OCTOBER 2024CONSTRUCTIONBUSINESSREVIEW.COM9untold triumphs without accolades. This is discovered by listening. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. This is a military slogan that can be applied to many things, including the interview process. If you just need bodies, fast is fast. But if the goal is to weave a new hire into the fabric of a strong company culture, you are looking to find an individual that is a solution to a need and a fit for the team. This can be time consuming. Being successful also includes not hiring the wrong people.Cooking is an art; baking is a science. The search and hire process is both. My library of metaphors is my superpower. Sometimes they materialize in real time on a call. It's how I connect and try and relate to the person on the other end directly. I am showing I am listening to them talk about their essence, not just their qualifications. It is authentic rapport building. The profile I need is an `industry professional with client-facing skills.' Character traits include the ability to read the room, be empathetic with the stakeholders, and maintain mutual respect with the business partners. The goal is to discover someone's innate skill set, not learned skills. In sports, they say, "You can't coach speed." The same principle applies here. Who `you are' is more important than your title. Skills and abilities are important, but people can be taught and improve. I find people with our needed professional profile and the ability to learn. Measuring the production of a recruiter desk on a day-to-day basis is difficult. Results and activity are not the same thing. One call can make or break a week. One call three weeks ago can make or break next week. Quality hires solve everything. They are like compound interest, and their impact is exponential. My argument here today is that if you continue to be authentic, your efforts will break through the sea of generic, volume-focused campaigns and produce better results in the form of more quality hires. People who stay, add value, and build a strong professional culture appreciate authenticity. Finding good people and good jobs is a fulfilling vocation that is free and undriven by metrics.
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