Stop failing your Rookies!
October 14, 2011 11:39 AM written by Hannah Keep 
5 Comments
Working in the Industry as a Trainer and Coach, I am amazed to see that most Induction training programmes still only focus on the knowledge and skills required to manage a Recruitment process and rarely equip Rookies with the skills required to control their mindset and deal with the ups and downs. Once a Rookie has about 3 months experience, they know the process and will either fail or succeed. Why? Their level of Emotional Intelligence and ability to remain confident despite the many setbacks and confidence dips they will experience. Yet some companies only provide Emotional Intelligence training (if at all) when they reach 1-2 years in the job and are more than likely failing. Or worse they don’t provide any and the managers address these needs by saying things like ‘stay positive’, ‘you have to control your mindset’, ‘just get over it’, ‘bounce back and don’t let it affect you’. Things that are much easier to say than do unless you know how.
I have seen Consultants with huge potential leave Recruitment or jump between organizations taking the same problems with them when the solution to their problem would have been coaching or training targeted towards their Self awareness and Self management.
If we want our Rookies to succeed we must give them all of the tools needed, stop trying to fix problems with extra training and look behind their behaviour or lack of results and address their mindset. That way and that way only will we get lasting change and give them everything they need to be as successful as they possibly can be.
Hi Hannah, a great piece of work. I think you have managed to identify an old age problem which many within the industry have either failed to acknowledge or have not understand how this can be dealt with. If more emphasis was placed on EI, there is no doubt that this would improve productivity, whilst decreasing staff turnover and therefore operating costs. I look forward to reading more.
I can’t emphasise how important EI is to entry level recruiters. It’s just not good enough to give people processes and skills and let them go, failing them at the end of probation if they don’t hit certain criteria. We need to arm people with emotional intelligence and target self development as well. Processes and skills make good Managers, Emotional Intelligence is crucial in the making of great leaders.
Hannah I agree. Obviously an high level of Emotional Intelligence is a pre-requisite for success in a sales environment, but so many people are let down by a lack of self awareness and self management. Very worth while points.
Thanks everyone for the great comments and I am glad you share my concerns. Once we launch the IOR Training Academy this will be one of the first topics on our menu of training courses we wil offer and in the meantime look out for the free webinars we will be holding and various follow up blogs.
If anyone wants to read more about the ‘Mind Control’ aspect of EI then James Borg’s book Mind Control is a good one and those based in the Northwest, look out for our December IOR Networking event where I will be speaking on the topic further. Happy to share any tips if anyone has any questions…
Much Thanks!…
Thanks for taking the time to provide us all with the info!…