Every recruiter wants to feel appreciated at their workplace, especially when you’ve dedicated more time and effort than others. Unfortunately, employers are not aware of all that happens behind the scenes. When the yearly review comes around, it will help your promotion prospects if you bring something tangible to the table.
Develop a Strong Personal Brand Through Content
Invest in building a solid reputation within your industry. One way to do this is to publish your opinions through a professional website/blog, post on social media platforms, be interviewed or quoted by traditional media, or even host your own podcast/video series.
Doing content has the potential to establish yourself as a thought leader, and builds a personal brand that also adds indirect value for your employer. The initial stages of building a brand will be slow, but once you are producing content consistently, your audience will grow. As you become a mini celebrity, that clout is a good bargaining chip to bring to the negotiation table with your boss.
Be a Trusted Recruiter Who is Not Out for a Quick Buck
To build trust, understand the role like the back of your hand, from industry ropes to technical jargon and day-to-day work. The recruiter who can understand the fundamental needs of a role will not only connect better with clients (more on that below), you will also become a more trustworthy voice to talents.
When you’re able to describe a role accurately and gain a talent’s trust, he or she is more likely work with you and take up any offer that is presented to them. More trust leads to better working relationships and more deals. It also makes you a valuable asset to your organisation and will help you to get promoted.
Nurture Strong Relationships With Hiring Managers
Cultivate strong relationships with both clients and candidates. Hiring managers or HR peers are especially important because they are the ones who decide if a role goes out to a recruitment agency. Whether you build a connection through content (see our first point), or networking through dinner and drinks, it will help you greatly to put your name at the top of their minds.
Hold yourself accountable for a certain number of meetings each week. These connections will become increasingly valuable the more you expand your network of strong relationships. A robust network can lead to more business opportunities and higher-quality placements — all highly attractive in the eyes of an agency.
Be a More Efficient Recruiter by Harnessing Digital Tools
Gone are the days of browsing through hundred of CVs or digital profiles by hand. With the AI charge in 2023, top recruiters should be using more digital tools to their advantage. Be it a more robust Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or AI-powered sourcing software, being able to utilise these tools for better results will put you at the forefront of the competition.
One of those tools is our very own Scout, a talent-sourcing software so fast that it can return 50 results in 10 seconds, with nothing more than a link to a job description. The difference between Scout and manual sourcing is akin to driving a car versus running on foot.
Set and Exceed Revenue Targets
Set ambitious but realistic revenue targets for yourself and consistently strive to achieve them. In an agency, sales figures keep the business lights on. If you are able to place more roles, especially in senior positions, this translates into higher profits. Numbers do not lie, and once you establish yourself as an outright leader in sales, the argument against promotion becomes much less tenable.
To hit those targets, create a plan with specific figures and timelines, and regularly assess your progress. By consistently meeting or exceeding your goals, you demonstrate your commitment, drive, and ability to deliver results, which are crucial factors in earning promotions or higher commissions. Read more on our strategies to source for candidates.
Be Consistent in Hitting Revenue Targets
While it’s great to exceed any target given to you, it won’t count for much if that only happens once out of every 10 tries. This quarter may be showing outstanding results, but what about the next? As you are meeting clients and candidates today, it’s important to put some thought into the next billing cycle. Planning ahead will help you achieve consistency, which in turn makes you look dependable to the employer.
Conclusion
While there is no guaranteed formula to get promoted, hitting and exceeding your revenue target should be a starting point. Recruit more, build you personal brand and network with as many colleagues as possible — collectively these will form a good case to improve your salary or commission rates for the next year.