by Ben Hess, Managing Director, ThirdPool Recruiting
Knowing what you’re looking for is the first step to finding it.
For hiring, this means identifying the characteristics of your ideal recruiting prospect.
The characteristics on your list might include items such as education, work history, character traits, and other work-related factors.
But, don’t stop there.
Author Allen Dib warns that a list of characteristics will remain inert unless you bring it to life by turning it into an avatar.
An avatar is a detailed exploration and description of your target prospect and their life.
Like a police sketch artist, you piece together a composite that creates a vivid picture of them in your mind.
It helps tell their story so you can visualize life from their perspective.
The value of creating an avatar or your ideal recruiting prospect is twofold:
Reality. It convinces you that the people you’re trying to recruit actually do exist. If you’re not “seeing” these people in your recruiting network, you’ll know some adjustments are necessary.
Recognition. A hiring manager recently told me he saw a picture of an agent he knew pictured on a shopping cart advertisement at his local grocery store. “I had forgot about her—she would be a great fit for my office.”
Your brain loves patterns. Help it out by giving it a way to recognize your next hire.