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Inner Grit: The Traits of a Big Biller, with Jeremy Sisemore, Ep #35

Sep 15, 2020

Why do some recruiters bill $200k while others bill $750k in a single year with similar work ethics? This is a question that my special guest, Jeremy Sisemore will answer in this episode of the Resilient Recruiter.  In Jeremy’s words, “luck has nothing to do with it.”

Jeremy is the founder of ASAP Talent Services and has been a leading IT Executive Recruiter for 20 years, achieving $14 million in personal production during his career.  In this interview, Jeremy gives an in-depth overview of his business development process, including some fantastic verbiage for handling objections.  Plus, we explore the mindset required to create sustainable success and longevity as a top-producing executive recruiter.  

Episode Outline and Highlights

  • [2:56] How Jeremy became “Rookie of the Year” at MRI.
  • [10:30] Jeremy breaks down his business development process.
  • [15:53] Jeremy shares his exact verbiage for handling the objection from HR/Talent Acquisition, “Don’t talk to the hiring manager.”
  • [23:10] How to use “transitional statements” when selling - e.g. “If I, Will You?”
  • [28:30] The impact of niche / specialization on your success as a recruiter.
  • [32:10] Business development and marketing - volume vs quality.
  • [44:30] The top 3 digital marketing strategies for generating inbound business.
  • [55:38] How do you channel your inner grit?

On Niche and Specialization

One of the key catalysts in Jeremy’s success is when he understood the importance of niche and specialization. When he attended an event, a very successful co-participant in his field gave him advice on setting himself apart. How much of a big difference did it make? It increased his fees from $320k to $450k just in one year. Jeremy is convinced that specialization is a game-changer and a significant factor why some recruiters are more successful than others.

In Jeremy’s words, “How can some people do three to four to five placements a month when someone else can only do one or two a month? Well, that is one of the key lightbulb moments. The epiphany moment that said ‘I feel like I’m working super hard and I billed this, how come that guy over there is billing that?’ Well, that was one of the things.” 

Channeling Your Inner Grit

Jeremy’s early life played a major role in his current success and why he has such a solid grit. Growing up poor, and small for his age, in rural Texas taught him not to give up and to fight for everything he is going to get. This shaped his character and explains how he deals with unwelcome circumstances as a recruiter. 

“Our early life helps to make us who we are. How do you channel your inner toughness? In this business, it’s a big thing. Because bad things happen. And so let’s say you thought you have a $50,000 fee and next thing you know they backed out… That’s demoralizing for some people. And it’s like, how do you internalize that? Are you gonna let it get you for an hour or two? Are you gonna let it get you for two or three days? Are you gonna let it get you for a week or two? If you can shorten that, you’re gonna have a better year.”

He added, “Even how you internalize a “NO.” In business development, if you are told “no, no, no, no, no” are you hearing “no, no, no, no, no?” I actually hear, “not right now.”

Jeremy Sisemore Bio and Contact Info

Jeremy Sisemore has been one of the leading IT Executive Recruiters throughout North America for the past 20 years.  He started his career with MRI and was Rookie of the Year in 2000 and quickly became the go-to resource for SAP & ERP talent acquisition needs nationally.  Jeremy billed millions of dollars in placement revenue over 6.5 years with MRI, received a CSAM Certification, and became known for public speaking on “best practices” within the recruiting industry.  In his career, Jeremy has over $14 Million in personal production (billings) and has placed IT Executives and Cyber Security talent at all levels up to and including CIO, CTO, CISO levels across all areas of emerging technologies.  ASAP Talent serves over 75 major Fortune 500 clients throughout North America and internationally in Singapore, Germany, and the UK.

Today, Jeremy is CPC and CERS Certified and is a former member of the Board of Directors as Education Chair for The Pinnacle Society, a premier consortium of 80 industry-leading recruiters in North America.  He speaks regularly at industry conferences such as NAPS, NCASP, The Fordyce Forum, HAAPC, and MASA among others.

Jeremy and his business partner, Erek Gerth, founded ASAP Talent Services in 2006 and haven’t looked back since.  Today the ASAP Team of 5 supports well over 75 of the world's leading companies and generates annual revenues around $1.7-$2M. Their mission has been to create a boutique talent acquisition firm focused on the highest quality service and to form lasting partnerships with clients that are poised for growth, to be a total solution provider with respect to SAP & Cyber Security Talent.  Jeremy writes industry articles and has been quoted in CIO magazine.  On a personal level, Jeremy graduated from the University of Missouri where he was on the Swimming & Diving Team.  He's married and is a father to two daughters and a son based out of Houston, Texas.

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