Blogs, Responses & Hurt feelings …

I had the pleasure of being invited as a Guest on the Recruiting Animal Blogtalk Radio Show – after getting thoroughly prepped by Animal the day before and listening to previous episodes; it seemed that I would have to adopt an aggressive stance- not my normal calm consulting demeanour. But I loved it – I brought my 3 nails, a mop and a shovel, in case I had to dig my own hole … Even though I scored a minus 1 to 50/100 by some of the industry experts on the show I would still love to be invited on again I don’t mind getting crucified its fun and you are wired for an entire 1 ½ hours… I LOVE IT !

As a regular contributor to recruitingblogs.com I totally enjoy writing blogs responding to blogs, questioning opinions or positions on the Status quo, old concepts … new concepts - we all have thought out or not so thought out opinions we what to share - we all can learn something from each other and we all bring; I hope some years of experience to the table to lean on when making an informed response to a blog.

It seems however, that a number of bloggers on this site have a problem with a difference of opinion with respect to responses and actually hold grudges over a response that might show a different point of view - to the point of personal character assassination which is crazy in a funny kind of way. Look if you are a blogger and can’t take a new perspective or a challenge then stick to being a spectator. You’re not supposed to take it personally - it’s just in opposition to your posted blog - a proposed perspective. Why would you want readers to only agree with your perspective - if other perspectives can be logically proposed.

I want to be challenged on an idea or position I take in any of the Blogs I write, it makes it more exciting, it keeps me on my toes – why are some people so afraid to be challenged and not be questioned…? How do you learn anything…? How boring a World it would be if we agreed with everyone all the time. So we get into a tussle, and we argue - I have no problem apologizing if I cross the line… I do it every time. But we are “Recruiters First” we have crazy personalities that sets us apart from other Professions... Let’s embrace that not bury it- we are one family…

And, finally, no amount of research of a person’s background can give anyone the right to assume they know someone - so personal character attacks says more about what’s lacking in you than the person in your crosshairs…. Nothing wrong in seeking a little group or individual therapy it really works … (Ok I had to throw that in J).

If you write a Blog be prepared to have your position questioned, challenged or supported with new perspectives … This is why I like recruiting blogs the characters on this site makes it an exciting online property to be on, I welcome constructive criticism and trust me … you won’t hurt my feelings …

Comment by Jerry Albright on April 1, 2011 at 5:49pm: @Paul - I guess I don't find myself being asked what I do. Kind of interesting now that you mention it. Maybe the already know what I do? But overall I just don't run into the big "recruiters are dirtbags" thing. Luckily! :)

Comment by Paul Alfred on April 1, 2011 at 5:56pm: @Jerry ... Luckily ... Perhaps to Nancy's point its sad we have this cloud hanging over our Profession. Not that I am sad when I get on the Golf Course but ... Ahhh well .. :-)

Comment by Sandra McCartt on April 1, 2011 at 6:21pm: While i appreciate the sentiment about the crazy comment about my pic. It is my pic ,it's not me and it was so off base that it was almost funny. It was simply a reaction to a strong comment i made to someone who had hijacked a post and was on a denigrating rant. That deal was an over the top all the way around and obviously an interesting personality type. As we say in Texas, "One of those different kind of people".

We can all get passionate about things that we feel strongly about. My sense of humor is wicked funny. There are people who don't appreciate George Carlin either. So sometimes i can pop off and bring out the worst in someone. But again. It's not me it's a pic , it's not you, and this is a blog full of words. Now if i thought i were a haggard old woman or looked like one or was worried about how i look it might have bothered me. What i know is that i am one classy old broad so when somebody fires something like that down the chute it doesn't bother me at all. It's rude and tasteless and crazy but so what. Let it speak for the person who did themselves in by something that crazy.

