Building relationships with all stakeholders with Kirsty

In today's dynamic and competitive business environment, the success of an organisation hinges not just on the talent it attracts but also on the robust relationships it nurtures with all stakeholders involved in the recruitment processes. From candidates and employees to hiring managers, and even the wider community, each stakeholder group plays a crucial role in shaping an organisation's culture and performance. Building and maintaining these relationships requires a strategic approach that emphasises communication, trust, and mutual respect. Let’s delve into how our Senior Talent Partner Kirsty manages to build relationships with all stakeholders.

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Building Remote Relationships

Building remote relationships requires intentional effort and adaptability in communication. It involves prioritising regular check-ins, whether through video calls, emails, or instant messaging, to maintain a sense of connection and collaboration. Clear and concise communication is key to overcoming the barriers of distance and time zones. It's essential to listen actively, understand each party's preferences and needs, and adapt communication styles accordingly. Regularly sharing updates, progress, and challenges helps build trust and transparency. By demonstrating reliability and responsiveness, even in a remote setting, relationships can be strengthened, fostering a productive and supportive working environment despite physical distances.

Understand, adapt, and establish trust 

Identifying key stakeholders is the first step in building effective relationships. These stakeholders include candidates, employees, hiring managers, and the broader community. Each group has unique needs and expectations that must be recognised and addressed. For example - candidates seek transparency and a smooth recruitment process, employees value engagement and growth opportunities, and hiring managers need efficient and effective hiring solutions. Understanding these distinct perspectives is crucial for developing strategies that foster positive and productive relationships with all stakeholders.

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1. Introduction call - when it comes to people at work, start by booking an initial introduction call to understand their working style and preferred way of communication, whether they prefer on-call or asynchronous methods. 

2. Understand their style - delving into understanding their unique working style helps you tailor your approach accordingly.

3. Exploring background - knowing their background provides insights into their preferences and priorities.

4. Addressing concerns - making it a point to address any concerns they might have, ensuring transparency and clarity throughout the process.

“I believe it's crucial to sit down, show active listening, and truly understand why they may have concerns about working with third-party recruiters. Providing reassurance and comprehending their focus—whether it's delivery or issues around process management—are essential steps. By doing so, I can identify where I can support them effectively.” - Kirsty Eccles, Senior Talent Partner in Acelr8. 

5. Interview preferences - understanding how they like to conduct interviews helps streamline the process and ensures a seamless experience for all involved.

6. Adapting - armed with this information, adapting to these preferences is crucial, as it’s important to be flexible when working with diverse personalities.

“My goal is to identify where I fit in and adapt my approach to meet their expectations effectively.” - Kirsty Eccles. 

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The significance of a strong relationship with a hiring manager

Building personal connections with hiring managers is crucial in fostering effective collaboration and achieving shared goals in recruitment and HR. First and foremost, it’s essential to be successful in hiring and to demonstrate that recruitment is challenging, requiring adherence to best practices. By showcasing these best practices, we aim for the organisation to adopt this approach even after our involvement with the project concludes. This ensures continued success in their hiring processes. 

• A strong relationship built on trust and mutual respect enables recruiters to understand the hiring manager's preferences, priorities, and organisational culture more deeply. 
• This in return allows recruiters to tailor their recruitment strategies more effectively, ensuring they source candidates who not only meet the job requirements but also align with the team dynamics and company values. 
• A personal connection encourages open communication, where hiring managers feel comfortable providing timely feedback and discussing potential adjustments to the recruitment process.

Ultimately, investing in building a personal connection with hiring managers enhances overall efficiency in hiring processes, strengthens team cohesion, and contributes to the long-term success of the organisation.

“It’s important to convey that hiring is not deemed that's like extracurricular, it’s actually just part of the job and it’s important to do it properly the first time.” - Kirsty Eccles.

