The Recruiting Animal Show: Animal Panel 2

Topic: The Expert Panel Returns

Participants: Madame Sonya, Minnesota Headhunter, Marketing Headhunter, David Perry, Dr Nik Palmer, JD Jason Davis

Introduction: My Interview Tricks

Hi, everyone. It's the Recruiting Animal back with a jam packed hour of infotainment. You know, people often come up to me and say, "Animal, you think you're something, don't you? Interviewing people. Anyone could do that. All you're doing is talking to someone on the phone." What do I say? "Yeah sure. Of course you're right." But what am I thinking? I'm thinking, "This guy doesn't know anything."

Because, listeners, let me tell you, the art of the interview is not so simple. And I'm going to tell you why. Most people never spell out what they think. So they don't know what they think. And when they get on a show like this they want to do their thinking here. On your time and mine.

Regular listeners know that I've got a rule here. It's very simple. No Thinking. The time to think is before you come on. That makes sense doesn't it? In fact, I like to interview people prior to the show so they''re ready to go once they get here but that's not always easy to do. Because they're busy.

So I've come up with a theory of interviewing to counter the habits of bad interviewees. And I'm going to introduce it to you now with a little bit of history.

You know, Lenin was leader of the Russian Revolution. And he had a slogan. Smash The State. What does that mean? It's very simple. When a radical party takes over the government, the civil servants are not on board. So, when it comes to implementing new policies, they're not cooperative. They drag their feet. So, to get things moving you have to form new ministries and staff them with your own people. It happens in business too. A new boss comes in she brings in her own people and massacres everybody else. Right?

Now, the interviewee is often uncooperative, too, just like those civil servants. They're doing their thinking on the spot or they are repeating long, jargon-filled sales messages that put any normal person to sleep.

So what does a real serious interviewer have to do? He's got to Smash The Statement. When these guys start blabbing, he's got to say, "Hey, wait a second. Stop right there. When I ask you a question you give me a simple yes or no."

Or some interviewees are like politicians. They like to stay on message. You ask them one question and they answer another that they prefer. So, what do you have to do in a situation like that? You've got to smash the statement and say, "Hey, I didn't ask you that!"

And when someone is too wordy, you've got to finish his sentence for him. You just butt in and say, "Hey let's move this right along. This is where you're going, isn't it? Yes or no?"

See what I'm saying? If you want to keep your interviews free from the mental foot draggers or the saboteurs who don't really care about the people listening to the show you have to butt in and say "Hey, come on. I've got an obligation to make this fun so you better get on board or I'm going to cut your mike. And you know why? Because I'm the Recruiting Animal and this is The Recruiting Animal Show!!!"

Introducing The Guests

Now, today is the second appearance of the Animal Panel. And we've got some old faces and some that are new.

One new member is Madame Sonya, The Anglo-American Recruiting Super-Vixen. She is a passionate woman with a passion for justice that makes her want to speak out against whatever she thinks is wrong. Welcome Madame Sonya, I can't wait to hear your voice.

Then we've got Paul Alphabets, He's the Franco-American Minnesota Headhunter. Paul has been on this show before but only a minute or two so we're glad to have him back. Welcome Minnesota. You know I live in a country with a very large French population Indeed je parle un peu Francais mais nobody has a name as hard to figure out as yours. You know what I'm saying?

And finally we've got Harry Joiner, The famous Marketing Headhunter who became a cause celebre when he was kicked off of Facebook and was just re-instated. And in fact Harry is now the Facebook Liaison Officer on Recruiters Online. Welcome Harry.

Networking Skills (25 min mark)

Animal: If you go to a networking event and you don't know anyone, there what do you do?

David Perry: I find the organizer of the networking event and tell him who I am and why I'm here and the types of people I need to meet and say, "Okay so who are the top six people you want to introduce me to?"

Animal: Sonya have you ever gone to a networking event?

Sonya: That's how I met Ben Gotkin. They traditionally go around the room. Or people ask questions. I just went up and introduced myself and told him who I was and who I'm with and he became a great mentor to me.

Animal: Now it was a little easier there because everyone was a recruiter and you know you've got something to talk about.

Sonya: You're talking about a networking environment in which everybody is there for different reasons? Like Happy Hour?

Animal: Yeah, kind of. Harry what do you do?

Harry Joiner: I just be myself

Animal:What? Do you stand in the corner and be yourself?

Harry Joiner: No. You know, I just hang out and drink a beer.

Animal: And?

Sonya I think Animal is looking for pick up lines.

Animal: No, not pick up lines.

Nik Palmer: I knew it!

Animal: No, no, no!

Harry Joiner: You just talk about the other person. "Hey what do you do?". And, they ask what you do. I don't even really think about it.

Animal: And how do you get rid of them after the conversation has gone far enough?

David Perry: Harry just says, "I need another drink."

Animal: No, that's too transparent. That's an insult.

Jason Davis: Can't you just say "It was nice meeting you."?

Animal: Is that what you do, JD?

Jason Davis: No one expects anybody to stand around forever

David Perry: Do you want to know the easiest way to get something out of a networking event. I always ask them for a business card. Then I ask them to tell me "two or three characteristics of your ideal customer. Someone I could call you about and tell you about if I happen to meet them. Typically, they ask me the same question afterwards.

Animal: And how do you get rid of them when you're finished

David Perry: I go That's great. I'll keep my eyes open. Then I smile and shake their hand and walk away.

Nik Palmer: I trust my instincts. I find the people who have that social gravitas and can be like the centres. I introduce myself to them and find out who they know.

Animal: What do you say?

Nik Palmer: Who are you? What do you do? Do you live here? It's different for every for every person

Animal: And how do you find out who they know

Nik Palmer: By asking them

Animal: What do you say who do you know? What can you do for me?

Nik Palmer: In so many words.

Animal: You can't say "in so many words". It means nothing. People who don't know what to say don't know what in so many words means.