Karyne Lavoie is an account manager at Synergie Hunt.
Member of the communications committee.
For my first contribution to the blog I decided to talk about my role as an account manager. This intermediary role is often misunderstood but is an essential part of managing mandates on a daily basis. All too often people think that my daily functions are limited to phone conversations and writing emails, but that is only a fraction of what my tasks actually are.
Let me start by giving you a brief description of the tasks an account manager does at Synergie Hunt. Basically, an account manager is responsible of meeting the needs of the clients while also maintaining a good relationship between them and the candidates we find to fill their openings.
So, here is my typical day!
7h50: I arrive at the office and start by opening all my work tools on the computer.
7h55: I open my email and see 28 new emails in my inbox. I sort them so that I can tackle the most important ones first.
8h15: I made a schedule of my tasks for the day, now I can start answering to my clients and candidates.
8h31: A candidate calls to inform me that he will not be able to come in for his shift today because his car broke down. I check if it is possible for him to take public transportation…NO! He lives too far. Maybe a taxi is an option???
Simultaneously, I must contact the client to tell them the bad news.
8h48: I talk to my client and he tells me that my candidate often misses his shifts and this in turn impacts the whole production line and sometimes the client is even forced to send other employees home because they cannot work with one person missing. Oh oh! The client asks me to find another candidate to replace him.
9h10: I don’t want my candidate to be penalized, but I am also concerned about my client’s production line, I don’t want this situation to continue. So, I act quickly and look through my bank of active candidates to find someone suitable for this position. I don’t forget about the candidate with the broken car. Do I have something to offer him that might be closer to his address. He won’t have trouble getting to work then and won’t be out of a job…
9h30: Phone rings again. It’s a candidate who wants to get more information about a job posting he saw on “Monster”, he is very interested in the position. During our exchange I evaluate him and realize that he indeed has the profile the client is looking for and he could be the perfect person for this position. I invite him for an interview at the Laval office. I confirm with the Laval office that they have an availability for a Skype interview, and I send the confirmation to my candidate.
9h55: While I was on the phone, I received another call from a co-worker. She met a candidate for an operator position. He was not qualified for it, but she thinks that he might be perfect for one of my positions…I want to jump on this opportunity, but I have an interview that starts in 5 minutes.
10h45: My interview is done. I must transfer the profile of the candidate I just interviewed to one of my clients.
11h15: Another client contacts me to inform me that the candidate they met yesterday interests them. The client wants to hire her. I contact the candidate right away to offer her the position. She would like to think about it before giving a definitive answer.
11h35: I have an answer regarding this morning’s position! The client is interested. IT’S A MIRACLE! I contact him and he asks me if the candidate can start next week. I confirm but notice that my candidate’s file is not complete. Oops! I need to correct this right away!
That is the end of my morning, it was quite busy, here are the tasks I still need to do:
- Contact candidates who sent me their resumes and send answers to those who I interviewed.
- Inform the candidate who missed his shift that he will not return to work for his current employer, but that I have something else to offer him.
- Transfer the application of the candidate I interviewed this morning to the client.
- Inform one of my clients that my candidate is considering the job offer and will give her answer soon.
- Finish completing the file of the candidate who starts his new position next week.
This is a typical half-day in my line of work, I will spare you the details of the rest of my day.
Always solving problems, I am constantly making sure that my clients get the best service possible and have all their needs met. I also make sure that all the interviewed candidates fit and thrive in their new positions. I always remember that a wrong fit can lead to problems in the workplace, so I work extra hard to find the right candidate for the job and avoid these types of situations for my clients.
When I get home, I hear: “Why are you so tired, all you do at work is talk on the phone and answer emails…”
During my day I have experienced the frustration of my client who had to deal with an employee missing his shift.
During my day I have felt the financial stress of my candidate who missed his shift.
During my day I have felt the doubt of my candidate who was unsure about taking the job offer.
During my day I felt empathy when the candidates I interviewed told me their life stories.
I might only talk on the phone and send emails, but I remain human! And it is this human contact that makes all the difference, gives meaning to our actions and allows us to gain the trust of candidates and clients.
I love my job!