The Truth about Social Networking, Web 2.0 and Recruiting - RecruitingBlogs2024-03-29T08:40:44Zhttps://recruitingblogs.com/forum/topics/the-truth-about-social?commentId=502551%3AComment%3A512905&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noScott- I partially agree with…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-21:502551:Comment:5129052009-01-21T21:47:20.062ZRobert Greenehttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/RobertGreene
Scott- I partially agree with what you are saying but I do have to admit that linkedin is often a valuable tool for recruiting. I don't think Facebook and other sites that aren't business oriented are as valuable. One thing that is very valuable in a cold call vs a linkedin inmail is that on linkedin they can see who you are, endorsements and see that you may not be a "schmuck" salesperson who is just smiling and dialing. Believe me, I spent my career not as a recruiter and got into this…
Scott- I partially agree with what you are saying but I do have to admit that linkedin is often a valuable tool for recruiting. I don't think Facebook and other sites that aren't business oriented are as valuable. One thing that is very valuable in a cold call vs a linkedin inmail is that on linkedin they can see who you are, endorsements and see that you may not be a "schmuck" salesperson who is just smiling and dialing. Believe me, I spent my career not as a recruiter and got into this business as 80% of the people who were calling me were totally clueless/and or unprofessional.<br />
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Consequently, if you use linkedin effectively, it can be a very valuable tool for both referrals and potential direct connections. It also depends on your "niche" whether calling folks or emailing them via linkedin or other means is more valuable. I recruit engineers who more then often don't like to talk on the phone and feel like it's an invasion of privacy to call them.<br />
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I do think social networking has changed some of recruiting and can be a very valuable tool. Of course, I got into recruiting as social networking was starting to take off in 2004 and have found it very useful to add credibility vs calling someone "blind" where there often is no relationship. Scott, cool article. I'll tel…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-20:502551:Comment:5099792009-01-20T21:24:35.031ZJoshua Letourneauhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JoshuaLetourneau
Scott, cool article. I'll tell you something you might get a laugh out of:<br />
<br />
At Sourcecon 2007, the major gist was the research piece of the puzzle, meaning little to no focus on candidate development or recruiting. I mean, it was still a super conference - I learned a ton. There was just no focus on much outside of research. So anyway, Danny Cahill gives the keynote . . . at which point he says something along the lines of:<br />
<br />
"Pretty soon, all of us are going to have access to all the names.…
Scott, cool article. I'll tell you something you might get a laugh out of:<br />
<br />
At Sourcecon 2007, the major gist was the research piece of the puzzle, meaning little to no focus on candidate development or recruiting. I mean, it was still a super conference - I learned a ton. There was just no focus on much outside of research. So anyway, Danny Cahill gives the keynote . . . at which point he says something along the lines of:<br />
<br />
"Pretty soon, all of us are going to have access to all the names. Yep, pretty soon, most of the names and profiles are all going to be easily findable on the due to new technologies. And when this happens, Recruiting will once again return to its roots as a game of sales and, more importantly, persuasion."<br />
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Since this was 2007 and many Sourcers at the time were pulling pretty impressive bill rates without focusing on candidate development, you could have heard a pin drop through the audience :) The conversations in the hallways mirrored more, "Who does this guy think he is talking about sales and persuasion?" more than, "Hey, this guy might have a point here." There's nothing wrong with that - it's just how the world works :)<br />
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SM will evolve, and I think there will come a time when great Recruiters will make better use than we do today (I think of this as a move toward "dealing the drugs instead of taking them.") For example, 30 years from now, current Gen Y-ers and Millenials will be the candidates most Executive Recruiters are focusing on (I say that because most of my experienced candidates today are 35+). Because of the human race's innate desire to connect, I can't imagine what things will really be like tomorrow. (Jeez, just think 18 months ago - was anyone talking about Twitter?)<br />
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So when the future does get here . . . and the time comes when we're all exponentially better connected than we are today (a scary thought!) . . . will it really matter (even a little bit) if you aren't adept at the skills of sales and persuasion as they relate to recruiting? Building rapport with candidates who are ready to leave their current employer will be just as easy . . . while building relationships with candidates not interested in making a move will be just as challenging. Scott,
Thanks for this inter…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-20:502551:Comment:5085992009-01-20T15:17:39.721ZSteve Gilberthttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/SteveGilbert
Scott,<br />
<br />
Thanks for this interesting article. I agree with the need for a recruiting firm to add value by bringing unique passive candidates into a client's hiring process. With the advent of social media and the fact that so many bios are online now, many search firms and internal recruiting departments have access to the same possible passive candidates. Moving forward we will compete on how well we engage and not who we know.<br />
<br />
Steve
Scott,<br />
<br />
Thanks for this interesting article. I agree with the need for a recruiting firm to add value by bringing unique passive candidates into a client's hiring process. With the advent of social media and the fact that so many bios are online now, many search firms and internal recruiting departments have access to the same possible passive candidates. Moving forward we will compete on how well we engage and not who we know.<br />
<br />
Steve Very ,very well said.tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-19:502551:Comment:5053702009-01-19T12:10:48.987ZDave Staatshttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/DaveStaats
Very ,very well said.
