Building Candidate Rapport

Julie Smith – Professional RecruiterApril 30, 2015

Agenda

• What is Rapport?

• The Basics of Building Rapport

• What we are doing now

• What more can we do?

• Pipeline Rapport

• Success Stories

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Building Candidate Rapport│

Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition 2

What is Rapport?

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The capacity to evaluate anothers point of view

Why you are attracted to someone

The process of building a relationship with someone

A close connection marked by common interests or similarity in values

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Rapport is

Building Candidate Rapport│

Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

What is Rapport?• A close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups

concerned understand each other’s feelings or ideas and communicate well. ◦ Mutually beneficial relationship- Help each other achieve individual goals

• Company and job-specific◦ Understand each other’s feelings- What do we want to accomplish

◦ Communicate well- Timely, accurate communication

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Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

Helps us connect People and Possibilities

Basics of Building Rapport

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RapportBe honest

Be professiona

l

Be positive

Be polite

Be specific

Building Candidate Rapport│

Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

What are we doing now?

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What more can we do?

Following through on my commitments

Making small talk

Respecting their time

Referring to them by name

Letting them talk

Answering their questions honestly

Being transparent with them

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I build rapport with my candidates by:

Building Candidate Rapport│

Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

• Start the conversation by asking questions, NOT by pitching our company or positions◦ Ask open-ended questions that keeps the focus on them- Keep it light and legal- Can provide valuable information about what motivates them and what

they are looking for in a new employer◦ Applies to electronic communication, as well- What interested you in their resume/profile- Mutual connections or interests- Do your research

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Initial Contact

Make your first impression count!Building Candidate Rapport│

Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

The Interview Process• Create a conversation, not an interrogation

◦ Get to know the candidate◦ One size doesn’t fit all

• Use their questions as an opportunity to sell them on FedEx Office◦ Goes beyond tangible benefits, talk about work/life balance, etc.

• Good rapport can help keep an interview on track◦ Utilize information you’ve learned about them to guide conversation back

to job-specific territory

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Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

“You mentioned a passion for

developing others…”

“I noticed you won an award for sales

attainment…”

Offer Acceptance and Beyond• It’s time to celebrate!

• Create a calendar appointment to follow-up with them on their service anniversary and birthday◦ Make it personal

• In tough-to-fill or high turnover markets, make it a point to check in every few months◦ Express an interest in their career with FedEx Office, both current and

future◦ Great time to ask for referrals on open positions◦ Help identify an at-risk TM before they leave

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Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

Pipeline Rapport

• What can we learn about the candidate?• Available resources• Legal considerations

Identification

• Not likely to have resume available• Listening vs. Hearing

• Future wants/needs

Qualification• Catching up on what

has/hasn’t changed• Recruiter and

candidate• Importance of timelines

Status

• Don’t make assumptions• Check for interest• Explain position

duties• Ask for application

Opening

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Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

Success Stories

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Julie Smith│ Talent Acquisition

“Based on my rapport with the candidate, I knew more about her as a

manager than the interview told us.”

“ By establishing a connection with her and

sharing my own experience in the same situation she was able to make her decision to

come to Office..”

“…built on mutual network connections that provided critical information on the core competencies of the

candidate…”

“…communicated thru LI for almost 1 year, staying in

touch, keeping her abreast of any situation that would be of

interest to her in her location.”

“This allowed me to speak specifically to opportunity we offer that matched what they liked in their current role as

well as what was important to them to find in their next

job. ”

“He wasn't a good fit for that job, but because I got to

know him, I was able to help him find another job within

the company.”

Questions?