Comment by Ken Selzer on February 19, 2008 at 2:21pm

My opinion....lots of things for clients and candidates are urgent, but not important. Importance is the issue. Do what is important for your company or yourself, not what is urgent. Of course some urgent items are important and vice versa. My experience is that many hiring processes do not allow the company to strategically recruit key people that are important to their success.

Comment by Steven Rothberg on February 19, 2008 at 3:55pm

Ken's advice makes sense, but if you're looking for a sure fire way of killing your business or personal brand then all you need to do is ignore a few urgent requests from your stakeholders. If you can't get to something for three days, weeks, or months, just let the person know. Manage their expectations. They'll appreciate it and in the long run so will you.

Comment by Andy Headworth on February 20, 2008 at 5:01am

Thanks Ken, of course you are right the level of importance defines urgency. It is a good point that companies are failing strategically with regards to recruitment, yes they are busy, but without the talent they just won't simply grow!

Steven, you have highlighted one of the key skills of our profession - managing expectaions for both clients and candidates. And you are right, if the client thinks something is urgent, then it needs action. My gripe is when that 'perceived' inital urgency is not followed though by the client in terms of speedy actions

Comment by Ray Towle on February 20, 2008 at 10:25am

The only thing that works for me has been . . .to test for Urgency.

Example: say something like, "When I think of real urgency I think of things such as; all responses with 24 hours; off-hours and week-end work efforts for both the recruiters as well as the clients; a "spare no expense situation" on paid research or specialty web sites, association lists, certification lists, or resume banks . . . (Long pause for dramatic effect) is that what you have in mind too?"

And then I try not to breath or move and I carefully read their response - realizing that silence means "not really."

All the Best!

Ray
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Comment by Andy Headworth on February 20, 2008 at 3:23pm

Ray,

Thanks for that - it certainly does draw them out!!

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