What are the most common networking mistakes for staffing firms in remote work?
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— The LinkedIn Team
Networking is a vital skill for staffing firms, especially in remote work environments where face-to-face interactions are limited. However, many staffing firms make common mistakes that can hurt their reputation, relationships, and results. Here are some of the most frequent networking blunders and how to avoid them.
Your online presence is your digital business card. It showcases your expertise, credibility, and value proposition to potential clients and candidates. However, many staffing firms neglect to update their website, social media profiles, and online portfolios regularly. This can make them look outdated, unprofessional, or irrelevant. To avoid this mistake, make sure your online presence is consistent, current, and compelling. Use keywords, testimonials, and case studies to highlight your niche, achievements, and solutions.
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Margo (Ellis) Christou
Boutique HR Executive Search | Candidate Experience Advocate | MBA Former Senior HR Executive | Certified Executive Coach
The online presence is a HUGE challenge when there are a lot of searches running. The client and candidates come first, so for me I make less time to amplify my voice online when I am at capacity with work. There are services that essentially run your online presence for you, but I am not there yet. That would help though. What is really important is to make sure your website, 'one sheet'', and LI profile reflect who you are as you or your firm evolve. I am super focused on the candidate experience, and helping to onboard my placements, so I need to go back and make sure my profiles and website reflect that. I think once you find your 'point of difference' and what you want people to know about you, it is easier from there.
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Ralph Kimbrough IV
Executive Recruiting Leader - Culture & Value Champion - DEI Strategist
Your online presence is only as strong as the relevance of what you’re amplifying. It’s very important to ensure that your online articles, testimonials, are speaking to what’s happening in the world around us and giving clarity to the issues that your audience is facing in the present.
Networking is not about sending mass emails, cold calls, or generic messages to anyone who might be interested in your services. It is about building trust, rapport, and value with your contacts. Spamming your contacts can annoy them, damage your reputation, or get you blocked. To avoid this mistake, personalize your outreach, follow up with relevant information, and respect your contacts' preferences and boundaries. Quality over quantity is the key to effective networking.
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Jennifer Star ⭐️
Purpose Driven Recruiting Partner♟️ Match C-Suite Executive Assistants with Founders / CEO’s and Executive Team ⭐️ Career Educator 📓 Advocate for Career Happiness 😊 “OPEN MINDS LEAD TO ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES” ✌️
I see a lot of recruiters throwing things on the walls and hoping something sticks. They think it’s a volume game, and feel that if they have enough in their funnel, eventually something will stick. And sometimes it does. And sometimes it falls off. Any recruiter who cares about their clients, their candidates and their reputation, will approach this business as a long relationship game and nurture them. Not every meeting turns to a placement, but those who invest in people they meet are investing in their future because you never know who will end up where!
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Adriana Toma
Talent Hunting | Bridging top talent with cutting-edge companies around the world | Passionate about Hiring @HiringDragon
In my approach, I choose to send emails only when I believe the candidate is a perfect match for the job and hasn't responded on LinkedIn. It's about respecting their preferences and making sure our communication is targeted and meaningful. This strategy allows me to prioritize personalized outreach, focusing on those candidates who align best with the position. It's not just about reaching out—it's about creating a more intentional and effective connection with potential candidates.
Feedback and referrals are essential for improving your services, expanding your network, and generating more business. However, many staffing firms ignore or dismiss feedback and referrals from their contacts. This can make them miss out on valuable insights, opportunities, and recommendations. To avoid this mistake, ask for feedback and referrals regularly, thank your contacts for their input and support, and act on their suggestions and leads. Feedback and referrals are gifts that can help you grow and succeed.
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Jennifer Star ⭐️
Purpose Driven Recruiting Partner♟️ Match C-Suite Executive Assistants with Founders / CEO’s and Executive Team ⭐️ Career Educator 📓 Advocate for Career Happiness 😊 “OPEN MINDS LEAD TO ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES” ✌️
Anyone who is a curious, life long learner who loves their career, will always seek to grow and do better. How can you do that without knowing what you need to improve? You can’t.
