The best way to find out what’s going on in the recruiting world is to get down in the trenches with recruiters. Makes sense, huh? Well, what also makes sense is sharing what we find out with other recruiters. After all, we at Top Echelon believe very strongly in the notion of “iron sharpening iron.” It serves as one of the building blocks for our split fee recruiting network.
So… with that in mind, we’ve asked our recruiting network members to share their thoughts about some specific topics in an attempt to better gauge the pulse of the industry—where it is right now and where it might be going in the future. So, without further adieu, below are the thoughts of Glenda Smith of Metaljobs Network.
What’s one new recruiting strategy or technique that you implemented in 2010?
“I do my share of training, including listening to tapes, watching recruiting webinars, and reading the latest recruiter blogs and info on the Internet. Nothing I could share is unknown to most other recruiters. So I advise what most other recruiters do: build relationships with your client companies and representatives. I cannot tell you how valuable the relationships I’ve built have been to me over the years.
“Right now, I’m working with a VP of HR, a hiring official with whom I’ve worked since the mid-1990s, and he’s changed companies three times. I can pick up the phone and call any number of HR people and hiring officials I’ve known for 5+ years. As hokey as it may sound, if you can send them a birthday card or remember their children’s names or even what they do as a hobby, it’s all helpful. It puts you in their mind when it comes to hiring.”
What’s the biggest obstacle on your desk right now, either with candidates or with clients?
“I don’t think the obstacles change, really. It’s almost always getting the hiring official to make a decision. Whether it’s to interview or write the offer letter or make the offer, it nearly always takes a push to kickstart the process. On the other hand, more candidates are hesitant to relocate nowadays. The old days of a candidate just telling his family, ‘Hey, we’re moving to Nebraska for my new job,’ are over. Now there are kids and their schools to consider, a spouse’s career, and a home that might be difficult to sell. All of those things can be obstacles, and we have to make sure we vet each candidate—AND their family—thoroughly.”
What are your thoughts on the recruitment industry trends overall and where it might be headed in the next 12 to 18 months?
“Lots of folks said the Internet would replace recruiters. Then they said Monster and Career Builder and other job posting boards would replace recruiters. Now I hear that outsourced recruiting or in-house recruiters will replace us. Well, guess what? We’re still here! And we’re still kickin’ butt and takin’ names! I try not to listen to the doomsayers—they are just trouble with a mouth. I think the recruiting industry is much, much healthier now than it was last year, which was dismal. It’s not great that so many of our comrades have gone out of business in the past few years, but it does mean there are companies/potential clients out there who have lost their primary recruiting contact.
“I think it will only get better. More companies are realizing they downsized too far or they’re finding holes in their staff structure or they’re missing talent at multiple levels in their organizational chart. And that’s right where we can save their bacon. I see aggressive hiring with immediate needs becoming the norm for 2011 and 2012.”
What are YOUR answers to these questions? Do you agree with what Glenda has to say, or do your opinions differ? What did you experience in 2010, and what are your thoughts regarding 2011? Are better times on the horizon… or are there more tough times ahead? As always, we welcome your comments and feedback on the Top Echelon Recruiter Training Blog.