Learn how to assess, communicate, manage, seek, and evaluate your recruitment stakeholders effectively in different situations or contexts.

Adjusting communication style to whomever you are serving is a universal life skill. Matching someone’s preferred style and energy can build trust, show understanding, and build rapport. In my experience, senior leaders don’t have time to waste so being efficient with communication is also of utmost importance. Instead of 5 emails, send 1 comprehensive email. Instead of 5 slacks - send 1. Make your stakeholders’ lives as easy as possible and add value however you can.

How do you adapt your recruitment stakeholder management style to different situations or contexts?

Recruitment stakeholder management is the process of identifying, engaging, and influencing the people who have an interest or impact on your hiring goals. It is a crucial skill for corporate recruiters, as it can help you build trust, alignment, and collaboration among your internal and external partners. However, not all stakeholders are the same, and neither are the situations or contexts you may encounter in your recruitment projects. How do you adapt your recruitment stakeholder management style to different situations or contexts? Here are some tips to help you.

Key takeaways from this article

Tailor your communication:

Understand stakeholders' preferred communication styles and adapt accordingly. For senior leaders, be concise; condense multiple messages into one efficient email or message to respect their time.
Personalize outreach:

Remember stakeholders' preferred contact methods and timings. Whether it's email, phone, or messaging apps, using their favored channels will make them more receptive to your recruitment efforts.

This summary is powered by AI and these experts

1 Assess your stakeholders

Before you start communicating or working with your stakeholders, you need to assess who they are, what they want, and how they can affect your recruitment outcomes. You can use a stakeholder analysis tool, such as a matrix or a map, to categorize your stakeholders based on their level of interest and influence. This will help you prioritize your stakeholder engagement efforts and tailor your messages and actions accordingly.

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Oscar Chavez

Talent Acquisition Leader | Veterinary Recruiter | People Advocate | Girl Dad
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The best first step in assessing your stakeholders is to have a regular conversation with them. This does not need to be a formal meeting; there does not need to be an agenda or goals. Getting to know someone is the best way to develop rapport and establish trust. You're just two people talking; you build from there.

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2 Choose your communication channels

Depending on the situation or context, you may need to use different communication channels to reach out to your stakeholders. For example, if you are dealing with a large and diverse group of stakeholders, you may want to use a mass communication channel, such as a newsletter or a webinar, to share updates and information. If you are working with a smaller and more specific group of stakeholders, you may prefer a more personal and interactive channel, such as a phone call or a meeting, to discuss issues and feedback.

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Oscar Chavez

Talent Acquisition Leader | Veterinary Recruiter | People Advocate | Girl Dad
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As recruiters, communication tactics are our bread & butter! You should know how, when, and where to contact your stakeholders. People have preferred methods of communication; remembering them will place you at the top of their list.

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3 Adapt your communication style

Your communication style is the way you express yourself and interact with others. It can affect how your stakeholders perceive you and respond to you. Therefore, you need to adapt your communication style to suit different situations or contexts. For example, if you are communicating with a stakeholder who is assertive and direct, you may want to match their style and be clear and concise. If you are communicating with a stakeholder who is more emotional and relational, you may want to show empathy and rapport.

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Alexis Rivera Scott

LinkedIn Ghostwriter | The Fairy Job Mom™️🧚🏼 | Brand Partnerships | Proud Latina 🇵🇷
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Adjusting communication style to whomever you are serving is a universal life skill. Matching someone’s preferred style and energy can build trust, show understanding, and build rapport. In my experience, senior leaders don’t have time to waste so being efficient with communication is also of utmost importance. Instead of 5 emails, send 1 comprehensive email. Instead of 5 slacks - send 1. Make your stakeholders’ lives as easy as possible and add value however you can.

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Kieron Anderson

Creative relationship builder and process manager
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This is one of the most important steps for me in making sure I am connecting with my stakeholder. My company provided a communication assessment tool to learn my style and how to recognize other types. Once I figure their style out I adapt to gather the information need and communicate in that manner during the process.

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4 Manage expectations and conflicts

One of the main challenges of recruitment stakeholder management is managing expectations and conflicts. Different stakeholders may have different opinions, needs, or agendas that may clash with yours or with each other. To avoid or resolve these issues, you need to set clear and realistic expectations from the start, communicate frequently and transparently, and seek win-win solutions. You also need to be flexible and adaptable to changing situations or contexts, and be ready to negotiate or compromise when necessary.

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Joe Atkinson

Peer-to-peer Learning for Internal Talent Teams
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From speaking to lots of recruiters on this, I've found the best ones approach conflict / unrealistic expectations with data. Bringing data to illustrate why an expectation is unrealistic takes the emotion away and allows both sides to agree an achievable path forward.

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5 Seek feedback and input

Another way to adapt your recruitment stakeholder management style to different situations or contexts is to seek feedback and input from your stakeholders. This will help you understand their perspectives, concerns, and suggestions, and improve your recruitment processes and results. You can use various methods to collect feedback and input, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or brainstorming sessions. You should also acknowledge and appreciate your stakeholders' contributions, and act on their feedback and input when appropriate.

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6 Evaluate and improve

Finally, you should evaluate and improve your recruitment stakeholder management style based on the outcomes and impacts of your stakeholder engagement activities. You can use metrics, such as stakeholder satisfaction, retention, referrals, or advocacy, to measure the effectiveness of your stakeholder management style. You can also use qualitative data, such as testimonials, stories, or case studies, to illustrate the benefits of your stakeholder management style. You should also identify the strengths and weaknesses of your style, and seek opportunities to learn and grow.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you adapt your recruitment stakeholder management style to different situations or contexts?

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1 Assess your stakeholders

2 Choose your communication channels

3 Adapt your communication style

4 Manage expectations and conflicts

5 Seek feedback and input

6 Evaluate and improve

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Recruiting

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