Crashed and Burned

Have you ever been burned by someone? Really burned? The kind of burn that leaves a mark? Have you envied a coworker who continually lands the big deals and sets sales records? Have you ever wished you were #1 in the office?

What do being burned and being #1 have in common? They usually go hand in hand. In fact, being burned and being in sales are usually mutually co-existing concepts. Most everyone who has been in sales for any period of time has been affected by either a dishonest candidate or client. In my opinion, the hardest one to take is being burned by a client.

Too many times we recruiters become too emotionally invested with both our clients (who pay our salaries) and candidates, which ultimately leaves us seriously vulnerable. Personally, I am a Pollyanna kind of girl. I tend to trust everyone until I have a reason not to. I believe in transparency, which builds trust, open communication, integrity and honesty.

This summer was by far the best and worst for me in terms of clients and recruiting efforts. THE BEST: Because I had a very active desk with a plethora of high-level positions to work. THE WORST: Because a few of the clients were “B” rated, meaning they were not serious about working with a recruiter, or making immediate hires. While I had a lot of action going on, I was too close to see it for what it truly was…. a lot of white noise.

I was constantly connected with both my clients and candidates; keeping the process moving, only to feel totally burned by a particular client in the end. I DO blame myself, as I treated them as an “A” client – making them a priority. However, they weren’t serious and ultimately my candidates suffered in the process.

It was a tough lesson for me to learn. I had to sever ties with this client and just walk away.The link between being #1 and being burned in this scenario is that it certainly drove home the vulnerability in oneself.

However, being burned also does something awesome…it makes you better!  You learn to become more selective, drive the process harder, and make better choices. Remember, it is a choice! You decide whether a particular client meets your expectations and IF you want to work with them now or in the future. You are in the driver’s seat and can make certain you only work with the best companies, and if there is ever a next time -- don’t let the fire consume you.

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