TA Voices!
By peterweddle
March 03, 2024
Last Week’s LI Commentary Curated By TAtech
Who has the time to keep up with the latest LinkedIn comments by thought leaders in the TA space? Practically nobody.
But, not to worry. TAtech has you covered. Each week, we’ll curate and republish some of the most interesting comments posted on the site. We call the feature TA Voices!
So, without further ado, check out the TA Voices! on LinkedIn last week, including Sebastian Dettmers, Martin Lenz, Sarah White, David Crawford, Nathan Jun Poekert, and Steven Davis.
Economic Growth & Immigration
“The US economy is roaring. And Immigration is one of the key reasons. Last year, the US economy grew by 2.5%, and it is expected to grow by more than 2% in 2024. One key reason: Immigration. "You can’t grow like this with just the native workforce. It’s not possible” says Pia Orrenius, vice president and senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. About 50 percent of the labor market’s extraordinary recent growth came from foreign-born workers between January 2023 and January 2024, according to Evgeniya Duzhak from Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Europe, facing similar demographic challenges, can learn from the US. By welcoming immigrants, Europe can bolster its labor force, stimulate economic growth, and ensure a more dynamic and resilient economy.”
Sebastian Dettmers, CEO The Stepstone Group
Communicating with Prospects
“Networking and developing business on Linkedin has become an important channel for most digital sales teams. The question on "how to stand out" in the growing volume of in-mail messages is key for any campaign. But if you try to make a message personal, just by automating it again in a different way, don't do it (e.g. sending pictures with "personalized" messages is not getting me hooked, it's rather creepy). If you really want to stand out, try the following: 1. Make a deep research on what your prospect is really doing in business, what the pain points could be and if your service is really even relevant; 2. Don't "go like the bull at the gate", you also don't make a proposal on the first date; 3. Share content that could really interest your prospect, but stop the tracking links etc., because it just shows you only share because you want to sell; 4. Following up is great, but mind that just creating yet another "how are you, can we talk" message will just get you into SPAM or Archive of your prospect's inbox. Build business relationships by also accepting that it's not the right time if you did not get a response is crucial to show that you are interested in the outcome of your prospect, not of your own.”
Martin Lenz, CEO Jobiqo
Selling TA Solutions
“We have been working on packaging strategies with several clients since last fall. One of the things that came out of our research with both sales teams and B2B buyers was a serious need to simplify and modernize the buying process - especially as we are experiencing a very unusual market where budgets are changing and focus is shifting. Getting your packaging/pricing strategy correct helps improve: 1. Customer experience in the buying process; 2. Storytelling and messaging efforts; 3. How long your sales team is spending on proposals; 4. Option Fatigue; 5. Product Strategy Validation; 6. Sales Cycle Length.”
Sarah White, Founder Aspect 43
Recruiter Enablement
“A lot of talk these days about how Talent Acquisition is evolving given changes in workforce dynamics, societal shifts, and available software. We've been bombarded by so many technologies that hope to convince us that the solution is having a utopian consolidated HR platform. There are numerous discussions and debates on how the landscape of TA will change through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. And then there are various products that focus on automation and improved processes to move candidates along. Oh, and don't forget about Recruiters being fully remote and that it doesn't matter where they are. Yes, TA is changing and will continue to evolve, but please don't discount the intrinsic nature of what recruiters do and the joy they experience from it. Especially these days, I implore TA teams to: talk more, advise more, connect more. That's why our team carved out time to think about how our Recruiters and Sourcing Specialists could enhance their craft. Yes, you read that right: a blend of art and science to evolve for the purpose of being more impactful to our Hiring Managers, the employees we want to retain and develop, and the external candidates we want to hire.
David Crawford, VP/TA New York Presbyterian Hospital
Career Self-Management
"I've sat on this post for almost a week -- mainly because of a recent quote by Tina Fey: "Telling people what you really think can be dangerous and expensive." So I've left it in the drafts and decided I'd go back to it when I could write this objectively and non-reactively. I've seen several posts the past few years from leaders on LinkedIn who promote that being humble, praising those around you, elevating those around you over yourself, and just being likable and amicable are the core characteristics to obtaining leadership positions. Most recently a post by a CEO that gained a lot of traction was circulating LinkedIn following this exact narrative. My personal experience doesn't match up to this, though, where for nearly a decade, it's been necessary for me to advocate for myself, cheer for myself and ask for minimum acknowledgement and recognition for the work I'm doing.”
Nathan Jun Poekert, Founder & Consultant Jun
Building an Employer Brand That Works
“In the last few weeks, conversations about employer brand have been on the rise. There's no denying that a strong employer brand is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. So, what steps can you take to create an appealing employer brand? Here are a few key ones to keep in mind: 1. Know Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP); 2. Conduct an Employer Brand Audit; 3. Tell a Compelling Story; 4. Walk the Walk; 5. Leverage Technology and Social Media; 6. Obtain Feedback and Adapt. But knowing what to do is only half the battle. It's also important to operationalize the use of your employment brand. This involves turning abstract concepts into measurable actions and processes.”
Steven Davis, Head of Consulting Services WilsonHCG