Dear Barb:
I know technology is supposed to help me be more efficient, but I’m buried under hundreds of emails. All technology has done is have me working 24 hours a day 7 days a week and I’m not as efficient as I was years ago without all of this technology. How can I explain to people that I would rather talk on the phone, than only be contacted by email?
Carolyn M., Seattle, WA
Dear Carolyn:
Technology can make you more efficient if utilized properly. Answer emails three times daily: in the a.m., noon, and at the end of the day. Often emails are the priorities of “other people,” not you. If there is email you must answer, have a separate email account or a subject line that indicates you must give this your immediate attention.
Then explain to your clients that you are networking for top talent for them during morning and afternoon hours, which is why you answer email only three times daily. Let them know they can call your office anytime and have you interrupted if they need to talk to you immediately.
Explain to your candidates that they only need to call you if they have changed something on their resume or have gone on an interview. This information helps you fine tune your search efforts on their behalf. Let them know you have set the time between 4:00 – 5:00 pm to take those calls. This will dramatically decrease the number of incoming “status” calls.
Provide a career portal for the 95% of job seekers you won’t place because they are not in your niche, or don’t possess the skills, experience or stability required by your clients. You can obtain information by going to www.happycandidates.com or calling our office at 219.663.9609. This resource also generates passive income for you!
Learn the advanced functions of your email provider. You can set rules that will save you time by forwarding specific emails directly into folders you establish. Technology is not going away and you just need to take control of how you utilize technology.
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS