Christmas Market 🎄

I don’t know about you, but I’m dreaming of a (long) white (cloud) Christmas! Just your classic Kiwi X-Mas; BBQ, beach cricket, onion dip, the lot! I may or may not have started the wind down early. A lot is being done in the way of client meetings for roles that may or may not come to fruition next year, but for now, I’ve got an eye on the finish line. Most of my time is spent catching up with those who have been kind enough to slide some business my way or, with candidates looking to kick off the New Year with a new job. Not a lot of time is being spent at the coal face doing the hard yards. And for that, I feel a little guilty. There was a time when I was flat out this time of year, in the trenches, getting my hands dirty. However, that wasn’t necessarily in recruitment. Facebook memories throw you some real curve balls but in a change of pace, this one from 14 years ago was correctly spelt and didn’t fill me with contempt for young Scott.

Many a promising career in sales has been birthed from a humble market stall. Most notably Lord Alan Sugar, who went on to star in The Apprentice. Which as we now know is an established stepping stone to the apex of political power. I was a skint student in Liverpool and was offered a chance to run the Stroopwafel stall and as you can see from the cover photo, I was stoked! It was actually super fun and one of the better jobs I’ve had. Looking back, that Christmas market taught me some valuable lessons that can be transferred to this Christmas Market and to recruitment in general.

Always remain positive – At least in an agency gig you get to sit down. The stall was pretty cramped and much like any sales job, you tend to repeat the same thing again and again. Still, you have ooze festive spirit. This time of year is full of uncomfortable conversations; targets, budget etc. You’ve got to be able to put a smile on your dial and present positivity.

Tell a story – Even if it’s your 100th time pitching a role to a candidate, it’s the first time they’re hearing it. While other stalls are closing their fronts for the night, you’re telling Norma how you can balance the Stroopwafel atop a cup of tea to melt the caramel inside. Taking the customer/client/candidate on the journey, selling the idea and not the product.

Time kills deal – You have to work a decent pace in any market. With so much on offer, the consumer is overloaded with choices. If you don’t secure your candidate a wealth of options then you can guarantee the recruiter down the road will! On the client side, it’s worth reminding them what time you shut up shop to help with momentum.

Be on the lookout for chancers – one eye on the till and one eye on the merchandise. You never know who’s going to have sticky fingers. At first glance your candidate could present as the consummate professional but watch them closely, their shiftiness will betray them. An erroneous detail on their CV will stand out like a £4 note.

Know your numbers – Maths isn’t my strong suit. However, my basic arithmetic had never been sharper than when I was on that stall. There was a surprising amount of negotiation with god famously loving a trier. Stay strong to your rates and when you’re at the business end, be sure to know your candidate's salary and expectations.

Make friends with other vendors – This time of year is full of ceremonies and events that include the whole industry, they’re enjoyable in NZ as everyone is pretty sound. There was an exotic meats van next to me, they would chuck me a crocodile/ostrich burger every now and then. While you don’t often get your counterparts chucking you roles or candidates, there’s comfort in comradery.

I ended up moving on to the pick and mix stall, which was a bit of a step down; outside, way bigger, and heaps of scallys wanting freebies. While I enjoyed my time selling Dutch confectionary and the lessons taught put me in good stead for a career in recruitment. I very much prefer the sun-soaked beer gardens I find myself in this time of year. One more blog and then it’s off to the beach! 🏖️