The Recruiter’s main task is to drive the growth of the organization by attracting qualified employees. This is the overriding goal, having a direct impact on the improvement of the company. Precise determination of the competencies of the sought-after employee is very important, especially in the situation of external recruitment – and here comes the Sales Manager, who plays a key role in the process of acquiring adequate requirements from the client, because already this initial moment can affect the final effect of acquiring new “business”.
The Recruiter is also tasked with positively creating the employer’s brand among candidates, which has a direct impact on the holistic brand image: in the long run, a well-built brand influences a better evaluation of the company by business partners and potential customers.
Transparency and communication
Since, taking a gander at the first part of our article, a holistic view of the goals of Recruitment & Sales has already become apparent, it is easy to deduce that they are very much the same – however, each specialist operates on a different plane, which ultimately intersect. So what rules should be followed to get the best result and reach a point of intersection between the two perspectives?
First, you need to understand that each person has his own standards of work and methods of improving it. At the beginning of cooperation, it is crucial to present them to each other, so that both parties know what to expect from each other. Defining a framework for cooperation (e.g., writing down mutual expectations) and, in subsequent steps, working them out is essential to maintaining a positive relationship and striving for mutual success.
Open communication, especially in cases where previously unforeseen difficulties get in the way of achieving a goal, is also key. Looking at and analyzing the situation together and creating a solution can be far more effective than when acting alone. Thinking through the possible options and taking several perspectives on the table leads to a quick resolution of problematic situations, such as when a client suddenly changes a decision about his expectations or a candidate fails to call in for a technical interview despite a prior declaration, and the resulting faux-pas must be resolved. After all, we are playing to one goal!
Shared result - what can it look like?
Sales is about building relationships with clients, while in Recruitment we build trust with the candidate and present the employer brand in such a way that the potential employee wants to be a part of it. Employees are the ones who generate the business value that is reflected in the client’s work, so both Recruitment and Sales teams care about getting qualified employees with the right culture-fit to feel fulfilled in certain positions to nurture the client relationship built by the Sales Team. It’s worthwhile to involve salespeople in final-stage interviews with candidates, because relying on their intuition, they know the customer enough to know if a candidate fits expectations.
Summary
This is the ideal vision of a successful company, and by extension the Recruitment and Sales departments. It goes without saying that in life we run into vastly different personalities, so it is important to maintain professionalism at every stage of cooperation. Constant updates, honesty in communication and joint crisis management at particular moments build a healthy and honest relationship for years to come.
