Recruiting is a game of failure.

Ike Davis, 1^st baseman for the NY Mets hit his 2nd home run this year, a 3 run homer against the Atlanta Braves last night, possibly reversing a “slow start” to his season in grand fashion. To wit, Gary Cohen, one of my favorite sports announcers of all time commented (paraphrase here) “Ike handles both his successes and failures the same way, his demeanor does not change, he’s got the perfect personality for Major League Baseball”.

He went on to say “After all, baseball is a game of failure!”

Shocked at the statement at first, I quickly recognized how true it is. Get up to bat 3 – 4 times a game, swing the bat a minimum 12 but more often over 20 times a game, get 1 hit per game, and you are on a hitting streak to the joy of your team and fans alike. 1 Hit in 20+, IF you’re doing well!

That’s a “hit” mind you, not a home run.

The parallels’ to recruiting are obvious. Barbara Bruno (renowned recruiting trainer) uses a ratio of 20 conversations per day equals a productive day when starting out in recruiting. That’s “conversations” not calls. For 20 conversations, one could make 100+ dials in a day.

That’s “every day”.

Those outside recruiting, if they knew the “ratios” we live by would call us “crazy”, asking why would you do that… why (or how) could you stick with it, with a “failure” ratio like that?

At 4:30 AM this morning, while laying in bed awake pondering my children’s future, the bills I had to pay, the candidate I was interviewing at 8, the client meeting at 12, and whether I’d ever have enough money to retire some day, (I’m guessing I’m not alone in this ritual these days) that little voice in the back of my head reminded me, …with 1 swing of the bat today, you could change… “Everything!”

One good swing today could be the difference between a banner month, or a flop. One good swing today, could be the difference between another Disney Vacation, or a weekend at the in-laws (how’s that for incentive).

One good swing today…

Of course, we take steps to mitigate the peaks and valleys, and it’ll take more than “1 good swing total”, to close a deal, but truth is, few jobs I’ve had in my career (and I’ve had more than a few), offer the “subtle rush” locking in a solid appointment, or “adrenaline rush” closing a big deal brings.

Few jobs anywhere, offer the employee the opportunity to change “everything”, on any given day.

All you have to do, is bring with you the demeanor of a Major League Ball Player, recognizing, you’ll need to “swing, swing, swing” each and every day, knowing you will not get a hit with each up at bat, and knowing (viscerally) that that’s OK!

If you ask me, Recruiting is a game of failure, same as Major League Baseball. Like Major League Baseball, not many have the skill to survive the cut, with fewer the skills to play with the All Stars. Nor do most have the demeanor to “turn” a slow start to a season (or quarter) knowing, success can only be achieved, if you are willing and able to keep getting up to bat each and every day accepting the seemingly daunting ratio’s, and “swinging” through the blisters, and the years, till you get to the point where you really “know your pitch”.

For then and only then, will you be able to consistently “hit them out of the park”.

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Comment by Mitch Sullivan on April 24, 2012 at 5:55am: Hi Nick.

I'm flattered that my previous comments have prompted you to think a lot more deeply about this subject - given the length of your latest post.

I'm tied up the rest of today and tomorrow but will read it and respond later in the week.

Have a great week.

Comment by Vaughn Welches on April 24, 2012 at 8:43am: Sandra, congratulations again!

Nick, very well written with great substance! Substance wins over conjecture every time!

Comment by Nick Lagos on April 24, 2012 at 8:50am: Hi Mitch,

I’m saddened focused discourse would flatter you, but I understand…

Take your time, craft your response carefully… and focus please on my response to your conclusion It’s really the heart of the matter at hand and trust you agree no need to wade through all the point/counterpoints prior… again (diminishing returns and we both have work to do).

Enjoy your week also

Nick

Comment by Nick Lagos on April 24, 2012 at 9:21am: Thank you Vaughn,

Sorry (all) for the “long-windedness”, but despite all the “tongue-n-cheek” banter, a fundamental paradigm shift in my view that effects us all. If my conclusion is wrong, I’ll be the first to “gong” the bell! Who wouldn’t relish “pay up front” considering all the uncertainties we juggle. But unless someone can show me unbiased statistics demonstrating Retained Recruiting is winning market share over Contingency Recruiting or even remaining static (vs. what I see which is the opposite, retained search firm owners I talk with have seen their retained business dwindle to a few existing clients, with all (or virtually) new business in contingency)). Before someone starts “pounding their chest” with isolated examples, I’m talking industry trend, not the occasional success story.

I’m afraid the writings on the wall, and “wishing” it wasn’t so or spouting subterfuge in the village square does not make it so.

I stand firm however regarding my comments relating to “quality”, but that thread vortex was simple “miss-direction”, skirting the bigger issue regaining Retained Search relevance moving forward.

Thanks again Vaughn!

Comment by Mitch Sullivan on April 25, 2012 at 2:33am: Nick, of course retained-fee doesn't account for the majority of agency/client transactions. That's because most recruiters don't have the sales ability and the confidence in their ability to deliver under the pressure of having to fill a vacancy.

Neither is anything I've said in this thread conjecture, it's based on real life experience - mine and several other recruiters I know. I have worked contingency and retained, both for many years and so am better qualified to comment on their relative merits than someone that hasn't.

Ultimately Nick, you've written a blog about how your work is all about failure. The way I work is all about success.

If you're happy working a method that produces more failure than success, then good luck with that.

Comment by Elise Reynolds on April 25, 2012 at 11:23am: @ Mitch. I am of the opinion that depending on the positions some are better for retained and others contingency.

But I agree with you that I don't have the sales skills to take advantage of the opportunities I might have to go more retained. If you decide to put together any training info I would be interested.

Comment by Mitch Sullivan on April 25, 2012 at 3:12pm: You're right Elise, it does. By far the most common is that the vacancy needs to be filled very quickly.

Comment by Vaughn Welches on April 25, 2012 at 3:27pm: Nick, You took the time to write a thoughtful and comprehensive page on the subject which was filled with truth and substance. It is unfortuntate that Mitch could only respond like a politician who knows his position is weak and cannot be supported with fact (he would have written them if he had any) and he resorted to taking cheap shots at the messenger. We see this lame tactic all the time in the political arena and I think it is a shameful waste of time and only exposes the weakness of the one engaged in it. Your baseball analogy of success/failure in your original post is actually very good.

Comment by Mitch Sullivan on April 25, 2012 at 3:43pm: Why Vaughn? I mean, what's the point?

We've both shared our thoughts and no one is going to change their point of view or the way they work. There's nothing else to do. I thought Nick's OP was fine and only responded with my thoughts as to how that failure he talks about can be mitigated, based on my own experiences.

That's what people do on places like this Vaughn - they share experiences.

It seems to me that all you want is a flame war.

Comment by Vaughn Welches on April 25, 2012 at 3:53pm: Mitch, I ask the same question of you . . . WHY!!!!

Can't you see that when you write "If you're happy working with a method that produces more failure than success,

good luck with that." . . . . "The way I work is all about success" . . . . . can't you see how arrogant and inflamatory your own words are? And if you really have worked on the contingency side, as you say you have, then you should know that so many of your comments simply are not true and only self-serving, inappropriate to say the least! I have no interest in hurting anyone (with words or anything else) I am only saying things that I know to be true in defense of so many very good and very professional contingency recruiters. If you have been successful on the retainer side, then great! Enjoy your success and share that good news with all of us. But, please, don't go on with your criticism and denegrating of hard working contingency recruiters. They have earned your respect just as much as you have earned ours.

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