Comments on: The Four Bad Habits of Recruiters http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/ Recruiting News, Recruiting Events, Recruiting Community, Social Recruiting Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:16:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Denise Dougherty http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4929 Denise Dougherty Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:20:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4929 Coming back into recruiting after more than a decade, I stepped into corporate side at a growing regional company. Using most of the techniques described in Mr. Wheeler?s article, I enjoyed finding (what I believed to be) the best people for open jobs - especially when working with hiring managers open to a broader perspective. That was the good side. The article written by Kevin Wheeler is interesting but perhaps chiding the wrong folks. It ought, perhaps, take aim at those who hire recruiters. Recruiter job posts list requirements that reflect performing routine administrative tasks. It seems more desirable to be able to run an ATS system than possess strong relationship-building and general business skills. Perhaps coming from the agency side of recruiting I continue to believe that recruiting is a function aiding business development and not HR - a marketing function rather than production. A good recruiter can bring the applicant into the store; the sale is influenced elsewhere. Without the supporting philosophy of the CEO voiced through the HRVP, often recruiters who function as described by Mr. Wheeler are soon looking for another job because they don?t fit into the HR mold. Coming back into recruiting after more than a decade, I stepped into corporate side at a growing regional company. Using most of the techniques described in Mr. Wheeler?s article, I enjoyed finding (what I believed to be) the best people for open jobs – especially when working with hiring managers open to a broader perspective. That was the good side.

The article written by Kevin Wheeler is interesting but perhaps chiding the wrong folks. It ought, perhaps, take aim at those who hire recruiters. Recruiter job posts list requirements that reflect performing routine administrative tasks. It seems more desirable to be able to run an ATS system than possess strong relationship-building and general business skills.

Perhaps coming from the agency side of recruiting I continue to believe that recruiting is a function aiding business development and not HR – a marketing function rather than production. A good recruiter can bring the applicant into the store; the sale is influenced elsewhere.

Without the supporting philosophy of the CEO voiced through the HRVP, often recruiters who function as described by Mr. Wheeler are soon looking for another job because they don?t fit into the HR mold.

]]> By: Raj Kish http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4927 Raj Kish Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:24:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4927 Kevin that was very much informative and thought provocking.I personally feel that Recruitment Process is same as it was earlier but the Innovation in technology led to new sourcing techniques which are making them smart Recruiters.We need to fix their Attitude which will evoke thinking and change thier behavior for Good. Kevin that was very much informative and thought provocking.I personally feel that Recruitment Process is same as it was earlier but the Innovation in technology led to new sourcing techniques which are making them smart Recruiters.We need to fix their Attitude which will evoke thinking and change thier behavior for Good.

]]> By: Sandra DeChant http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4928 Sandra DeChant Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:56:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4928 When I read this article - I thought it was going to be another slam on recruiters.. I was ready to take the defensive. But - I was surprised at the message of this article. I am glad that the industry is changing. I have been doing this work for 15 years and for me, it's a breath of fresh air to be able to offer what I know to help my clients rather then they resenting the fees they pay. So - hat's off - I agree totally - and for those who don't -- that's okay. It's a competitive industry and that's a good thing.. When I read this article – I thought it was going to be another slam on recruiters.. I was ready to take the defensive. But – I was surprised at the message of this article.

I am glad that the industry is changing. I have been doing this work for 15 years and for me, it’s a breath of fresh air to be able to offer what I know to help my clients rather then they resenting the fees they pay.

So – hat’s off – I agree totally – and for those who don’t — that’s okay. It’s a competitive industry and that’s a good thing..

]]> By: Leif Wennerstrom http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4926 Leif Wennerstrom Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:13:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4926 Great sourcers and recruiters imagine the most effective way to determine and reach that top prospect. My team recruits enterprise sales executives and consultants who: 1.Rarely have facebook accounts 2.Sometimes have Linkedin accounts 3.Have very limited time to speak 4.Immediately assess a recruiter's competency by their verbal communication skills 5.Can be paranoid about emailing/posting their wins/W-2 info, and performance against quota Our technical recruiting team always leads with an email but my team always leads with a call (ideally warm referral but often a cold call) Great sourcers and recruiters imagine the most effective way to determine and reach that top prospect. My team recruits enterprise sales executives and consultants who:

