At #trumontreal 2017, we opened the edition with a plenary session. With the firm intention of inspiring recruiters, all participants were invited to present their point of view and collectively state the founding principles of the profession: the Recruiter's Manifesto.

In order to stimulate reflection, mutual listening and collaboration among participants, facilitator Stéphanie Giroux lead this workshop in playful manner and helped to synthesize the subject matter. Before starting the workshop, Stephanie proceeded with a random matching (each participant chose a balloon of a given color [one of three] and was asked to regroup with those who had selected the same colour). Each of these three colors actually corresponded to a specific role: those of Employer, Recruiter or Candidate. From then on, everyone had a reference point from which to elaborate their reflection. To make sure the workshop would run smoothly, Stéphanie was supported by volunteers who would collect participant testimonials throughout the session. At the same time, graphic designer-web designer Karima Djaiz collected testimonials on the spot to create conceptual drawings that would synthesize the arguments tabled by the teams. Finally, student Hugo George, an observer during the proceedings, played the role of rapporteur for the session by writing the statements that would make up the manifesto as well as writing this blog post, in order to leave a proper record of the proceedings.

So, the groups are formed, the leaders are ready, the participants too: the workshop can begin.

The session was conducted in three phases. The first phase was to list the potential concerns that each group of participants (employers, recruiters, candidates) might face. The same went for the second and third phases, where participants were called upon to list the needs and then the individual qualities of each group.

At the same time, a micro-summary was drawn up for each phase (concerns, needs, qualities), in images (Karima) and in words (Hugo). At the end of the session Stéphanie presented us with a general conclusion and invited the participants to state the founding principles of the Recruitment Manifesto.

In the end, 81 arguments were put forward by the employer groups, 137 by the candidates and 161 by the Recruiting groups, counting all categories (see: concerns, needs, qualities).

Of these 379 arguments, 13 could be grouped as having a majority (n>5). In descending order:

Transparency, Active Listening towards the candidate, Talent Shortage, Creativity, Up-to-date HR Tools, Work-Life Balance, Efficiency, Retention, Attraction, Communication, Empathy, Organization, Follow-up

These results show an under-representation of employer responses and ambiguous importance given by the Recruiting and Candidate groups with regard to procedural transparency and the quality of information transmission whether through communication (ex: interviews) or by technological tools on the various IT platforms (ex: HR tools).

Manifesto Statement

1) A good recruiter always keeps human beings at the center of the process

• Always be in active listening mode towards the candidate

• Transparency

• Work-family balance

2) A good recruiter is an accelerator for reciprocal success

• An ambassador who is on the lookout, who listens and acts

• Creative

• At the heart of strategic business decisions

• Efficient

• Organized

3) A good recruiter is a good human strategist

• Understanding needs at the heart of a long term relationship

• Expresses himself/herself impeccably and with diplomacyy

• Tells the truth even when it is hard to do

• Is a team player

4) A good recruiter is a social and organizational engineer

• Drives results and solutions

• Is caring

• Is versatile

• Communicates

• Shows empathy

• Follows up

5) A good recruiter knows how to build mutually beneficial relationships

• A career partner

• Bridge builder who works in full awareness

• Gets the manager's confidence

• Passionate

6) Technology must "augment" the recruiter, not replace him/her

• Up-to-date HR tools

• Retention

• Attraction

7) A good recruiter is a good investigator

8) A good recruiter is a good salesperson/seducer

Download the RECRUTER'S MANIFESTO HERE

At this year's #trumontreal, we will continue the work and develop a "Recruiter's Skills" report ... To be followed!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to Hugo Georges and Karima Djaiz for writing and illustrating this article