Star Wars, an epic tale of good vs. evil and a fountain of recruitment management tips. Check out HRS’s recruitment management tips from a galaxy far, far away…

1. Don’t underestimate the competition

No matter how big your organisation or how highly skilled your consultants are there will always be competition fighting to take your clients and candidates.

The Death Star was a significant resource in the fight between freedom and the Galactic Empire’s take over of the galaxy however it was not impenetrable. The Rebel Alliance’s X-Wings were able to take out the Death Star due to their ability to react quickly within an ever-changing landscape.

As a recruitment manager it is important to identify areas in which your organisation is at risk of loosing business to competitors. Keep track of competitors and where possible ask clients why they decided to go elsewhere for their staffing needs. React to the changing landscape of recruitment.

2. Learn from mistakes

Mistakes happen – and to a point should be accepted as long as lessons are learnt and knowledge is shared. As a manager it is your responsibility to develop staff and help create a company culture that empowers consultants and motivates them to maintain high recruiting standards.

When Darth Vader takes the knee-jerk decision to publicly relieve Admiral Ozzel (via a slow choke) of his duties for a tactical error in which he brought the Death Squadron out of hyperspace too early he looses a highly experienced member of the team and creates a negative working environment for staff.

Whilst members of staff sometimes need to be pulled up on mistakes it is important lessons are learnt. Darth Vader should have educated Admiral Ozzel of his mistakes to prevent the same mistake recurring.

In a sales environment decisions need to be made quickly, recruitment consultants cannot operate in an environment in which they are not confident enough to move forward and close deals. Work with your team, when mistakes happen address why they were made and what could have been done better.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Managing a team doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help when you need it. In Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope, Princess Leia knows she can’t take on the Galactic Empire alone. To stop Imperial forces taking over the galaxy and destroying anything that gets in the way she asks Obi-Wan Kenobi for help.

All great managers need to know when to ask for help. Communicate with your team and get the appropriate parties involved when required.

4. Provide your team with the right tools

The X-Wing fighters, R2-D2, C-3P0 and the lightsaber all played significant parts in the success of the Rebel Alliance. Providing your consultants with the tools to find and connect with more candidates will increase placements, consultant motivation and ultimately accelerate business growth.

Highly skilled and trained staff accompanied with leading technology will ensure you stay a step ahead of the competition. Make sure your not working with a flawed system like the Death Star, head over to the HRS recruitment software pages for more info on our dedicated recruitment database solutions.

5. Manage the team and individuals

The future success of your team is highly dependant on what responsibilities specific team members are given. From the offset it is clear Anakin Skywalker has the potential to be a highly skilled Jedi. Although the Jedi Council recognise his potential they are unwillingly to adapt the methods in place for managing staff development.

The lack of trust and development placed in Anakin leads to increased frustration, a contributing part in his decision to desert the Jedi’s and join the Dark Side. A more flexible approach may have led to Anakin remaining a Jedi and the downfall of the Empire in much quicker time.

The lesson here is to manage both your team and the individuals in it. Consider the strengths and traits of your consultants, at times different approaches will be required for different members of staff.

Have you got any other recruitment tips from another galaxy? Let us know, leave a comment below or get in touch via Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus or Facebook!