A Holiday Greeting and Reminiscence
In just a few days we end another year and at the same time greet a new one. I will kick off the New Year with my prognostications, but will end this one with a short recap of 2002 and a few wishes and hopes.
All year I have harped on four themes. I believe that these four will continue on into 2003 and 2004 to be the primary drivers of change and of technology development in recruiting.
Anticipation: Lessons From Scenario Planning
Last week I was once again confronted with a hiring manager who was frustrated and, frankly, angry, that his organization's recruiting department had not found him the engineer he needed after a six-week search. He said that, given the unemployment levels in Silicon Valley and the number of talented people he knew personally who were looking for work, there could only be one reason for the lack of good candidates.
Thanksgiving, a New Century, and Recruiting
Recruiters have suffered mightily over the past two years. Statistics show a large decline in the number of third-party recruiting firms and even the established, larger firms have cut back on staff and services. Almost every corporation has either cut back or eliminated recruiting as they move to outsourcing, not hiring, employees.
Most of us thought we would be coming out of recession by now and that employment would be steadily ticking upwards.
College Recruiting Is Alive and Well
Despite the recession and the widespread layoffs, many organizations are continuing to pursue new college graduates. NACE, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, reports that overall, companies expect to hire just 3.6% fewer new grads this year than last year. While the number of students that are actually getting offers is down slightly, many companies are making a strong effort to be on campus and assure students that they will be hiring again soon.
Leadership and Recruiting
Leadership is hard to define. Most of us might say, "I know it when I see it, but I can't tell you exactly what it is." We have all probably worked for good leaders — people who inspired us, excited us, or challenged us. And we have also all worked for good managers — people who carefully directed us, followed the process, met the numbers, and always followed through. Both are good. Both are necessary. But rarely do they come combined in a single package.
Recruiting is full of managers.
A Really Good Book: "Searching for A Corporate Savior," by Rakesh Khurana
I rarely find a book about management or leadership very interesting. There are hundreds of volumes written about both topics, and almost all of them are trite, boring, or simply a variation on a theme that has been done a hundred times or more.
But once in a while a gem appears, and Rakesh Khurana's book, Searching For a Corporate Savior, is one of those. I am sure it will stimulate discussion and controversy over the next few months.
Thoughts on ER Expo
We are maturing as a profession. That was what I was impressed with last week at the first Eastern ER Expo in Atlanta. It was clear to me that we are more focused on quality, speed, and good process. The themes that emerged and that energized people were those centered around how our profession is changing.
Most of the recruiters who attended ER Expo last week were real professionals and have survived and even thrived during these slow times. They have made it by being attuned to the new skills required of recruiters.