In this week’s interview, Shirley Anderson chats to another of our Placement Partner Sales and Training Consultants – Kathleen McDonald.
Although Kathleen is one of the newest members of our team, she too comes from a long recruiting background and has first hand experience of the highs and lows which Recruiters face. Today, she shares her observations of the Recruitment Industry during this time and gives us some warm words of encouragement to KEEP GOING!
What is the most encouraging thing you have seen during this difficult time?
The most encouraging thing has been the way in which people are coming together and uniting. We have seen the entire community step up to help and support one another. Leadership is playing such an important role too – As South Africans we have seen our National leadership step up and this has filtered right down to a grassroots level. This has made a huge difference in keeping our spirits up, which is vital as we fight our way out of this.
How can recruiters continue to support one another and the Recruitment Industry as a whole during this time?
- Recognize and acknowledge the value which each and every member of the team is bringing to the table and remember that each person has something special to offer. Treat each person as a valuable member of the team and they will keep striving to do their best.
- Communication is essential to demonstrate that we recognize and appreciate that value. Team should be setting goals together and getting excited about the outcomes.
- As you work toward these goals, motivate one another and focus on positive reinforcement. Try to make each team member feel as though their contribution is appreciated.
- Celebrate your successes together and acknowledge the failures, taking note of the lessons learnt. Use this as an opportunity to help one another to learn from mistakes and get to know each other on a personal level. This enables you to better support your team and learn together.
- Last but not least, keep up the positive attitude!
It’s important to shed some light on those failures and to reframe them in a positive way. There is always value to be gained from our experiences. By being open, appreciative and accepting of each other, we are able to gain as much from the losses as we do from the wins.
This time has given each of us an opportunity to step up and shine. We have learnt new things about ourselves and our team members and we have all grown closer as a result.
What is your advice to all the Recruiters out there to help them KEEP GOING?
Keep up the faith! We know now that things are in the process of changing. We are very excited about moving to Level 3 and we know this is going to have an incredibly positive impact on the industry.
We know that it’s coming with a bang – Things will be changing rapid and more frequently as they progress. Although it is incredibly sad that so many people have lost their jobs, for our industry, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s our time to step up, bring the positivity and lead the change for our economy and our country.
Many amazing candidates are looking for an opportunity to start over and really find a career that they love and we are in the position to guide them and help them rebuild their lives.
