Richard Milligan

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Richard Milligan Recruiting Strategy Consultant. Author. Speaker. Podcast Host. Bookrichardnow.com

03/01/2025

What are you doing today to reach tomorrow's goal?

31/12/2024

Going through a rough time? Dark times are inevitable. Yet, it is the best part when we discover unknown strengths.

27/12/2024

To be a great recruiting leader, you need NOT be perfect. You simply need to be consistent.

Consistent in living out Attractive Leadership.

Consistent in managing your time well enough that you have margin to recruit.

Consistent in improving your systems.

Consistent in improving your communications.

Consistent in improving your daily habits around making initial contact with new opportunities.

Consistent in your follow up.

Consistent in putting more ballots in the "activator box" over the non-activator" box.

Leave perfection to someone else and work on consistency.

26/12/2024

Having a clear roadmap is crucial in leadership, especially when recruiting. Let's unpack this idea:

- The Advantage of a Roadmap: If you have a roadmap and your competition doesn't, you're already ahead. The assumption is that many current leaders lack a roadmap.
- The Reality for Most Leaders: Sadly, a vast majority, about 99.99%, don't have clear roadmaps. This leaves a gap that can be exploited.
Imagine this scenario:
- A Competitor with a Vision: If someone enters your market with a compelling vision and a clear roadmap, and you don't have one, they instantly have more energy, authority, and credibility. They know the market and can present an exciting future.
- Comparing Roadmaps: When you have a vision, you need to ask yourself: Is my roadmap significantly better than just staying where they are? You must be able to confidently say it's a "level 10" on the scale of effectiveness.

In essence, a strong, well-defined roadmap not only shows where you're going but also establishes your credibility and authority. It's about offering something more concrete and exciting than the current state of affairs, making your opportunity more appealing and forward-thinking.

23/12/2024

Anytime you can take a word and make it more memorable, people can take it with them and they can use it.

18/12/2024

We don't ask these kinds of questions enough. Or if we do, we're not expecting an actual answer.

But when I ask people, "How are you doing?" I want them to understand that I REALLY want to know. I hope that whether it's someone in my family, a team member, or a friend, they feel they can be fully transparent and honest with me.

We tend to forget that listening is one of the most powerful human tools that God gave us. In a world that thrives off of noise, an attentive ear works wonders to build authentic connections.

So instead of talking, let's ask more profound questions.

Instead of responding immediately, let's pause and be intentional about what we say next.

A good leader leaves their door open for others, but a great one opens their ears.



16/12/2024

One of the things I often hear is this belief that people are missing out on top talent due to their "timing being off."

How prepared you are is indicative of the recruiting results you get.

Most think they have mistimed their call or follow up and thus lost out on a potential recruit.

BUT this is NOT true. Let's start by differentiating between hot, warm and cold recruits.

Hot - This person has already made up their mind they are going to make a move. If you depend on this you will never accomplish your larger goals!

Warm - This person has decided they aren't sure about their current employer. If given the right value proposition these could be interested. Again this is a very small percentage of the people you will pursue.

Cold - These are the candidates that tell you they are happy or that things are going well. These have no intention of leaving and no interest in meeting with you. This is the bulk of who you will pursue.

If we believe "timing" is critical to recruiting we generally are focused on either the Hot or the Warm candidates.

When you understand that you have to figure out how to recruit Cold candidates then you realize YOU MUST GET BETTER AT RECRUITING. The alternative is being stuck hoping your timing is good.


13/12/2024

A leader reached out to me looking for an early cycle recruiter ASAP. If you have recruiting experience and want to have a conversation please message me for information. Specific industry experience is not needed.

One of the perks will be that I will be coaching the person hired for this position for 20 sessions.

11/12/2024

Don't blend in; stand out like a unicorn in a field of horses. Here's how:
1. Slow Down & Reflect: Understand your organization's unique qualities.
2. More Than Words: Present your company's uniqueness beyond industry jargon.
3. Highlight Value: Continuously recognize and promote your evolving value stack.
4. Be Logical: Frame your value in a way that makes logical sense to the recruit.
5. Unicorn Strategy: Embrace and showcase your unique strengths, avoiding the sea of sameness.

Remember, you don't need flashy promises to attract talent. Authentic value speaks volumes. Be the unicorn among horses; lead with your unique strengths.

10/12/2024

The best recruiters are nonstop storytellers

05/12/2024

"When I'm gone, what will I leave behind?"

This question still follows me to this day. And I'm assuming it probably chases some of you, too.

It's why I didn't sleep for months when I realized the issue that recruiting leaders face:

A complete lack of guidance around meaningfully attracting people to their company.

I knew this was where I could provide value. It's where I could pull together countless stories (including my own), coaching experience, and fundamental principles to build something that lasts.

And here's the thing–I didn't actually do it for legacy or accolades. I did it because it aligned with my core values, allowing me to use my gifts to serve others as effectively as possible.

The above question still haunts me at times–and our team continues to set new dreams and goals with every passing year.

