Articles - Recruiting and Candidate Dev

The recently published New York Times piece Unemployed, and Likely to Stay That Way highlights the unfortunate side effect of this multi-year recession that economists peg to 2007. The New York Times opening salvo hits it on the head, “The longer people stay out of work, the more trouble they have finding new work.”  

The brutal fact is that thousands of highly experienced people are still out searching for their next gig after 12, 24, 36 and 48 months of unemployment.  Even more regrettable is that many search executives and corporate HR people have a built-in bias against the unemployed.

Well, guess what, “wake up and smell the experience.”    Near as I can tell there is no valid research that indicates chances of a great hire are better with those that are currently engaged than not.  From where does this bias emanate and why do companies have a preference for only hiring the employed?  If anyone has the evidence, please shine some light on it.  Otherwise, let’s lose the bias and start helping everyone get back to work!

Here are five things you can suggest to HR folks and executive search firms to consider or act on to address this growing and toxic bias:

Prioritize the candidate field and first look at qualified “dis-employed” professionals who have been let go by “unemployers.”  Tel them to do their part to pay it forward.  Suggest they revise their policies to focus on qualified professionals regardless of age and who have stellar reputations and work histories.  And if they cannot identify any (which I doubt is true) then look at those currently gainfully employed.  Leaving underemployed or unemployed talent on the table is a waste of energy, intellect and resources, not to mention potential profit.

Educate your clients! Many HR and search executives “pass the buck” saying that it is the clients that are demanding candidates who are currently employed.  Come on!!! The fact is unemployed pro’s have experience and then some.  Tell them to not try using the Soap Opera scenario.  During this recession many companies have decided to save money and hire “the Young and the Cheap” thus adding the savings to the bottom line.  Fact is that search firms and HR folks are being compensated to be real, authentic and honest.  They should help their client(s) understand why unemployed folks are just as talented as those who are gainfully employed.

Have a heart. We know that the client is paying the bills but how difficult is it to take the time to listen to an honest query from an out of work professional?  Why not respond courteously to the job seeker?  Take the person’s call.  Be responsive.  Be honest.  Tell them “the life you save may be your own.”

Take a chance. Sure the hiring and recruiting business is dog-eat-dog.  We know that search pros need to make the right pick of the right candidate with the right credentials.  Why not take a chance on folks that have the right pedigree and background but just lack a current gig.  They may just find that the best candidates are those with the greatest need.

Be a leader. Now that the economy is starting to recover, why not take the initiative to set a good example for fellow HR colleagues and recruiters.  Spread the word that unemployed professionals deserve a chance to compete on an even playing field.

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Biography

Gerard “ Gerry” F. Corbett, APR, Fellow PRSA is Founder and CEO of Redphlag LLC, a strategic  public relations, marketing and management consulting firm, a position to which he was named in January 2008.  He also has a coaching practice and blogs and tweets as the PR Job Coach.  Gerry has served four decades in senior marketing and communications roles at Global Fortune 100 firms including Hitachi, Loral, Asarco, Gould and International Harvester and earlier in his career in aerospace engineering and information technology with Silicon Valley firms and NASA.   He also is an account director with the Taproot Foundation and a member of the board of directors of Kids’ Turn, a San Francisco Non-Profit organization.

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gerry has a Bachelors of Arts degree in public relations from San Jose State University, San Jose, California, and an Associates of Arts with a major in electronics engineering from the Community College of Philadelphia.

Gerry is 2011 Chair-elect and member of the executive committee and board of directors of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA.)  He also is Accredited in Public Relations by PRSA and a member of PRSA’s College of Fellows.  He is a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; a member of the board and past president of the International Advertising Association/West; a member of the National Investor Relations Institute, Arthur Page Society, National Association of Science Writers, San Francisco PR Roundtable, International Coaching Federation, Social Media Club and New York PR Society.

For further information, please go to http://www.redphlag.com and http://www.prjobcoach.com.

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