Find your niche early!

I found my niche early in my previous business. I was into IT Recruitment then. Like everyone else, I too helped clients hire whatever skill they wanted to hire. Java, .Net, and Testing were the skills in demand then.

Over time, I wanted to do something different.

I started telling clients where to hire from. Once, I sent a CV of a candidate who was then working in a small company. My client refused to shortlist. I sold him the candidate. He agreed & interviewed. They liked the candidate and rolled out an offer.

My candidates didn’t run away or didn’t shop around. Even if some of them did, they did let me know. I then got them the best offer. In some rare cases, I had convinced candidates to join for a lesser package. And they did join only because I sold them my client’s clients.

So, this candidate joined my client. Then the magic happened. The client, who said they cannot shortlist, now wanted me to get as many candidates as possible from that company. Say that again.

My relationship with this client and a few other clients grew stronger that they shared some names [of potential hires & high fliers] from the Industry and asked me to get them all for them. That’s true headhunting. Those were the Zen moments in recruitment & large account management.

Coming back to what I started off with, in this post, I found my niche early.

I focused on certain skills only and not generic skills. The tough-to-get skills became my specialty. And I got a kick doing those positions. I did work, not for the money but the dopamine and a kick that sent me into the clouds. That feeling can never be expressed in words.

If I had worked only for the money back then, I wouldn’t have so many stories to share now.

I remember receiving a call from a client on a Sunday morning. He ducked my calls 75% of the time then. [Nevertheless, I did good business with them.] Here, I received a call from him that too on a Sunday morning. What’s happening?

And he said: “Kannan, do you remember you had sent me an Oracle Clinical profile sometime back. Is that candidate still available?”

I said: “It’s been a long time. I need to check. I will check and get back to you if he is available”.

He said: “Please Kannan. We badly need a resource that can join at the earliest. Salary is not a constraint.”

I went to my office & called up the candidate. After exchanging pleasantries, I checked with him if he is available for an exciting opportunity. He replied in the positive. Rest is history.

He got selected & joined my client. He was a good guy. The client liked him so much and hired him immediately. They didn’t try to save costs by giving him compensation lesser than what he actually deserves. Win-win.

There are more such stories.

Now, the Takeaways:

For Salespeople:

1. You need to have a niche for yourself.
2. You need to become a specialist.
3. You should be known for one thing in your Industry.
4. Your work should speak for you.
5. And your prospects should find you.

For Career-seekers:

1. Don’t commit to joining a prospective employer until you are convinced. Take your time. But once committed, keep up the commitment.
2. Don’t always decide based on the compensation. Sometimes, you don’t get to know all the perks, opportunities in the job unless you are dealing with a good recruiter.
3. If the risks are too high then your compensation has to be proportionately higher & vice-versa.
4. ESOPs are good. Unless you are joining as a Co-founder, it doesn’t make sense to take a cut in salary.
5. Sell yourself high and deliver on that promise.

Happy Selling!

#b2bsales #jobs #career #sales #kkrocks