1.Rarely have facebook accounts
2.Sometimes have Linkedin accounts
3.Have very limited time to speak
4.Immediately assess a recruiter’s competency by their verbal communication skills
5.Can be paranoid about emailing/posting their wins/W-2 info, and performance against quota

Our technical recruiting team always leads with an email but my team always leads with a call (ideally warm referral but often a cold call)

]]> By: Amybeth Hale http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4925 Amybeth Hale Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:02:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4925 Kevin I continue to enjoy your writing. This article epitomizes the recruiting community. Being a person of influence is a necessary trait for recruiting these days, unless you want your organization to be made up of all the same types of people. You have to be able to share the benefits of looking in different directions, trying new things, and engaging in new and innovative practices to expand the vision of the company. The practice of recruiting, and the introduction and practice of research for that matter, is not just a clerical paper (resume)-pushing practice. Not with the increased influence of technology tools into our world. These practices are what help build companies and hopefully we will all work to promote this! /off soapbox Kevin I continue to enjoy your writing. This article epitomizes the recruiting community. Being a person of influence is a necessary trait for recruiting these days, unless you want your organization to be made up of all the same types of people. You have to be able to share the benefits of looking in different directions, trying new things, and engaging in new and innovative practices to expand the vision of the company. The practice of recruiting, and the introduction and practice of research for that matter, is not just a clerical paper (resume)-pushing practice. Not with the increased influence of technology tools into our world. These practices are what help build companies and hopefully we will all work to promote this!
/off soapbox

]]> By: Rachel Schneider http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4924 Rachel Schneider Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:53:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4924 I thought this article would highlight bad habits, but also contra-illustrate with successes. Do the top recruiters really rely on Web 2.0 technologies? I doubt it highly. As many others have commented, social networks, blogs, and other technologies are enablers and support tools. Writing a great blog, job description, and interviewing all boil down to having excellent communication skills. In the end, great recruiters like great salespeople are defined by RESULTS - consistently bringing in the best qualified people quickly regardless. If they create an encompassing process supported by tools, technologies, the right resources, and having good collaborative relationships with hiring managers all the better. I would like to see some profiles of these superstar recruiters and see if there are any commonalities. Something tells me it won't be defined by whether they use LINKEDIN, but whether they know resourcefully how to use the tools available to reach the right people. They likely don't 'challenge' their hiring manager, but facilitate discussions to clarify and understand needs. And, they have excellent well honed communication skills.... I thought this article would highlight bad habits, but also contra-illustrate with successes. Do the top recruiters really rely on Web 2.0 technologies? I doubt it highly. As many others have commented, social networks, blogs, and other technologies are enablers and support tools. Writing a great blog, job description, and interviewing all boil down to having excellent communication skills.

In the end, great recruiters like great salespeople are defined by RESULTS – consistently bringing in the best qualified people quickly regardless. If they create an encompassing process supported by tools, technologies, the right resources, and having good collaborative relationships with hiring managers all the better.

I would like to see some profiles of these superstar recruiters and see if there are any commonalities. Something tells me it won’t be defined by whether they use LINKEDIN, but whether they know resourcefully how to use the tools available to reach the right people. They likely don’t ‘challenge’ their hiring manager, but facilitate discussions to clarify and understand needs. And, they have excellent well honed communication skills….

]]> By: Tom Formby http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/comment-page-1/#comment-4923 Tom Formby Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:33:00 +0000 http://www.ere.net/2007/12/13/the-four-bad-habits-of-recruiters/#comment-4923 I think this article is very appropriate and I could not agree more with the third point 'Competence Dependence.' Too many corporate recruiters throw-up their hands at challenging their hiring managers. As a corporate recruiter I think we need to plan to influence our hiring managers in the talent management arena (i.e., diversity, market intelligence, competitive intelligence and the efficiency of the recruiting process. Interviewing and candidate presentations are basic skills, but the capacity to network (especially outside of the recruiting profession) and live the brand are the signs of a true professional. Cheers! I think this article is very appropriate and I could not agree more with the third point ‘Competence Dependence.’ Too many corporate recruiters throw-up their hands at challenging their hiring managers. As a corporate recruiter I think we need to plan to influence our hiring managers in the talent management arena (i.e., diversity, market intelligence, competitive intelligence and the efficiency of the recruiting process. Interviewing and candidate presentations are basic skills, but the capacity to network (especially outside of the recruiting profession) and live the brand are the signs of a true professional. Cheers!

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