Recruitment, The Times They Are A-Changin'

Come gather 'round recruiters 
Wherever you roam 
And admit that the technologies 
Around you have grown 
And accept it that soon
 You'll be tweeting, and not so much working the phone
 If your billable return to you 
Is worth savin'.
 Then you better start social networkn'
 Or you'll sink like a stone
 For the times they are a-changin'.

Come sourcers and researchers 
Who connect on LinkedIn 
And cast your referrals wide
 The chance to recommend a friend won’t come again
 And don't commit Facebook suicide too soon 
For the online community is in a spin
 And there's no tellin' who 
That it's bloggin'.
 For the trailblazer now 
Will be later to win
 For the times they are a-changin'.

Come employers, hiring-managers
 Please write on your company’s wall 
Don't stifle the chat
 Don't block up the hall
 For he that gets hurt
 Will be he who has stalled 
There's a battle outside
 And it is ragin'.
 It'll soon shake the job boards 
And rattle newspaper revenue some more
 For the times they are a-changin'.

Come HR managers 
Throughout the land
 And don't criticize
 What you can't understand 
Your job seekers and your employees 
Are beyond your command 
Your old road is
 Rapidly agin'. 
Please crowdsource
 If you can't lend your hand 
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn 
The social recruiting curse it is cast 
The slow one now 
Will later be fast 
As the present now 
Will later be past
 The old advertising order is 
Rapidly fadin'.
 And the first one now 
Will later be last
 For the times they are a-changin'.

Comment by Paul Jacobs on August 17, 2009 at 11:46pm: OK Maren, for you I will do it. I need to borrow Gerry Crispin's hat though. Watch out New Zealand Idol!

Comment by Dan Nuroo on August 18, 2009 at 1:18am: I am poised eager to Re-Tweet

Comment by Maureen Sharib on August 18, 2009 at 8:26am: I hope Steve Levy sees this.

Comment by Slouch on August 18, 2009 at 9:38am: Cool-aid in isle 3

Comment by Jerry Albright on August 18, 2009 at 9:59am: I can tell you're a very creative guy Paul. I applaud the effort!
But this can't be entirely serious, is it? From what I can tell there are no "Big Billers" relying primarily on Social Media for their success. Are you saying they should forsake their current revenue/business stream just to adopt SM? Or be left behind?

I've said this before but it's worth repeating - what is the point of joining hoards of other recruiters standing around on the moon (since we have the technology to get there) if the vast majority of our clients are still here (doing business) on planet Earth?

You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up to ya later. (Right after I wrap up all these old school placements!)

Early adoption a must? Wrong. Good luck though. Please take my competitors with you!

Comment by Fran Hogan on August 18, 2009 at 10:13am: I'm with Jerry. Most of my clients are still on Earth. My phone is still my best tool. However, I'm on the bandwagon with Twitter and LinkedIn, etc. just in case. Trying to balance my time to maximize both is my dliemma!

Comment by Maureen Sharib on August 18, 2009 at 11:00am: I meant Jerry - I'm w/ Jerry (and now Fran)!

Comment by Todd Kmiec on August 18, 2009 at 11:02am: I'm going to hang with the clients on earth too, but I'll tweet with the recruiters on the moon because it's fun. They do have Twitter on the moon don't they?