September is officially upon us. I find that now is the time of year when people tend to begin to think about the end of the year; the Christmas period, turkey stuffing and whatever else, and slowly they begin to switch off. It’s getting colder too, darker and generally less enjoyable for most, however, it’s crucial you keep up the momentum or your hard work this year so far, will be undone.
In property recruitment September tends to be one of our best months, though we have just broken our record in August (whoop)! We are now preparing for the extra efforts required to finish the year the same way we started; winning. Here are a few of the things we will be doing to make the most of the remainder of 2018:
Cleanse & Refresh
If you’re willing to admit you’re human, it’s likely that over the course of the year some of your files and paperwork have become disorganised. We have already begun cleansing our database ensuring profiles are up to date, with correct information and of candidates that require our help. We are also cleansing our client database touching base with those we have worked with during the year and managing our expectations around their needs in the foreseeable future. Getting out to meet with your contact base is crucial and it’s a time of year to take advantage of; these things will allow us to approach January and 2019 much more confidently and with direction.
Set yourself up for Jan
Many people approach January as it comes; we approach January a few months in advance. Why? So that we can get ahead of the rest. Often employers will plan their recruitment strategy in advance and we aim to support them from this very moment onward to advise them around best times of year to attract different talent, to consult with them around their competitors and to prepare to create the best possible strategy for ourselves. We can then pipeline talent, create waves in the market and influence the talent pipeline to suit our clients’ needs.
Reviewing practices
Though I admit this should be done throughout the year consistently, the final few months of the year provide the best opportunity to review stats, conversion rates, retention and service levels etc. with the largest pool of data. This should provide a prime time to discuss and implement change for the following year, working to increase efficiency and improve service levels. It’s also a great time of year to chat to your team to find out what they thought they had done well and what they feel they need to improve in other areas they may be lacking.
Ask for feedback!
But be prepared to know where you are lacking and don’t take it personally! It has been proven that it is more likely for people to give negative feedback over a positive review. But this is a goldmine of information and should be considered regularly! Don’t just shrug it off; take it in and constructively plan to improve it, discuss methods that might help with other people you work with too and agree a manageable time-frame to refine it. Once refined, ask the same person again what they think of your solution!
Celebrate your wins.
Recognising what you have achieved and where you have won is what makes it all worthwhile right? But you must share the good news with your team know too. Let your staff and colleagues know you’re grateful, thank your clients for their commitment, thank your candidates for their professionalism and enjoy the success that you have created!
If you are a hiring manager or job seeker in the property market in the UK, get in touch with us to find out how we may be able to support each other during the remainder of 2018 and into 2019!
