Some people have asked me whether, now that I’m coaching, whether I’ve stopped recruiting. The answer is no – I’ve found that, in practice, coaching and recruiting are complementary. Each process offers insights and benefits into the other. Read on and I’ll try and explain how, starting with recruiting….
At its simplest, recruiting is finding the right person for the job. This is not always a straightforward process. Often the client, whether it’s an HR department, line manager or a combination of inputs, does not have an accurate grasp of the actual job requirements. Their brief may be aligned with the organisational chart, or an aspirational idea of what they would like the role to be, but the reality of a role can be different. The day-to-day tasks that may make up a significant part of the position are often overlooked in favour of the ‘big picture’, as are the skills and experience to do them successfully.
In the light of the above, you’ll see that successful recruiting often demands some detective work, looking beyond the brief to determine the real requirements of the role, and then in turn, identifying the appropriate candidates to present. (Then there’s the job of convincing the client that the candidate you are recommending is the best fit, even though they may not totally meet the client’s brief, but that’s another story.)
Another aspect of identifying successful candidates is assessing their unrealised potential. This is especially significant at C level, as placing someone in a role that they have already demonstrated the ability to do is a recipe for boredom and turnover. A change of workplace environment and salary boost may seem attractive at first, but the gloss can wear off in the face of lack of challenges or potential for career growth.
Coaching is about helping someone realise their potential, in whichever direction they deem to be important. Some people confuse coaching with training, they are far from the same. Training is the transfer of the trainer’s expertise to the student. Coaching is the process of identifying the subjects own strengths and creating strategies to use them to achieve their goals.
The complementary aspects of coaching and recruitment are several. During an executive search, a recruiter with coaching skills can recognise unrealised potential within someone who might otherwise not be considered a candidate.
Similarly, an experienced coach with recruiting skills can help subjects identify areas for improvement and development that will assist in implementing strategies to achieve their work and life goals.
Melinda Fell Consulting specialises in elevating and advancing executive careers – either through her Discovery, Detangle and Strategy Coaching Sessions, or providing premium C-suite executive placements within the financial services sector. Contact Melinda at melinda@melindafellconsulting.com.au.
