“I am not young enough to know everything.” Oscar Wilde

"I don’t know."

Have you ever used this phrase before?  I sure have. I have not used it with pride or a smile. I have not used it in arrogance but frustration.  It seems to me in the office these days it is used in another fashion.  One of disrespect, one of arrogance in ignorance and they are ok with it.  It’s easy to say really and move on with your life even if you know the answer.  Maybe you really don’t and that is fine.  What we fail to do is say “maybe I can find out” or “I would like to know” when we don’t.  Instead we say HOW much we know and why we should listen to them.

Amy Ala wrote a blog about hating the Internet, it was funny but real.  I think it needed a better title though.  It should have said EVERYONE is an expert because of the internet.  She was right.  We tend to think we invented the most amazing thing in the world and wish to share it.  You did not by the way.  No matter how much you post, you tube, or blog.  Believe me, there were MANY people that more than likely forgot what you thought you came up with and did something even better.  

The Recruiting Animal Show is on every Wednesday usually highlighting recruiters, sourcers, or products for his listeners to learn about.  Most shows he asks for specifics or fact based stories to back up the comments or products they are selling.  Many do not bring that with them.  We are just to take the fact that they know more than the audience.  It is usually funny, for the animal crew, to let them know how wrong they really are. 

So I listen, I read, I watch etc.  This is not a hard thing to do really.  It seems that we forget that though.  We are so nervous to NOT know something that I don’t think we are learning anything.  We are listening to charlatans’ preaching something and you are happy to give them money for a 1 hour seminar and then you know it all.  Some take an 8 hour course for two thousand dollars and POOF they are an internet sourcing guru ninja or some dang thing.   They got a certification to prove it.

My take on certifications, degrees, and general knowledge means you have learned something or maybe you just paid for a piece of paper.  There are GOOD courses out there that take time and build a foundation of learning for you to really understand how to source AND recruit. They are taught by people who have not only done this but have paved the way for you by failing and improving.  Some are by the people who have been successful in the organization you are in or some have courses and classes on line that offer hours of education and help.  Both Shally Steckerl and Irina Shamaeva have great offerings out there.  I can say that I have taken a number of courses from TSI and I have been enlightened and impressed.

It’s ok not to know something.  I don’t know many things. That is probably why I am still single.  That is another blog though.