Have two recruiting planning pieces I’m completing – one healthcare related, the other technology based. They’ll demonstrate some key strategic planning processes I go through, albeit in my head at this point – when I receive a new search. For you strategic planning junkies out there (that’s probably just you Russ – lol) , I’ll be referring to Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model as well as the venerable SWOT and PEST analyses. I know this sounds horribly academic but once you’re able to inculcate it into your recruiting brain, it will become second nature. The greatest benefit is that you’ll never run out of sourcing and hiring ideas – a bold statement but a truism.
In the interim, received a call from a friend who is sourcing those ever-vexing auditor positions (I’m being coy here because I promised the person I would not use their name). Discovered that that nearly 100 people were sourced by email and phone yet none took the bait. My RECRUITDAR was going wild.
Hmmm. let’s take a look at the email. Mind you, this recruiter has a tremendous track record in both boon and bust times and is a wildly successful recruiter. Nonetheless, my RECRUITDAR was telling me that this time of the year is hell for auditors – and she knew this, so any communication with them must be “special” (actually, communication needs to be special all the time). At the same time, received my friend Ari Galper’s monthly sales newsletter with an article about how most emails sent as intro are tediously boring and are almost instantaneously deleted. By the way, I strongly believe anyone out there who sells for a living (that would be recruiters) should subscribe (no monetary benefit for me) to both Ari’s newsletter as well as Jeff Gitomer’s monthly Sales Caffeine.
So my friend sends me the following email (I’ve changed some things to protect the innocent):
Subject: Internal Audit Role in NYC
Jack:
My company, GreatRecruiters, has been retained to fill a senior level Auditor role in NYC. I have taken the liberty of attaching a brief position description for this newly created role that reports directly to the head of Audit for the entire company. I am sure you are contacted daily about these roles in the current climate. But in any event, any networking assistance is sincerely appreciated. This is a great role for someone wanting to be a “bigger fish in a smaller pond” taking. Please feel free to pass this along and contact me with any questions.
Kind regards,
Anita Job
etc.
Wake me up please! As if auditing isn’t somnambulant enough (jk), I’ll bet “Jack” read this, took one look at the audit software in front of him, another look back at the email, and decided that audit was better where he already was.
So let’s add some life to the audit email (reminds me of a currently running TV commercial about making accounts payable exciting again):
Subject: Jack – Please stop the audit for just one moment. Thanks!
Jack-
Not sure if you can help me, but thought you could possibly point me in the right direction.
Would you happen to know someone within Beloitte & Old who would be interested in talking about a larger full-service audit role reporting to the Head of Audit?. Something like a “bigger fish in a smaller pond” but with less travel, more responsibility, and undoubtedly, greater compensation. Still in New York but at least the person will be able to enjoy the spoils of the city.
I’m with GreatRecruiters, a retained search firm comprised of former Big 6 (5,4,..) leaders and any help you can provide me would be graciously appreciated.
Warmest regards,
Anita, etc.
Better? More personal? A bit less sales-y? I’ll report back ASAP with results of how well the new sales-less emails do. Until then, think a bit more outside the box, ok?
The Recruiting Inferno 
Thanks for wwriting this
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