INTERNAL RECRUITERS – MAKING MOST OF THE MARKET

A growing number of corporate's in EMIA (Europe/Middle East/India/Africa) have a good understanding of direct recruitment methodology and are regularly using recruitment tools and services that offer cross border success. Whilst there are some taking advantage of this approach, there are many companies that, for whatever, reason fail to use the services available.

The upside - competitive edge for early adopters.

So what are we talking about when we use the term "direct recruitment methodology" - the usual suspects I guess : Networking sites, Blogs, Google searches, CV databases. No much new there you might say, and you would be absolutely right!

The amazing thing is that these tools are not complicated and for the most part free or cheap to use. So why don't a larger number of EMIA corporate’s use them?


From my experience I put it down to a number of things:

1. Past domination of the EMIA market by well established "super sized" recruitment agencies – one stop specialist shops in each capital city.
2. Large, well marketed search firms with "snob" value attached
3. EMIA conservative old world culture and risk aversion to new technologies/tools
4. Limited independent recruiters and therefore limited proof that you don't need a big agency name behind you to find good candidates
5. Extensive use of recruitment outsourcing services where the company receives some of the benefits of direct recruitment (cost savings) without having to understand the sourcing tools.
6. Basic lack of awareness or interest!
7. I am sure there are others!

So for those internal EMIA recruiters that are taking advantage of these tools - good for you - it saves companies literally hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. For those that aren't - it's a brave new world out there - go and find it!

In EMIA, I would go as far to say that it is a bit of a golden age for recruiters. Candidates freely register themselves in ever growing numbers on Linked in/ Plaxo/ Viadeo and the response rate when trying to contact them is high at an estimated 45% (our experience). Ergo you can find great candidates at minimal cost.

So - looking good, but my big question is how long will this last and what is next?

The EMIA recruitment market tends to follow the US with a 2/3 year time lag (examples being use of Monster, eRecruitment technology, Networking sites) so we should perhaps expect the current US market conditions in a couple of years.

From the people that I have spoken to it appears that some networking sites and national CV databases/job boards have become, perhaps, less attractive for candidates as recruiters and companies alike have mined them to their knees? I understand that the response rate to invite emails when using such tools, has declined in the US over the past few years as a result of excessive contact traffic?

Contribute your thoughts on the future of direct sourcing methodologies in EMIA - US input would be great to gauge how your direct sourcing tools have changed and why......