The demands on recruiters are greater than ever. With new-hire demand shrinking, recruiters are being forced to evolve their skills. Whether its being more active in managing succession, accelerating onboarding, or even being more proactive in workforce planning to predicting future talent demand, the role of recruiting is changing.
Recruiting as a profession is dynamic by nature. Based on our Knowledge Infusion-ERE Future of Recruiting Survey conducted last year, although most recruiters (76%) have more than five years of recruiting experience, more than 2/3 have been in their current role less than three years. Recruiting is an adventure and if you are not evolving as a recruiter, you are failing.
Looking back at our survey conducted at this same time last year, 71% of respondents stated “identifying enough quality candidates to meet the business needs” was the greatest individual challenge in recruiting. In addition, 70% of respondents expected recruiting budgets to increase or at least stay the same.
Oh, how times have changed. Over the past six months, recruiting budgets have been slashed, recruiters have been shed, and “do more with less” has become the recruiting mantra. With unemployment now at 7.6%, up from 4.6% just one year ago, and anticipated to rise, the workforce is forever changed and the role of the recruiter will be inevitably different.
What should recruiters do in this highly uncertain market?
Re-skill yourself is a start. Looking for ways to entrench yourself into your company’s broader talent management strategy (outside of recruiting) is another. Identify ways to define and measure recruiting impact. Did you know only 30% of respondents in last year’s survey rate “the measure of recruiting impact as above average or excellent”?
One thing is for certain: the deteriorization of individual wealth has for the foreseeable future changed how companies source, attract, and incent both internal and external candidates. Qualified candidates are more available than ever. At the same time, companies are redefining their current and future needs of their workforce. That means that the positions being shed today will likely not return in the same form and fashion. Job requirements will need to be redefined. “Utility players,” or individuals who have flexible, broader-based skills, will be more in demand than “role players,” or those who fill specialized job requirements. Metrics and planning will become more valued than ever.
Knowledge Infusion and ERE are currently running our annual survey again. You can participate in our 2009 Future of Recruiting and Sourcing survey now.