Let’s Do Lunch – The Importance of the Face-To-Face Meeting

WebEx, Skype, GoToMeeting – these are all fantastic platforms that every business should be using and has become the norm for on-demand collaboration and videoconferencing.  But there is one major factor that these technologies can never make up for, and that’s good old human interaction.  When it comes to the world of recruitment, this face to face approach is extremely important, not just on the client side, but for candidates as well. 

Most of the individuals we meet are currently working and it’s tough for them to take time out of their schedules.  More often than not, we’ll have to set time aside to meet with them outside regular business hours.  Now you might be thinking, isn’t that inconvenient and can’t you setup twice as many interviews if you just do them via video conferencing or a simple phone call?  The answer is yes.  But by doing so, you seriously jeopardize the ability to truly understand what that individual is looking for & whether or not they would fit within a specific company culture.  You will also never have the chance to see the “little things”.  What do we mean by that?   There are certain factors that, when combined, say a lot about a person.  This can be as simple as body language, eye contact and even a handshake.   

 

The same can be said about meeting with clients.  We’ve noticed that small last minute ideas that end up being very important factors usually pop up when we’re speaking with a client face to face.  It’s almost like a mini-brainstorming session.  We can put down as much as we want on paper, but sometimes the real “magic” happens when you least expect it.  Placing yourself in a more causal environment, like grabbing lunch, also helps familiarize and humanize the relationship.  Your personality plays a huge part in how your client perceives you and sometimes it’s better to do it over a burger then in a boardroom.

 

Face-To-Face meetings are a key ingredient in establishing relationships, building trust and an essential part of being productive.  We can dial-in, connect, & stream all we want, but in the end – there is no substitution.