But here's what's so great–I know that we at 4C will continue to march boldly toward changing lives, whatever the future holds.

And that mentality is often how the ripple effect begins.

03/12/2024

If you're going through a difficult season take time to sit with those who matter most and discuss the current season.

Initiate open, meaningful conversations with loved ones or key team members.

Share your experiences, challenges, and expectations for this period.

Listen to their perspectives and support each other through this time.

This dialogue is crucial for understanding, unity, and mutual support.

It helps align your goals and expectations, ensuring everyone is moving forward together.

Engage in heartfelt discussions.

Strengthen your bonds.

Together, navigate the season with shared purpose and resilience.

29/11/2024

Too many recruiting leaders treat LinkedIn like a B2C platform when they should treat it like a B2B platform.

B2C
Hey, join my team.
Hey, buy my product.
Hey, my social surveys are fantastic.
Hey, here is my cheesy meme that belongs on Facebook.
Noise
Noise
Noise

As a big aha, it's all "me" focused, not others focused.

B2B
Valuable content that helps someone grow their business.
Valuable ideas that lead to someone solving a problem.
Something inspirational that leads to me seeing you as a person of value.

It all comes down to being a person of value.

Repeat this with me…

If you inspire people, they will aspire to your team.
If you inspire people, they will aspire to your team.
If you inspire people, they will aspire to your team.

We are drowning in noise, but starving for value.

Be the value.

28/11/2024

Oh, does this hit home! In 2016 I was fired without cause and notice. I haven't ever spoken of this publicly, but to encourage someone, I will share some of that journey.

I began to apply for new opportunities immediately after being terminated. As questions surrounding my prior employer were asked, it was a story that didn't make sense. It led to layers of interviews but never being hired. Eventually, I started 4C Recruiting. Now in hindsight, I wouldn't have it any other way. BUT in 2017, the financial stress WAS REAL.

I will never forget the ripple effect it had on my family (at the time, the kids were 15, 10, 8, and 6). I led our family to leave our dream home and move into a much smaller home.

Turns out you don't have a regular paycheck when you start a new company; who knew, haha!

During those years, our children were well aware of the financial changes. They were let into conversations around cancellations of…
Family vacations
Extracurricular activities
Eating out
Clothing budgets
And more

While there were larger financial issues, Leah and I resolved them privately to present a united front to our children.

What we discussed out loud was how we would live within our means. At times this seemed impossible. Thank you, The Dave Ramsey Show and Financial Peace! The children understood why we were making the decisions.

We let them have a say in the few areas that made sense. Like where we would spend $25 for our Friday night fun night each week. Funny to say they almost always bought pizza and wanted to hang out as a family.

We brought our oldest into budgeting conversations.

We helped our sons launch their mowing business in 2017. They went on to make almost $5,000 mowing yards that year.

We used this moment as a teaching tool. We tried our best to model how to process hard financial decisions healthily. We did so out loud with family and community.

Now six years later, I am thankful that we did. Our 21-year-old has a goal to buy his first home this year and already has his downpayment saved.

Our other children understand that if a financial pivot gets made, they can ask questions to help them understand why.

We walked this out with a strong community of people. It was critical to have a sounding board. They were a big part of staying mentally healthy.

I will never forget having our refrigerator go out, and within a few hours, two people purchased a new one on our behalf. Everyone deserves that type of support, but it will only happen if you work to find a great community of people! I have had breakfast most Tuesdays for the past 12 years with the men who showed up to help at that moment.

The bottom line is that you can't control what happens with your employer. But you can control how you process it at home.

Build a community.

Be okay with sharing your struggles.

Resolve to get on the same page with your spouse.

What other ideas would you suggest to someone going through a difficult time with their employer?

26/11/2024

If you're a Recruiting Leader - time blocking is essential.

- Allocate specific blocks of time for different recruiting activities.
- Use these blocks to focus deeply on tasks without multitasking.
- Prioritize your day around these blocks to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.

Implementing time blocking can transform your recruiting efforts. It allows for focused attention on high-priority tasks, improving productivity and outcomes.

25/11/2024

Building trust in recruiting involves clear and honest communication. Here's how to integrate affirmation into your strategy:

1. Be Specific in Your Approach: When mentioning a select group, be prepared to detail who else is included.
2. Maintain Transparency: Ensure that you can confidently answer questions about your recruitment process.
3. Prepare for Inquiries: Anticipate and be ready to respond to challenges or queries from recruits.
4. Demonstrate Integrity: Show that your approach is thoughtful and genuine, not arbitrary.
5. Build Credibility: Establishing trust by being able to back up your statements reinforces your credibility.

In recruiting, being able to provide specific and honest answers not only builds trust but also shows that your approach is carefully considered and sincere. This reinforces your integrity and credibility as a recruiter.

21/11/2024

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.

- Steve Jobs

18/11/2024

Remember: Greatness comes from long-term consistent actions NOT short-term high effort.

Your greatness is a result of the daily habits you stick with. Sometimes the payoff isn't automatic, but greatness is well worth the wait.

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