What is Trending In Recruiting?

Blog on SGA TalentWhat is Trending In Recruiting?

The latest game changers in recruiting are Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and many will say these resources or as I call them tools have revolutionized recruiting! So what lies ahead? “What Is Trending In Recruiting?” It may only be for the moment, the day, the month and may or may not make the list next time.

Years ago there were limited options when it came to recruiting talent. Today there are many choices and resources so try to make it a point to explore the different choices and choose the ones that best fit our needs.

So, what is Trending in Recruiting now? Yes literally right now? Because Times They are a-Changin. Click on it, Bob Dylan’s YouTube Song….

So what Is Trending In Recruiting?

1. Corporate internal recruiting functions are growing. These teams are often led by seasoned, ex-Executive Search professionals. Year over year these teams are becoming more sophisticated, efficient and cost-effective.

2. Executive Search firms are experiencing a year-on-year fall in revenues of a -6% from Q2 2011 to Q2 2012, the quarter-on-quarter data highlighted an upward trend (+8.6%) for the first time since June last year.

3. Recruiting from the competition is stronger than ever. Stealth research is needed to do this. Many agree that although social networks have proven to be great resources, a limitation is their ability to show a complete picture of the potential talent pool without further investigation. Traditional research is mostly used for this method of identifying the players at the competition.

4. Passive Candidates Only Need Apply! Still rearing its ugly head.

5. Transactional recruiting is on the rise. Can hires honestly be made without the human touch?

6. Debates over the effectiveness of social networking recruiting continues and how ROI can be measured for such resources. LinkedIn is very very effective but the jury is still out with regards to Twitter and Facebook.

7. Not sure if the current corporate recruiting process can handle the upcoming demand.

8. The use of social media as part of the recruiting process will continue to be a trend for some time. Recruiters and hiring managers use these tools for recruiting, researching, networking and verifying.

9. Too much data! Too many tools! When the demand for talent heats up will some of the social media tools survive? Ask yourself do the use of these tools actually help a lot, so-so or very little. Rate them now!

What are the trends you are seeing? We would be very interested.

Happy Hunting!

Sheila Greco

sgreco@sheilagreco.com

Comment by Rob on September 25, 2012 at 4:18pm: Hey Sheila, I enjoyed your points. I wanted to ask what you'd define as transactional recruiting. I think you are right that it is on the rise. My understanding is that companies want to recruit many lower level vacancies with as little effort as possible therefore making it "transactional" in nature. Are you seeing that growing where you work.

Also, we're certainly seeing the rise in internal functions which means that your differentiators as an external agency have to be much stronger than previously needed. Having said that, I recently met a corporate recruiter who had up to 30 open assignments every month. And these weren't easy vacancies. I think there will always be room for external recruiters as long as they are truly great at what they do.

Comment by sheila Greco on September 26, 2012 at 8:35am: Rob thanks for the comment. I am finding as are you that the junior level recruits may need less of the human touch when initiated, however in order to make a solid decision I still believe a recruiter needs to speak with them to ultimately make the candidate pipeline. External agencies I think need to be quick, efficient and only present those that are exactly what the client wants. As always time is of the essence in recruiting, as is the quality of the candidates produced. Take care Rob!

Comment by bill josephson on September 26, 2012 at 9:21am: Other than too many requisitions for an internal corporate recruiter to manage if/when the permanent jobs market heats up necessitating use of an external third party recruiter, in what ways does a third party recruiter presently differentiate themselves from how internal corporate recruiters are performing their recruiting functions?

In other words, what can or does a third party recruiter perform their role that an internal recruiter doesn't do when approaching recruiting?

Comment by bill josephson on September 26, 2012 at 9:38am: Are comments from members now being screened before being posted?
My last post said it needed approaval, and I don't see it

Comment by Eric Smith on September 26, 2012 at 9:58am: Great post, Sheila.

Comment by sheila Greco on September 26, 2012 at 10:28am: Bill third party recruiters need strong relationships with their clients and show results. As you are aware third party recruiters are only as good as their last success or failure. Right. We need to succeed on all fronts. Just my opinion.

Comment by bill josephson on September 26, 2012 at 10:53am: Sheila, that much I understand.

My question is what function is a 3rd party performing that an internal corporate isn't?

What can a 3rd party do that an internal can't, or doesn't?

Clearly there can be a speed/urgency/overwhelmed factor. But in the recruiting role, is there anything a third party recruiter does which they can't do?

Comment by sheila Greco on September 26, 2012 at 10:57am: too much to discuss. Call me at 518 843-4611.

Comment by Charles Rein on September 26, 2012 at 12:28pm: Great Post Sheila, In 30 yrs did mostly Contingency and some Technical Contract (Dell) Recruiting and it is always easier when you have a BRAND name company, and Contract(internal) is always easier as the buyer instead of the seller. 3rd Party recruiters will always find a niche in the Passive 5-7 year expert(1-2 jobs) in Industries that are not as Internet dominate IT Everyone has online resume and Chemical Engineer, or Oil Fracking many don't. But in long economic downturns everyone suffers in recruiting.

Comment by sheila Greco on September 26, 2012 at 12:38pm: Thanks for the comment Charles. Yes economic downturns always effect recruiting. Hopefully we will continue moving forward, even if some are just limping along.

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