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Adriana Toma
Talent Hunting | Bridging top talent with cutting-edge companies around the world | Passionate about Hiring @HiringDragon
Feedback is the guiding light in the recruitment process. Without it, we're essentially navigating in the dark. Constructive feedback not only provides valuable insights for improvement but also fosters transparency and trust between recruiters and candidates. It's the key to refining strategies, enhancing the candidate experience, and ultimately ensuring a more effective and empathetic recruitment process.
Networking is not a one-time event. It is a long-term process that requires consistent and meaningful follow-up. However, many staffing firms fail to follow up with their contacts after an initial interaction. This can make them lose touch, miss opportunities, or appear uninterested. To avoid this mistake, follow up with your contacts within 24 hours, provide value-added information or resources, and schedule the next steps. Follow-up is the key to maintaining and strengthening your relationships.
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Jennifer Star ⭐️
Purpose Driven Recruiting Partner♟️ Match C-Suite Executive Assistants with Founders / CEO’s and Executive Team ⭐️ Career Educator 📓 Advocate for Career Happiness 😊 “OPEN MINDS LEAD TO ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES” ✌️
Authenticity is key. Communication is key. Connections are key. Relationships are key. And with our minds being so filled with information, being able to remember things is key!! If you met someone at an event and want them to remember you, reach out to them. And then reach out again. It’ll⭐️
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Licia Terry
Director of Sales, Operations &Recruitment | Driving HR Solutions | Light Industrial , IT & Medical Staffing Consultant
100 percent true . I can safely say that 80 percent of those that have contacted me failed to follow up . Speaks volumes . Securing the right person for the right job is a 2-way street . Ask yourself..if you were the interviewee , how would you like to be treated ? It starts there .
Networking is not only about reaching out to external contacts. It is also about connecting with your internal team, colleagues, and partners. However, many staffing firms forget to network internally, especially in remote work settings where communication and collaboration can be challenging. This can make them miss out on internal support, resources, and referrals. To avoid this mistake, communicate regularly with your internal network, share best practices and insights, and acknowledge and appreciate their contributions. Internal networking is the key to creating a positive and productive work culture.
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Jennifer Star ⭐️
Purpose Driven Recruiting Partner♟️ Match C-Suite Executive Assistants with Founders / CEO’s and Executive Team ⭐️ Career Educator 📓 Advocate for Career Happiness 😊 “OPEN MINDS LEAD TO ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES” ✌️
The larger the agency, the more You need to take initiative to connect to other departments. Especially when you work at a large agency with multiple sectors and multiple locations.large agencies don’t always do a great job of creating authentic connectivity so take it upon yourself to do it!
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Kolby Terrelonge
CEO - Building successful teams in the Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Finance industries.
Forgetting to network internally is a significant oversight in the remote work landscape. Internal networking fosters collaboration, idea exchange, and a cohesive team spirit. In the absence of physical proximity, virtual internal networks are the lifeblood of our agency. They ensure streamlined operations, knowledge sharing, and a unified approach to client engagements. Our team's synergy directly impacts the quality of service we provide. Regular internal networking sessions, whether virtual coffee breaks or collaborative online platforms, enhance communication, bolster morale, and fortify our agency's foundation, ensuring seamless remote operations and exceptional client experiences.
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Nick O'Brien
Director @ Law Choice Recruitment | HR Recruitment, Interview Coaching
As I guess, a bit of an ‘old school recruiter, I cannot understand why so many people who purport to be in the people business, are so keen to use technology to dehumanise the process? For me, recruitment is a personal thing, and I am all for picking up the phone, leaving a message and then emailing as the final resort. Candidates want to feel valued, what better than calling with good news about an interview or progression to the second stage? usually it is faster and goes a long way in strengthening your relationship. So, to hark back to the old School - pick up the phone more and email less! P.S. works just as well with clients too.
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Jason Alexander
Chief Revenue Officer & Co-Founder at BANKW Staffing, LLC | jalexander@bankwstaffing.com
I just posted a similar response on another topic but it bears repeating. The most common networking mistake, whether remote or not, is asking for something before you've become interesting, relevant, or valuable to your audience. When originating a networking relationship, start with an offer. Who can you introduce this person to? What piece of information can you offer? How can you add value? Becoming valuable and creating a reciprocating relationship will lead to deeper networking connections.
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