, and maximises access to roads, trains, parking and more. A good location also provides access to supporting benefits which make the job enjoyable. These include nearby cafes, bars and other amenities, shops, and food outlets.
2) Office presentation:
A great office is bright, engaging, friendly, busy and ‘healthy’. It will have plants, natural light, breakout areas, access to food and drink, comfortable desks and chairs and an attractive decor.
If the interviewee sees the office when they come in for interview, they will be far more inclined to want the job if the environment is well presented, buzzing and fun.
READ MORE: How to Create the Perfect Office
3) Other staff:
Everyone wants to enjoy working with their colleagues, and this means choosing a job with a friendly, positive atmosphere and a strong and co-operative team.
If new recruits find that they can’t enjoy good relations with their colleagues and feel part of the wider team, they will very often leave. This puts the onus on agency owners and managers to find ways to foster that motivation and morale, build strong relationships and put in place mechanisms to forge strong teams and a sense of belonging. This can be achieved through great leadership, supportive working practices, strong communication and a healthy reward and recognition culture.
4) Management:
Ever recruiter wants to be managed by an experienced professional with the ability to coach, steer and support – as well as set direction and maintain structure and procedure.
Good managers will enable their best recruiters, rather than attempting to stifle them with excessive process or time wasting demands. They will also value their teams and treat individuals accordingly, and with respect. A good manager-staff relationship is a hugely beneficial and rewarding two way relationship that can bring rewards to both parties.
READ MORE: 5 Skills Every Manager Needs
5) Atmosphere:
A great recruitment office buzzes with life and energy, and the agency owners and managers will work hard to foster that sense of atmosphere and positivity. Walking the floor, encouraging break out sessions, designing an office for interaction, and implementing flexible working practices are all approaches that can develop a great culture. Visible reward, thanks and recognition also boosts it, as well as challenges, games, celebrations and team activities.
6) Progression:
The vast majority of recruiters are hugely ambitious to progress in their careers. They will be actively seeking out a firm which strongly invests in its staff and offers varied opportunities for learning and advancement. This might be offered through structured learning and off the job training opportunities, shadowing, mentoring or coaching, or hands on assignments designed to build knowledge and flex skills. If an agency can demonstrate that their senior team has progressed internally within the organisation to senior positions, it can be a powerful incentive for other recruits to join the firm.
7) Pride:
Recruiters don’t simply want big bucks. The best are also passionate about doing a great job and genuinely delighting their clients with a superb service.
The best firms are those which embody those values and truly hold them dear. By creating a sense of pride in the job, and a commitment to fulfilling expectations, staff know that they are part of something genuine, and which provide measurable value to their clients. That sense of pride often fosters the sense of team, and the two aspects are highly powerful for retention and staff engagement.
8) Communication:
Staff want to work in an organisation where communication is prioritised to staff – not simply from a top down basis, but across the organisational hierarchy. Good communication engenders good staff engagement, and a creative, innovative working environment. Managers can rapidly boost performance by simply communicating in a more regular, effective and open manner to their teams.
9) Benefits packages:
Of course, the salary is important to a recruiter – particularly the commission – but other elements of the benefits package are also powerful incentives, depending particularly on the needs of the individual. For example, recruiters with families and children often greatly value the ability to buy and sell holiday, or to enjoy a generous leave package. They will also value the ability to buy childcare vouchers. People who live some distance away from the office will appreciate a flexible working policy that allows work from home. Everyone will love pizza on a Friday and end of week drinks with the team! Remember, it doesn’t always have to be something of high monetary value to be important to people – recruiters are looking for the experience and achievement of their higher goals, as much as the tangible reward.
Author: Satnam Brar is Managing Director of Maximus IT. Maximus is an Oracle Gold Partner which specialises in recruitment in the ERP, CRM & Database sectors, specifically ORACLE, MS Dynamics, Salesforce.com and SAP.
