In this issue of the Recruiting Tactics & Strategy Report we discuss the subject of the Recruiting profession itself. All too often, with every new advance in technology and every destabilizing bear market, I hear concerns from many sources that the Recruiting industry is "on its way out."

It's true that many offices are closing their doors these days, unable to make ends meet. But I'd like to take this opportunity to dispel any thoughts you may have that the Recruiting industry won't survive, and that we won't make it through these difficult times. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here to stay! And not only will WE make it through as a whole, YOU can make it through, too.

Recruiting is the Greatest Job on Earth, and it's Not Going Anywhere!

You've found your way to the greatest job on earth, in the most secure profession in the world - assuming you get it right. First, let's talk about the future.

There will always be recruiters, and always be a recruiting industry. The reason is straight forward, and important.

Managers have problems. Those problems can only be solved by people. But, managers have significant workloads, other than finding people. Thus, they can never invest all that is required to find the best people to solve their problems. That alone ensures the profession's perpetual existence, regardless of fickle economic winds.

But, there's more. When a manager reaches out to a candidate, he must always paint his company in the best possible light. So, too, with an internal recruiter. The only individual in the world who can, with full honesty and accuracy, rate a company in comparison to other companies, is the professional who speaks to them all - the independent recruiter.

I repeat, no other individual can win the trust of the candidate that the professional, high-integrity recruiter can, because no other player on the field has the same access across companies, inside his specialized area.

The same is true in the other direction. When a candidate markets himself, he can never have the objectivity to rank himself credibly that the high-integrity recruiter can. If I call you, and you're a hiring manager, and I present myself, what must I say? I must say I'm the best candidate you'll ever meet. But, when you are, as a hiring manager, are served by a seasoned recruiter who knows your field, knows performance, and knows where the skeletons are, you have an objective professional in your corner.  When you require high-performing talent, compared and vetted against the real field of competition, warts and all, there is no better way for you to find that talent than to utilize the services of your recruiter.

The Grand Canyon: also not going anywhere.

If you are that high-performing talent, there is no way for you to replicate the high-integrity recruiter's knowledge, value, connections, and most of all, credibility in assessing your own performance and presenting it to needy managers.

Needy managers? You'd better bet! The rarest thing, the most precious thing in any and every performing organization, is its talent. Everyone says this, "our people make the difference." And everyone is right. Managers need higher performing talent to hire, whether they know it or not.  In fact, no decision they ever make will equal the decision over the composition of their team, player by performing player.


So, what is your job? First, you must specialize in some area where you come to know the players. Doing so, you'll rapidly learn what performance is. Remember, it is always performance you're selling. You must vet your area for the intelligent managers who will honestly discuss real needs, as well as honestly assess talent, competitively, fiercely, in real time.

Second, you must get to know the players you'll be moving on the field. The very best players tend to be the least appreciated, in proportion to what they do. The result is that the very best performers typically carry both a heavier load than they should (albeit they tend to attract such loads, of course) and often attract resentment, jealousy, limitation and opposition.

These best performers often need to be moved, and typically cannot move themselves. Most people think the best performers have to fend off offers, and could easily find someone new to serve on their own. And yes, they can, but nowhere near so readily or so rightly as you can help them to do.

That's it. Find the needy, intelligent managers, connect with them, find out their worst problems and there will always be a new person they need to solve those problems. Find the best performers, discover what they actually need in order to explode their already high level of performance, and there will always be opportunities to move them to. Connect on each side of the equation and you'll be creating value like no other player on the field.

Now, go make value, money, placements and have fun!


Have you Read The Recruiting Manifesto lately?

Starting today I will begin publishing a new series of posts at my blog, The Recruiting Manifesto.  The name of the series is, "The Cornerstones of Business Excellence." As of today I've made the first two posts of the series. Here's a preview:

I highly recommend you stop by the blog every Monday through Thursday as I'll be posting another installment of the series every day for the next couple of weeks. You don't want to miss it!