I think there is a difference between personal interaction face to face and stuff that is flopped out there on a blog. The reason good communities do not allow anonymous postings is because when people think no one will really know who said something they turn into the hounds of hell. I have good reason to believe that post you referred to and several following it were in fact an anonymous or assumed name bunch of garbage. I would doubt that anyone would put their real name on that mess unless there were completely nuts (which might be the case) this as it were, is a whore of a different color.

What i am refering to is not the crazy stuff that happens once in a while but simply differences of opinion. The one thing i know for sure about recruiters is that if we didn't have big egos and strong opinions and voices we would have died from lack of feeding within a year out of the starting gate.

Course i am the kind of personality who will run out of the house with a golf club to chase a window peeker rather than call the police and hide till they get there. Ran him right into a great big rose bush before the police got there and bagged him. I really looked cute in a pink nighshirt, chasing some creep down the street with a golf club yelling "you sumbitch, how dare you."

Comment by Sandra McCartt on April 1, 2011 at 6:37pm: Guys there are perceptions in every industry. There are people who think all lawyers have hair on their palms. Bankers do not have eyelids and doctors are simply over educated, social misfit money machines. Accountants have no personality and are secret agents of the IRS. Engineers are so dry they fart dust, insurance people and realtors are all people who either got a divorce and couldn't do anything else or they were so dumb they had to sell something that everybody has to have.

I've always thought it was neat to be a recruiter or a headhunter or a body snatcher. The perception is all in how we handle ourselves..my thinks. I can't do anything about the slime in our industry anymore than good lawyers can do anything about the shysters in their industry. all i can control is how i do business. There are only two ways. Honest and Dishonest. there ain't no gray.

Comment by Paul Alfred on April 1, 2011 at 6:49pm: @Sandra ... I will admit something before I got into the industry I too had a mis-conception about recruiters ... I was re-taught what the word Sell means by an Old School Recruiter - I was afraid of the word commission until I got into the industry in 96... What a roller coaster ... I would do it again. BTW George Carlin for me is the Smartest funniest Comedian ever in my books ...

Comment by Nancy McGarry on April 1, 2011 at 7:00pm: I am with you Sandra - I think being a recruiter is great fun and a lot of people probably envy us deep down because not everyone has the personality or skillset to be able to do it well.

I'm not with you on the picture discussion, however. I still think it was nasty and unecessary. Luckily it didn't affect you at all. Others, maybe they would feel differently. Any kind of personal attack is not cool, whether it's about your picture or your race, sex, age, religion, political views or sexual orientation.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on April 1, 2011 at 8:13pm: @Nancy...Oh i agree it was nasty and just flat crazy. Maybe i have been a recruiter so long that nothing much bothers me but i do agree that any of that stuff is normally a small mind who can't do battle with the big kids so drops it down to jr. high level. It's certainly not cool. And mostly it comes from stupid, insecure people when it gets to that level.

@Paul...see it's really you who has a little bit of that previous mis-conception down in there somewhere. That's why it hooks you a little bit. What i tell my doc, lawyer and other high blown buds is that they had to be taught to do something. I was just born smart, bless their hearts. :)

I consider Carlin my mentor.

Comment by Paul Alfred on April 1, 2011 at 9:16pm: Thanks for all the Great responses .,.. Have a Great Weekend Everyone ... !

Comment by Valentino Martinez on April 3, 2011 at 12:14pm: Bad recruitment experiences, and there are many, tend to put all recruiters in a bad light.

Whenever I'm asked about what I do for a living, my response is: "I'm a Professional Recruitment Consultant...not to be confused with an unprofessional attempting to consult and/or recruit."

Comment by Paul Alfred on April 3, 2011 at 6:15pm: Thanks for the feedback Valentino ... I have to agree with you... You know when your clients tell you that they are tired of recruiting firms racing to get candidates over to them without meeting candidates or sending them 5 candidates over that don't fit the role - Or recruiters calling in to sell them on becoming a Client with no understanding of what the Company does - You can begin to understand why we are perceived in such a bad light ...

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