Recruiting Trailblazers Marcus Edwardes

In this insightful episode of Recruiting Trailblazers, Marcus dives into the journey of Tom Willis, a successful recruitment entrepreneur who made a significant leap from being a recruiter in the hustle and bustle of London to establishing his own thriving recruitment firm, Placed, in the United States. With over three years of experience in London and five in Los Angeles, Tom shares his unique journey, the challenges he faced, his vision for Placed, and invaluable advice for aspiring recruitment entrepreneurs.
How did Tom Willis get into the recruitment industry?
Tom mentions he fell into recruitment, much like many in the industry, through familial connections and an unexpected interview at Michael Page. 

What inspired Tom to start his own recruitment agency?
The vast potential of the U.S. market compared to the U.K., highlighting the immense opportunities due to higher salaries and less competition in recruitment. 

Why did Tom choose to work with an investor instead of starting independently?
He discusses the advantages of having support and resources, which allowed him to scale his business more rapidly than if he were on his own. 

What strategies has Tom employed to grow his business?
Focusing on a niche market, building strong local connections, and emphasizing the personal touch in recruiting were key. 

How does he differentiate his agency in a crowded market?
By returning to traditional, relationship-based recruitment and offering service unmatched by competitors. 

What are Tom's hiring strategies for his firm?
He looks for experienced recruiters or sales professionals who fit the company culture and are aligned with the company's long-term vision.

 What challenges has Tom faced, and how does he plan to overcome them?
 Candidate generation is a significant hurdle. Tom is exploring technology and partnerships to improve reach and efficiency.

The 3 Biggest Takeaways:

1. The Importance of Niche Specialization: Tom's focus on a specific market segment, like construction recruitment in the Midwest, has been crucial for establishing credibility and attracting clients. 

2. Investor Support: Working with an experienced investor has not only provided financial backing but also mentorship, helping navigate early business challenges and scale effectively. 

3. The Power of Relationships:  Despite the digital age's convenience, Tom underscores the irreplaceable value of building genuine, face-to-face relationships with clients and candidates, proving this approach still holds significant weight in recruitment.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetomwillis/

A quick 5 minute rant by Marcus : 

Whilst AI should be embraced  throughout the recruiting lifecycle - it is crucial not to attempt to replace the human connection that defines the best Recruiters in the biz!

In this enlightening episode of Recruiting Trailblazers, Marcus sits down with Kate Brogden, a seasoned professional in the executive search and recruiting industry. With over a decade of experience, Kate shares invaluable insights into her journey from a CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers to founding her own boutique national executive search and recruiting firm, Evolve Partners. Tune in as Marcus delves into the catalyst behind Kate's entrepreneurial leap, the challenges she faced, and the innovative approaches that set Evolve Partners apart in a competitive market.
- Marcus asks Kate about her transition from working as a CPA at PwC to entering the recruiting industry and eventually founding Evolve Partners. 
- Kate discusses the realization that sparked her decision to start her own firm, emphasizing the importance of innovation in recruiting. 
- Marcus questions the sales aspects of the business and how Kate adapted to it coming from a background with no sales experience at PwC. 
- They discuss the challenges of establishing a personal brand and the impact of social media on the recruiting process. 
- Kate shares her thoughts on performance management within her firm, highlighting the balance between motivational and metric-driven approaches. 
- The conversation steers towards the intricacies of the recruitment process, including comprehensive intake procedures, sourcing strategies, and the benefits of different search models (contingency, retained, and container). 
- Finally, Marcus inquires about the significance of creating a collaborative work environment and the culture at Evolve Partners.
The three biggest takeaways from this episode are: 

1. The importance of innovation in the recruiting industry can't be overstated. Staying ahead requires a willingness to adopt new strategies and tools, as highlighted by Kate's perspective on moving beyond traditional cold-calling metrics. 

2. A comprehensive approach to client engagement, including a detailed intake process and transparent client communication, is critical for success in executive search and recruiting, ensuring a deep understanding of client needs and fostering strong partnerships. 

3. Building a personal brand is essential for recruiters in the digital age. Utilizing platforms like LinkedIn to showcase expertise and connect with both clients and candidates can significantly enhance visibility and credibility in the industry.

This week -  a conversation between Marcus Edwardes, the host of Recruiting Trailblazers, and his guest Brad Terry, the owner of Crossvine Recruiting. Brad shares his journey from being a medical device sales rep to starting his own recruiting firm specializing in the medical industry. The conversation delves into the intricacies of recruitment, emphasizing the importance of knowing the domain, the recruiter-candidate relationship, the challenges with the contingency model, and candid discussions on candidate preparation and interview processes.

