X - it's a variable that leads to multiple scenarios.  In math x is the number or goal we are trying to uncover to lead to the balance of the equation, in life x is often the hurdle or problem, solution or scenario that gives life it's most interesting choices, options and sometimes leads us to do more research to look at past variables, and similar scenarios to uncover what may need to be done.  In old pirate films, and The Pirates of The Caribbean or in popular culture, x marks the spot -…

Social Recruiting is the hot (relatively) new recruiting method in the recruiting space.  There are a number of companies that have had success and are doing cool things with social but there are also others that are struggling to make it a part of their recruitment marketing efforts.  This article is…

Job Seekers: Stop Working So Hard!

I had someone apply for 15 of our job openings the other day. Fifteen! And all the job openings called for completely different skill requirements. Before even opening this person’s resume I’m thinking: What a waste of my time. Just seeing those 15 messages in my inbox, I was completely turned off. I didn’t even want to look at his resume,…

While all recruitment marketing efforts are focused on hires, it's qualified candidates that we really want or need.  And the more, the better.  I've talked before on how to measure qualified candidates in your recruitment funnel but that only works if you know what a…

What is the number one challenge for a recruitment company owner, or for that matter, any owner of their own business, whose business is established and successful?

Jobs are being filled, good placements have covered targets for the next few months, candidates & clients are passively rolling in. Sounds like recruiter heaven, doesnt it?

But this is the time the Owner needs to be careful because complacency sets in quickly and then mistakes get made, client &…

Once in a while I have seen signs in front of restaurants that state some variety of "eat with us before we starve". Normally it is the type of place that buys a cake from Costco and resells the pieces. 

I am guessing (and hoping) it is a lame attempt at humor but always found it to be a bit unappealing. Their business being slow (and possibly going away) was not my issue. 

I was speaking to someone the other day and I was saying that an organizations’ Social Media practice needs to be free, without barriers and with a heavy reliance on the community to build. He was saying that there are policies, procedures, protections, etc. in place to control the interaction and content around anything the “organization” is doing. Then it hit me, I need to balance my free spirit attitude towards Social Media recruitment with the organizations reluctance to get too deep in…

Sad but true, earlier this year the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had to hold a public hearing because of a disturbing trend: several companies, nationwide, had been excluding unemployed applicants from hiring consideration. Their ads specifically stated that they would only consider employed job candidates, using phrases like “No unemployed candidates will be considered at all” and “Client will not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed, regardless of the reason.”

A…

Asking the Why question makes the How, What, Where, When and Who that much easier to answer.

At a recent TEDx conference, Jeffrey Fox, the NYT best selling author of How to Become a Rainmaker, How to Become a CEO and Rain to name just a few, was speaking to an audience of sales people, sales…

I've been recruiting for a little over 8+ years now. Fall Offs (Candidates that recruiters place into their client's job where the candidate quits within 8 weeks of start date) is something recruiter's dread as it effects their overall compensation.

My question is the following? Is it the recruiter's fault that the recruiter did not find the perfect fit candidate for the client (which resulted in a fall off) OR is there a problem with the client's…

About a month ago I blogged about a job seeker I was working with.  Find the story here.  Well as it turns out, Joe did continue through the process with Company A and B.  Here's how it went down...

Company B did everything they said they would.  There were some hiccups along the way; a couple of dates changed, but ultimately he did fly to their offices and was…

Picture the scene. Its mid-December 2010. I’m happily minding my own until the mobile rings.  “We’ve seen your profile on LinkedIn,” an in-house recruiter explains, “and we’re wondering if you’d be interested in a new role we’re recruiting for in the UK?”

Now, in my opinion this company manage their employer brand extremely well. For me they’ve got the engagement piece nailed so when I was asked if I’d be interested in working for them, internally I’m screaming, “Hell yeah…

In the off season leading up to the 2011 Major League Baseball season, Clifton Pfifer Lee shocked the almighty bottomless pocketbook bearers of the New York Yankees and the down home, feel-good Texas Rangers by signing a below-market-value deal to pitch for the Philadelphia Phillies. The move was not solely motivated by money or warm fuzzy feelings. He took less money and moved to a city with a traditionally aggressive fan-base where players with large contracts who don’t meet…

Last week I blogged on the importance of “job order triage”. Great recruiters ruthlessly prioritise the briefs they work on, and put most effort into the highly fillable few.

Well, what about the candidates to invest time in?

Some recruiters take the view that as there is a talent shortage, every candidate…

Recently I was asked by one of our Sydney Talent Agents to join her on a client visit to a high profile Ad Agency group. I jumped at the chance because I love speaking with clients, and we were booked to meet two very senior people, both at Executive Creative Director level.

We arrived on time (5 minutes early actually, as is my wont) and waited in the trendy, borderline pretentiously creative reception.

And we waited.

And waited.

At 10 past the meeting hour we…

I know, you made that LinkedIn account months ago and never went back. You’re content at your job, and since you’re not looking for a new one you haven’t put much effort to updating or maintaining it. What’s the point right? The point is that you may be missing opportunities! Even if you’re not looking for that “ideal job” anymore, it could definitely be looking for you (trust me, I’m the one looking!) and you don’t want to be passed over because you haven’t added a Current Position since…