Recruitment is dead...

Yes, it’s true. If you believe the hype being created in the market at the moment. Traditional recruiters are paper shufflers, time wasters, pushy and driven to make money at all costs. That is what I have been reading on blogs, in media statements and in the press, depending on who is speaking and who they are representing. Take an industry mover and shaker like OneShift for example, who elaborate more on the role of a recruiter in their latest blog: Why you shouldnt trust recruiters

Now I am all for innovation, I love the digital space and the way that technology is enabling greater engagement and interaction with a target audience and in some cases, cutting down, cost, process and time. But tarnishing all recruiters with the same brush is using a gross generalisation which in the case of industry, battle hardened recruiters that I communicate with, is not at all the case or even remotely reflective of the ways in which we operate.

You see, I recently had a candidate who I had known for a number of years but not yet placed in a role. She had been in employment at the same organisation for over 10 years and after one fight too many with her manager, gave me a call. Her words echoed in my mind and reinforced why I do, what I do. Her voice was a mixture of emotion and desperation as she said, “David, I have had enough, I need to leave this place and I need you to help me. Can we please meet up to talk though this situation?” This individual who is a senior level candidate, didn’t call OneShift, she didn’t call Seek or any other online platform, she didn’t even call her husband before she called me. She simply wanted to talk to an industry professional.

I am not trying to big note myself or put me, a humble yet passionate recruiter before anyone else. There are many of my competition out there who do this day after day and deserve the same respect. True recruitment is underpinned by basic foundations of integrity, honesty, respect and consultation. Providing feedback and communicating effectively with both clients and candidates to provide the best outcome for both parties. In the past I have persuaded candidates to interview at jobs that they had no interest in. But having got to know them and what they were looking for and knowing the respective organisation where the opportunity arose, i just knew they would love the brand and the role. And after getting the job, I have been thanked by the same candidates for demonstrating why they suited this company. And, years later, they are still there and still happy.

There is a place and a market for OneShift and other similar job boards, just as there is, and always will be a place for professional recruiters. Those that know their craft. They know the market and they offer professional consultation. They provide valuable information to clients and offer solutions to guide companies through dynamic growth and protracted downturns. They value candidates and offer guidance on the market, their future career path and how they can effectively overcome the challenges associated with the job market.

I sincerely wish OneShift all the best, but by putting down a whole industry to get a leg up probably does more damage to its brand than good. As my old business mentor use to say to me “don’t ever throw mud, for every piece of mud you throw, you get your hands dirty and you lose a piece of ground”