Last week I celebrated two years at Peopleconnexion and fifteen years in recruitment. Reflecting back on it all has made me ask ? what do I wish I knew when I started? When I began my career in Port Moresby, the job market was so different to today, and the way we think of recruitment has changed. Working to match candidates with their dream jobs and employers with their next great hire across PNG has presented fantastic opportunities, along with unique challenges. Here are some of the most important lessons I have learned:
1. Build authentic relationships
Being a recruiter isn’t just about placements, it is about fostering and nurturing relationships to help professionals achieve their goals. At the end of the day, candidates and clients alike are real people, with valued expertise and experience. In a city with tight networks, it’s not enough to just put your name out there and hope to attract the right people. When given access to someone’s network, it is important to approach that with respect and work to create genuine connections based on key pillars of trust and understanding.
Trust won’t just be handed to anyone on a silver platter, it must be earned through candour and timely communication. Candidates and clients want to know where they stand in the process and be updated when circumstances change. This involves having those honest conversations with clients about where I am struggling, and what I am going to do about it. It means being an advocate for candidates and clients.
2. Research and ask questions
This is the piece of advice I would pass onto any new recruiter or anyone looking to make their next career move. Be proactive and don’t be afraid to ask questions and clarify grey areas. To better understand a position and find the person for the job, you first need to understand the organisation and its corporate culture. Who makes up that culture? The employees of the organisation.
Understanding a position goes beyond reading a description. The value I try to add as a recruiter is to put together pieces of a puzzle and understand how a position fits into a broader picture. To achieve this, meticulous research and an ability to ask the right questions is essential.
3. Establish a point of difference, and own it
The truth is ? I?m not the only recruiter in PNG, let alone Port Moresby. Building a network of positive people means being able to consistently deliver on promises and find ways of differentiating yourself. This means the same tactics and ways of approaching recruitment no longer hold as much value.
Recruiters are notoriously busy people, juggling a thousand tasks at once. This is why implementing strict systems and processes to keep yourself on track is so important. Hours and hours of legwork go into achieving final results. For example, for every placement I make I run through a 30-step process to ensure I am delivering on my promises and giving candidates and clients the service they deserve. It is these points of difference that count in PNG.
If you are thinking of taking that next step in your career, or are looking for the next best addition to your team, please feel free to contact us or visit http://www.peopleconnexion.com/png for more information on our services.
– Stephen Mead, PNG Country Manager