Articles - Business / Client Dev & Marketing

As a child who was raised during the infamous "Cold War" I recall seeing and hearing about bomb shelters. These “shelters” were meant to get into upon the first threat of attack. I always thought it a bit silly, considering the mess that would face them upon their emergence after a nuclear war.

I share these same concerns for many recruiters who have hunkered down awaiting an end to the economic conditions we currently face.  The message is simply this; it does one little good to hide from anything that you are not prepared to ultimately face.

Most recruiters worked their way up until now by playing the get an order, send a matching resume and await that call of interest, or worse pester their contact into saying no anyhow.  I work with hundreds of veterans, many of whom were quite successful as recruiters, both in and outside of employers. Their major concern is that what served them well and brought a respectable income has simply stopped working.  Nothing though, is as persistent as a person who once succeeded and continues to make what worked then, work now. It is, I believe, our nature to hold desperately to whatever once served and fed us.

It has been the major cause of the demise of most (70% plus) recruiters.  I have even heard from the most stubborn that they will return when the economy comes back.  Growing up in Akron Ohio, once hailed as the rubber capital of the world, I saw the demise of the major, then minor rubber companies and suppliers. For decades, literally folks waited for the return of those big employers.  I suppose we all tend to rationalize our resistance to change.

For recruiters of all disciplines and situations, we have had the luxury of continuing to refer resumes and wait.  We have become more adept at name gathering, background investigation, manipulation of existing technology and the Internet. This often and readily exposes job seekers and unemployable people. The employers we serve have mastered every single step possible to get a candidate short of direct contact with one while at work. Nothing we can do, or have done, for a hiring employer or manager remains our secret advantage. Recruiters work even harder stubbornly believing strongly in these skills despite their miniscule output now day

Failure in the face of apparently overwhelming odds is unacceptable to the victor.  I know, brave talk for someone who is struggling everyday but it still applies. In that, I mean that we as recruiters must seek and embrace a unique, powerful, solution-based process beyond the skills and practices of employers.  The telephone is heavier now than it was two or three years ago.

It just gets heavier if you call and make a zillion calls extolling the facts that you are specialized, you are different and you will find the best qualified candidates. The real trick lies in getting the clients you call to realize that you are without being told by you.  This requires a very detailed, direct and relationship intensive process. It requires training by those who have deep expertise in this type of client development.

Sometimes, like the present, it seems we are in the perfect storm. Shrinking numbers of advertised openings, rising numbers of unemployed and a daily barrage of media pundits claiming the “end is nigh!” does little to boost our morale. Personally, nothing boosts my morale like “I accept.”  This of course is the predictable outcome of managing an artful process and learning to adapt to it.  Recruiting a candidate today requires much more than a string of cliché adjectives, a title, some duties and a promise of opportunity. Just stop what you are doing and think. You are calling into a paranoid candidate pool.

You are reaching people who are more than busy but overwhelmed by additional duties. Opening and centering your dialog on what you or your client wants no longer works except to gather names of desperately unemployed. Candidates who are dealing with several recruiters create a problematic situation. You do not need a candidate with several interviews or the attitude that the promise of the same creates. The candidates we seek are the best, most competent and highly achieved among their peers. These folks respond quite well, even when busy when approached with a vision of opportunity.

This vision cannot be conjured up in a potion of clichés, assumptions and public knowledge. Its formulation is the output of an interactive skilled dialog lead by a skilled recruiter with a serious hiring manager.

Learning the process referred to herein is no longer a sexy option. In the face of racing technology, many scoff at the very notion of anything referred to as "old school". Technology has revolutionized many aspects of recruiting save two: Client relationship development and effective passive candidate recruiting. We are now in the midst of the perfect storm, the pool of candidates started shrinking in November 2008 and continues at the rate of 10, 280 a day (US DOL.gov) Gen-X is coming along but one half the numbers of people. Simple math tells us we are facing a serious candidate and talent shortage.

Actually, it is forecast that at least 8MM more professional jobs will in need of people who simply do not exist. That is not a shallow candidate pool, it is a talent pool deficit of historic inverse proportions. Even now, with 20 MM officially unemployed and 3.1 MM jobs open, employers cannot find crucial talent.

After 32 years in recruiting, I am not going anywhere soon; this will be the recruiting gold rush of the early 21st century. Be a successful part of it. Transform what you do that no longer works and lay that ego aside to embrace what does.

Join us in the live no-cost introductory class. Sign up here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/119843336 or paste the link into your browser. You will also receive an in-depth set of study materials

 In this live webinar, you will learn two big points: First, how to evaluate and as required, change your niche, secondly the content and details about this transformational eCourse.

 For added information about transformational training for recruiters, researchers and sourcers, visit www.RecruiterElearning.com or email us at trainer@recruiterelearning.com

 -------------------------------------------------------

BIOGRAPHY

Doug Beabout CPC CSP brings over twenty-seven years of expertise in top production, personnel services firm ownership, and industry training. His reputation for training excellence has placed him, repeatedly, as a guest speaker for the National Association of Personnel Services. Doug currently works with many state level associations as a featured trainer and speaker at several state conferences. He is a business consultant to many franchised and independent personnel services firms.

Doug is owner and president of The Douglas Howard Group, a personnel and training services company. Doug works a “desk” every day and he is uniquely qualified as a personnel services industry trainer. Many of his clients have put their net worth ON THE LINE to succeed in the personnel services industry and did as a result of his training and guidance.

Doug previously held the position of Vice-President of Training and Development for SRA International, Inc. for ten years and was responsible for the establishment and success of hundreds of personnel services firms and their staff members. Prior, Doug was owner and president of a successful contingency, temporary and retained personnel services firm for ten years in Dayton, Ohio. He gained his early placement experience as a personnel services consultant in an independent firm.

Doug’s professional experience started as an officer in Strategic Air Command. He was assigned to several B-52 bomber units throughout the continental U.S. and Pacific regions. Doug has a Bachelor's degree in Comprehensive Training and Education.

Doug has held the title of CPC; certified personnel consultant (NAPS) since 1981 and is included in several Marquis’ Who’s Who publications.

His websites, www.RecruiterElearning.com and www.ResearcherElearning.com detail many of his services to the recruiters in this ongoing War for Talent. 

Doug can be reached at his Destin Florida Search Consulting firm, the Douglas Howard Group, 850.424.6933Call Doug today at 850.424.6933 or email him at trainer@recruiterelearning.com , he will take you to your highest billing goals.

Comments: