This article originally appeared January 17, 2007. Agency folks tend to see the corporate world as bureaucratic and slow to make decisions; more specifically, they see most corporate recruiters as lacking the requisite skills and bare-knuckle tactics required to make things happen. [full article »]

Studies have shown that many organizations target as much as 33% of all new hires to come from the organization’s employee referral program. Here are five of the reasons why: [full article »]

I have been involved in more conversations about the future of recruiting than I care to remember. At first, they seemed productive, but they soon became noisy and infused with bloated egos; hardly the thoughtful and introspective dialogue for which I had hoped. As of late, I have given up on those conversations and get... [full article »]

I am sure that you have been there. You have a candidate you’ve been working with for a few weeks and you have built a solid relationship. The candidate has been on a couple interviews with the hiring manager. Things are going well as the candidate and the client are each delighted with the thought... [full article »]

According to Wikipedia, “a control freak is a derogatory term for a person who has an obsessive need to control other people or situations.” Seldom do I argue with Wikipedia on matters of definition or fact, but I will say that being a control freak can come in handy if you happen to be in... [full article »]

Recruiting is, within many organizations, slowly emerging as a more credible and well-informed force within the business community. As a result, many recruiters can have a more significant impact in hiring decisions, as organizations look not just for growth and the talent required to gain a competitive advantage, but for guidance and counsel on how... [full article »]

Lou Adler recently wrote an excellent article, and I sensed a bit of frustration in his tone. He even mentioned going off to Starbucks to write that novel he’s been thinking about. Believe me, I can relate. The tone of Lou’s article also left an impression in this writer’s mind that he is not always... [full article »]

Recruiting is a team effort. It’s most effective when the parties that make up the team move quickly and effectively through the process to get the job done. This is, of course, easier said than done, but let’s takes a quick moment to identify the three primary members of this illustrious team: The candidate The... [full article »]

Someone once said that in this life, suffering is mandatory but misery is optional. I concur; but so many of us live day to day with more frustration, anxiety, and stress than is really necessary. We try to never lose a resume, to get back to every candidate and to attempt to close each and... [full article »]

Whether you realize it or not, we’re all in sales — that’s how we get what we need to make it through the day. We push, we pull, and we make things happen. Recruiters know this and have long ago come to the conclusion that the better we sell, the more successful we will become... [full article »]

If you look at best practices as “us” and see worst practices as “them,” I can assure you there are more of them than there are of us. As a matter of fact, I suspect the numbers are not even close. Be that as it may, this New Yorker has always been short of patience... [full article »]

I love December for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being that it’s a great month for recruiters to do some really important things. For example, it is an excellent time to renew and solidify relationships with hiring managers. It is also a great opportunity to reach out to the candidates you... [full article »]

Murphy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Obviously, Murphy was a recruiter. If he did something else for a living, he would have been a bit more optimistic. Whether you believe in Murphy’s sad bromide or not, as a recruiter it is a good idea to do all that you... [full article »]

Contrary to what many people believe, the war for talent is a myth. What is not a myth, however, is the frightening social/organizational/political situation that has been caused by downsizing in recent years, in the name of achieving higher and higher levels of productivity. This downsizing has decimated many organizations, creating the need for each... [full article »]

Congratulations! You finally filled that tough position and the candidate is ready to join your company. The offer letter has been signed and sent back, and a start date has been agreed upon. All parties involved ó you, the candidate, and the hiring manager ó couldn’t be happier. You yourself are in recruiter heaven, thinking... [full article »]

Let’s cut right to the chase: the compilation of intelligence from many of those on the vanguard of human capital acquisition indicates that the war for talent is upon us in a very big way. For organizations that are serious about their future, the words “hire the best” has morphed from the status of mantra... [full article »]

When it comes to closing the deal and making a hire, a miss is as good as a mile. Furthermore, if you buy into John Sullivan’s philosophy that there is a war for talent (I certainly do), then be advised that losing a candidate you wanted to hire is a big loss. With this in... [full article »]

The bulk of recruiting is far more tactical than it is strategic, especially since most of the heavy lifting takes place between recruiter and candidate. Unfortunately, the endless details of dealing with candidates, resumes, interviews, and feedback ó while also trying to close the deal ó can have you running from pillar to post in... [full article »]

It has always been my assumption that people want to get better at what they do. If they are good, they want to become great; if they are great, they want to become world class; and so forth. Nearly everyone has the desire to reach his or her potential and achieve some level of hard-fought... [full article »]

ERE reader feedback to my recent article, The Myth of the Passive Candidate, was astonishing; I was up answering personal emails and reviewing comments until well past midnight for several days after the article broke (I almost had to miss Desperate Housewives). I am, however, very grateful for the opportunity to have set the record... [full article »]