Full Disclosure: Katrina and I are not related. She just calls me the other Collier and talks to me on Instagram sometimes.
As you may know, Katrina, put on a fantastic presentation during SourceCon this Fall. Her message was passionate as she captured our attention with this one major takeaway:
No matter how great your message is, it is not the only thing that will get a candidate to respond.
With over 7.8 billion people in the world, there are almost 5 billion online every day. Candidates are so overwhelmed with data, alerts, and notifications that they are acknowledging and dismissing them all in the same moment. It is one thing to find these perfect candidates… now we have to get them to hear us too!
Katrina’s message drove home how we are up against a noisy world, one where candidates are flat out ignoring the sounds. Back in the day, you may have answered your corded phone, which permitted the other person to speak with you. Candidates do not need permission to speak with you anymore.
Candidates are searching for Recruiters, Sourcers, and Companies instantly online. They are looking at reviews and wanting to know who you are and what you do. Have you googled directions to your own office and have seen the reviews on google maps? What if they are bad?! How terrible would that be if the candidate just saw that right before an interview?
Ask yourself this: Do you look worthy of your candidate’s time?
Katrina suggests that to improve our tone, we need to check out our own social media profiles. Do we have LinkedIn photos that are visible to everyone? If not, review your settings and fix them! Is your picture inviting and friendly, or could you be putting people off? If you are unsure or want an unbiased opinion check out photofeeler.com. Have you filled out your bios and experience while also sharing interesting things about yourself? The goal here is to increase your follow backs and acceptances, not deter someone because your profile is incomplete or robotic.
Recruiters and Sourcers are the reason doors open for candidates.
Not only are we looking to improve our tone and be heard, but we also want to make sure we are using the right stage. Katrina drove home the importance of using the right platforms and tools to reach candidates. As you start to identify candidates you like, make sure you do your research and approach them with relative content. Find out what they are interested in and are passionate about. Identify where they are most active online and consider messaging them there. Utilize chrome extensions to find personal blogs and other social media sites. Lastly, make sure that once you have finally captured the interest of your candidate that your website is accessible. Katrina uses a tool for candidates who have reading difficulties called reciteme.com.