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Creating a Positive First Impression

Active listening is crucial for understanding stakeholders' pain points and identifying where they may need support. Adopt their language and communication style to show that you are truly listening. After each call, send a debrief to recap what was discussed. This practice of over-communication ensures everything is documented, which is essential for both of you to refer back to. “Recruitment may be 100% of our day, but it only occupies a small fraction of theirs. They might log off and forget our conversation, so having a detailed debrief for them to refer to is important.” - Kirsty Eccles. 

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How to actively listen

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Give Full Attention: Focus completely on the speaker without interrupting or thinking about your response.

Show Interest: Use non-verbal cues such as nodding, maintaining eye contact, and leaning forward to show engagement.

Paraphrase: Repeat what the speaker has said in your own words to confirm understanding and show active processing of their message.

Reflect Feelings: Acknowledge and validate the speaker's emotions by reflecting back the emotions they are expressing.

Ask Clarifying Questions: Seek clarification on points that are unclear to ensure thorough understanding.

Summarise: Recap the main points of the conversation to demonstrate active listening and ensure mutual understanding.

Avoid Distractions: Minimise distractions such as checking your phone or allowing your mind to wander during the conversation.

Resist the Urge to Interrupt: Allow the speaker to finish their thoughts before responding to ensure they feel heard and respected.

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How to over-communicate

Over-communicating involves several strategic practices aimed at ensuring clarity and accountability in professional interactions. Beyond simply relaying information, it includes repeating back key points discussed to confirm mutual understanding. Proper documentation of agreements and processes is essential to maintain transparency and hold stakeholders accountable for their commitments.

For example, if a preference for asynchronous communication is established but responses are laking, a proactive approach involves reminding them of their stated preference and suggesting alternative methods like regular catch-up calls. This approach not only reinforces expectations but also encourages open dialogue and timely feedback. By consistently employing these practices, stakeholders remain informed, engaged, and aligned with shared goals, fostering a more productive and accountable work environment

“Holding people accountable is crucial because the responsibility doesn't fall solely on the recruiters.” Kirsty Eccles

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How do you convince your stakeholders that recruitment is important?

Convincing stakeholders that recruitment is important involves understanding their personalities and communicating effectively. It's essential to convey that you’re there to help, but your effectiveness depends on their responsiveness and openness to different solutions. To provide the best solutions, we first need to understand the problem. For instance, if they need to hire a lot of people, they must be more available for interviews and provide timely feedback. I make it clear that without their responsiveness, my ability to assist is limited. Building a relationship that is open and friendly, rather than purely transactional and business-focused, fosters a more productive and positive interaction.

Kirsty adds that the approach should involve letting stakeholders know that you are there to help, but to be effective, they must also be responsive and open to various solutions. The focus is on providing a solution, which requires understanding the problem first. If the issue is a high volume of hires, stakeholders need to be available for interviews and give timely feedback. Emphasising the importance of their responsiveness is crucial for effective assistance. Adopting an open and friendly demeanour, instead of a purely business-focused approach, helps build a more productive and less intimidating relationship.

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What tips would you give another recruiter on how to build relationships? 

When building relationships as a recruiter, it's essential to understand stakeholder personalities and maintain effective communication. Convey that you’re there to help, but your effectiveness depends on their responsiveness and openness to different solutions. Clearly understanding the problem is the first step to providing a solution. For example, if there’s a need to hire many people, stakeholders must be available for interviews and provide timely feedback. Emphasise that without their responsiveness, your ability to assist is limited. Establishing a relationship that is open and friendly, rather than purely transactional, fosters a more productive and positive interaction.

“I believe getting to know people is essential, as we're all just people at the end of the day, whether they're a CEO or a department head. They aren't intimidating; treat interactions as general conversations. Understand what they want from you and focus on that, then build a framework around it. Consistency is key, and it's crucial to do what you say you will. It's not enough to promise a cool hiring strategy; you must deliver because they have expectations and are paying you for this. Stand by your commitments, deliver consistently, and hold yourself accountable. Additionally, ensure they understand their part in the process, as their hands-on involvement is also crucial.”

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