Very ,very well said. hmmm. While I find the overal…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-17:502551:Comment:5039872009-01-17T05:58:47.117ZJim Durbinhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/jim_durbin
hmmm. While I find the overall direction of the post to be appropriate, you threw in some real whoppers there and missed some very vital aspects of social media.<br />
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1) No one worth listening to thinks social media is some kind of silver bullet. The proof of that is anyone who has seen success (defined as placing candidates) recognizes that time is a precious resource, and social media takes time, which is the biggest reason recruiters are reluctant to invest. While webinars are well attended and…
hmmm. While I find the overall direction of the post to be appropriate, you threw in some real whoppers there and missed some very vital aspects of social media.<br />
<br />
1) No one worth listening to thinks social media is some kind of silver bullet. The proof of that is anyone who has seen success (defined as placing candidates) recognizes that time is a precious resource, and social media takes time, which is the biggest reason recruiters are reluctant to invest. While webinars are well attended and industry sessions are full, it's not because recruiters are looking for a silver bullet. It's because the world has changed drastically, and a threat and an opportunity are perceived. As you pointed out, internal recruiters are learning how to use social media. Failing to engage and leaving the field open to internal recruiters is tantamount to sticking your head in the sand. No owner wants to wake up and find themselves obsolete, but they struggle with the openness of social media. Thus they go to the events, and look for ways to engage without throwing open their rolodex to the world.<br />
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2) Your point about the business we're in is your strongest, as selling two parties on an employment decision takes more than a resume and a job description. Recruiters who are great at networking but not at closing don't stay in business long, and we're all in the business of closing (even if you're internal).<br />
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3) That said - social media has two very different components. It's a set of tools that can make aspects of recruiting easier (sourcing, messaging, reference checking, sales). But it's also a social phenomenon that shakes up existing hierarchies and explodes information bottlenecks that recruiters have traditionally used to make their large fees. This second component is of more danger than the first, and I think you not only missed it, you offer dangerous advice to recruiters about bringing candidates not involved in social media to client.<br />
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4) Facebook is adding a million people a day, and LinkedIn is adding a million people a week to their network. MySpace already has 70 million users in the US and you can bet that other networks like Twitter, Second Life, and Ning private networks are rapidly becoming the destinations for top talent. Executives, who spend time in private offline networks are finding that they can share that information online faster, and are building their walled gardens online. The space is growing so fast, and the data and computing power are moving so quickly, that in 3 short years, most people we would recruit are involved in a social network in some way. Add another 2 years, and I'd say that everyone worth recruiting in most industries will be online at some site.<br />
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5) Why is this important? The very tools we use to source and message are available to the public, and they are using those networks to leapfrog information brokers (and recruiters are information brokers) and extract value from their own networks. They're learning how to use these networks to make connections, share information, and yes, even find employment. The problem? The growth of electronic resumes overwhelmed internal departments with too much data. Social Media is so much worse. Building an online profile and messaging candidates is a very time-intensive business, and when you throw in that social media is all about transparency, you're faced with the monster of the public demanding access and you not having time to give it to them.<br />
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Recruiters still have a valuable role to play, but it will be the role of persuader that you eloquently point out. That role requires having a reputation, and increasingly in industries that are online, that reputation requires you to be active in the networks where you source. To a large extent, your ability to influence will be dependent on your online profile. Your ability to "interrupt" will also be dependent on your online profile. We've all seen candidates that don't answer phones, return emails, or respond to communications of any kind from unknown recruiters.<br />