1. *Brad's Transition and Crossvine's Recruiting's Focus:
Brad shared his story of transitioning from a seasoned medical device sales representative to founding Crossvine Recruiting. This pivotal change was driven by his desire to leverage his deep industry knowledge and network to specialize in recruiting sales representatives and managers within the medical industry. Brad emphasized the value of his firsthand experience and insights from the medical sales domain in building his recruiting firm.

2. The Importance of Domain Knowledge in Recruitment:
One of the central themes of the podcast was the crucial need for recruiters to have a solid understanding of the industry they are recruiting for. Brad and Marcus discussed how possessing such knowledge not only boosts a recruiter's credibility but also enables them to engage in more meaningful and insightful dialogues with candidates. It enhances the recruiter's ability to screen candidates effectively, ask pertinent questions, and ensure the right fit between candidates and the roles they are being considered for.

3. Candidate Preparation and Building Relationships:
Both speakers delved into the significance of preparing candidates for interviews, noting that it's not about providing answers but equipping them with the right mindset and questions. This approach ensures that candidates can showcase their understanding of the role, the company, and effectively communicate their interest and fit to prospective employers. Moreover, the podcast highlighted the invaluable role of building genuine, trust-based relationships with candidates. Such relationships enable recruiters to truly understand candidates' motivations, aspirations, and suitability, facilitating a more personalized and effective matchmaking process.

4. Navigating the Contingency Recruiting Model:
The dialogue also explored the challenges associated with contingency recruiting, where recruiters are only compensated upon the successful placement of a candidate. Marcus and Brad discussed strategies for managing client expectations, emphasizing the necessity of clear, timely feedback, and the ability to prioritize engagements based on the level of client cooperation and commitment. They shared insights on the delicate balance recruiters must maintain, especially in competitive or economically challenging environments, to ensure their efforts are valued and lead to successful placements.

3 Important Takeaways:
1.  Knowing Your Domain is Critical: As a recruiter, possessing in-depth knowledge of the industry you're hiring for contributes significantly to your credibility with both clients and candidates.
2.  Preparation and Relationship Building:  Preparing candidates thoroughly for interviews and building genuine relationships with them can considerably impact the recruitment process's success.
3.  Challenges and Strategy in Contingency Recruiting:  The podcast shed light on the challenges faced in a contingency recruiting model and the importance of setting clear expectations with clients to ensure a successful partnership.

Susan Burke is the Vice President of Talent Acquisition for PeaceHealth. During the conversation, they (Marcus and Susan) delve into Susan's journey in the field of recruitment, the importance of building internal stakeholder relationships, and strategies for strategic talent acquisition. The podcast delves into the nuances of the recruitment process, highlighting the crucial role of recruiters as consultants and emphasizing the importance of creating a high-quality candidate experience.

In the initial segment of the podcast, Susan talks about her professional journey in the recruitment sector from agency recruitment to being the VP of Talent Acquisition. She underscores the importance of exposure to diverse industries and the ability to flex recruiting styles to achieve success in corporate talent acquisition.

In the middle section of the conversation, Marcus and Susan discuss the qualities they look for in recruiters, such as passion, persistence, resilience, and the ability to build relationships. They also emphasize the challenges in building internal partnerships, highlighting the critical importance of investing time in understanding business needs. Susan also elucidates on the intake session and the crucial role of recruiters in understanding the business and representing it to potential candidates accurately.

Towards the end, the conversation focuses on the importance of ensuring a positive candidate experience throughout the recruitment process, from maintaining continuous communication during the feedback loop to providing constructive feedback to candidates about their interviews.

The 3 biggest takeaways from the podcast were:
1. The role of recruiters is not just about sourcing and submitting candidates but also about understanding the business and functioning as consultants to the hiring managers.
2. Building internal stakeholder relationships is crucial for smooth recruitment processes. It is essential to invest time in understanding the business needs to find the right candidate for the job effectively.
3. Ensuring a positive candidate experience is essential for maintaining a good employer brand in the market. This includes providing constructive feedback to candidates and maintaining open lines of communication throughout the recruitment process.

185 episodes in the can, over 100K downloads, I think it might be time to move on. 

Thanks to everyone for your feedback - please let me know your thoughts!

Marcus@marcusedwardes.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusedwardes/