Recruiter Stories #3: The Specific Vacancy

The subtext is as follows - we are not sure that you will be able to find a suitable employee. Or even worse - try as hard as you like, an employee like the one we need has not yet been born. I take a deep breath. I nod understandingly. Yes, you are certainly unique and your vacancy is undeniably specific.

By the way, we are talking about a B2B sales project manager. A position that exists in almost every other company in Latvia. Undeniably, there are better and worse salespeople, more and less responsible ones, those more and less capable of achieving sales results, but - forgive me - not specific.

Ilārijs continues with a furrowed brow to explain that their salesperson must know about materials and their specifications, must be able to navigate catalogues that are in various foreign languages. (I think to myself - great, just pass that vacancy over here!) But Ilārijs's story does not end there, as a whole digression follows about how they have previously had trouble with salespeople. They work 2–3 years and then they're gone, especially the young ones. (The young ones and three years?! Then you're very lucky - I nearly let that slip.)

I substantiate with examples from real life that I have found salespeople of a similar profile for this and that company. I also offer contact telephone numbers for obtaining references from former clients. Right, so that would be sorted!

We reach the part of the conversation where I need to understand what the company is offering the contender who would meet the ideal salesperson standards of this particular company. Ilārijs emphasises that the offer too is specific, because they care about their employees, and begins listing - friendly team, training before starting work, motivating remuneration plus % of sales. (How many job advertisements have exactly these identical words?!) He also adds - but the fixed sum, we can leave that out of the advertisement. (This last addition is also the last drop in my patience.)

I take the initiative and start asking questions: "Tell me more about your team's internal culture, traditions, everyday life! Do you also organise any team-building events, sports games, comfort zone challenge training - ice baths, skydiving, public speaking? Perhaps you have communal lunch breaks, a kitchenette, a shower, a changing room? Does the sales person need to be in the office at all, perhaps they come in only once a week for a meeting and can freely plan their own time? What about a company car or at least transport compensation? Can a car be parked for free near the office? How do you reward the best salesperson of the month? Do younger salespeople have senior salespeople as mentors? Is there a cap on sales bonuses? Does this person need to be a staff employee? What are their growth opportunities within the company? Do you talk with the team about values? What are your company's core values?" (To myself I pray - please give me at least something interesting to tell a potential candidate at a meeting.)

I add - "Oh, yes, and I specify the salary level in all my advertisements, regardless of whether it is 400 or 4,000 euros. Experience shows that candidates appreciate it." The furrow on Ilārijs's brow deepens further, which certainly indicates intensified thinking. Or reflection on the theme - things aren't working out with finding an employee, and now this know-it-all has turned up to teach me how to run my company and select staff for myself.

No teaching from me, not at all - I still have a great deal to learn myself, for a long time to come. Simply, when you speak with a recruiter, please - just as with a journalist - give a little grain of interesting information, so that there is a chance to conjure up a story.

N.B. All stories are based on real events. The names of the characters in the stories are not mentioned or have been changed to preserve anonymity.