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So by all means work on your skills as an influencer, and recognize that we are the in the business of persuasion. Just don't make the mistake of treating social media like some fad technology. It's a revolutionary change in the way the world communicates. As recruiters we can't afford to miss this wave.<br />
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Recruiters pride themselves on finding candidates not on Monster. That's a good niche, and a profitable one. Finding candidates that aren't accessible in some manner online is an increasingly small niche. We're better off working to build those profiles that attract candidates in a way that internal recruiters can not (variety of companies, best negotiating position, compete understanding of the industry) then we are ceding the internet to our clients in an attempt to be original. Hi Scott,
I hope you have be…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-16:502551:Comment:5033312009-01-16T20:20:49.485ZAdam Petersonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/Adam51
Hi Scott,<br />
<br />
I hope you have been well! Great post and I fully agree! Every tool recruiters use - whether utilized over the web or not and whether considered Web 2.0 or not - should be considered for it's ability to help build a recruiter's <b>bottom line</b>. Some of the new tools made available via the web offer intrinsic value, but you are completely correct in suggesting that recruiters should question and define that value. Having 1,000+ connections on LinkedIn and spending hours on end…
Hi Scott,<br />
<br />
I hope you have been well! Great post and I fully agree! Every tool recruiters use - whether utilized over the web or not and whether considered Web 2.0 or not - should be considered for it's ability to help build a recruiter's <b>bottom line</b>. Some of the new tools made available via the web offer intrinsic value, but you are completely correct in suggesting that recruiters should question and define that value. Having 1,000+ connections on LinkedIn and spending hours on end keeping up on up to the minute recruiting news does not close deals.<br />
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Closing deals happens by executing on something that nobody else can, will or does. Utilizing your networks and reach on the web to facilitate that execution should simply be a means to an end.<br />
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With the economy acting the way it is, I imagine 2009 will force people to either figure out how to monetize their time spent on social media, or find the next "big thing."<br />
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Thanks again Scott for this post.<br />
<br />
Adam<br />
<a href="http://www.vipepower.com">www.vipepower.com</a> Scott, you're spot on!
Web 2…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-16:502551:Comment:5032122009-01-16T19:52:36.516ZJohn Goodmanhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/JohnGoodman
Scott, you're spot on!<br />
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Web 2.0 and all the social networking sites are wonderful tools and great assets, but it's the interpersonal contact that makes the difference. Referrals continue to be the best source of quality candidates. When someone refers someone else they are putting their own reputation on the line, something we hope isn't being done casually.
Scott, you're spot on!<br />
<br />
Web 2.0 and all the social networking sites are wonderful tools and great assets, but it's the interpersonal contact that makes the difference. Referrals continue to be the best source of quality candidates. When someone refers someone else they are putting their own reputation on the line, something we hope isn't being done casually. Wow!!
Thanks for sharing this…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-16:502551:Comment:5028512009-01-16T18:45:54.595ZKunalhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/KP
Wow!!<br />
Thanks for sharing this Scott.
Wow!!<br />
Thanks for sharing this Scott. great article. Thanks for sha…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-16:502551:Comment:5027332009-01-16T18:35:43.300ZKaren Stevenshttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/KarenStevens
great article. Thanks for sharing - I just forwarded your post to my entire team.
great article. Thanks for sharing - I just forwarded your post to my entire team. Awesome post.
'Love' your st…tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-01-16:502551:Comment:5022892009-01-16T16:28:14.379ZEric Gilsonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/EricGilson
Awesome post.<br />
<br />
'Love' your stuff........
Awesome post.<br />
<br />
'Love' your stuff........