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Why Recruiting is All About Timing

Steve Lowisz
It seems so simple...

On the surface, recruiting looks easy.

It’s just a matter of finding qualified talent and presenting your opportunity...right?

If you’ve worked as a recruiter for any length of time, you know it’s RARELY that simple.

One of the biggest challenges we face again and again is the reality of timing.

Timing is everything – but you can use that to your advantage by building relationships with great candidates. Here’s a few key lessons for recruiters to keep in mind. 

Circumstances Change for Candidates 

Have you ever talked to someone who seemed like a great fit, but didn’t want to leave their current job?
You’d be surprised how quickly people can go from loving their job to hating it, and vice versa.

Whether it’s a change in company policy, new leadership, or being denied a promotion, there’s all kinds of circumstances that can change someone’s minds about their job.

As a recruiter, it pays to be mindful of how fast these things can change for candidates. 

Good Candidates Are Always Learning 

Likewise, quality candidates are always learning and growing. Someone might not have the right qualifications today, but in two years, they could be a perfect fit for a role on your team.

The point is that you find a candidate that impresses you, stay in touch. You never know when they might be more receptive to your open roles. 

Compelling Job Ads and Job Descriptions 

Let’s be real. Most job ads will bore you to tears.

And yet recruiters wonder why no one applies to their jobs!

Writing compelling job ads and JDs can be an incredibly cost-effective way to get more applicants. When writing about your job, you need to make it clear why this is a uniquely exciting position.

Why should candidates come work for you instead of any other company? If you don’t tell them in your job ad, they won’t know!

Keep job ads and JDs as short as possible. You can always screen out candidates later. If you want to learn more about how to write killer job ads, sign up for our free webinar on the subject right here. 

...And Circumstances Change for Recruiters, Too 

On the flip side of the coin, if you’ve been around the block, you know hiring needs can change on a dime.
Whether it’s rapid expansion, a new department, or restructuring, you never know when you’ll need to hire for a certain skill set.

Nobody can predict the future. At companies large and small, market shifts and changes in strategy switch up hiring goals all the time. 

Build Relationships for the Long-Term  

Once you understand how important timing is, you can see why the best recruiters focus on building relationships. 

Now, there’s only so much time in the day. You can’t build relationships with everyone – which is why we recommend focusing on candidates that strike you as a particularly good fit for your team.  

Maybe they don’t have all the right skills, but they have a great attitude.  That’s someone you’ll want to keep in touch with in case they are a great fit for a new role down the road. 

Likewise, if someone doesn’t have the right skill set, but you know they have an especially in-demand skill set, it pays to keep in touch. If you ever have to recruit for that role, you’ll be way ahead of the competition if you already have a few viable candidates in your network. 

Building and maintaining relationships is not always easy. But it’s also one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Last but not least, it’s the single best way to advance your career in recruiting!