Recruiter Greg Savage posted a great article entitled “10 ways the world of recruitment is changing – right now!” Greg identifies himself a as a contrarian – but that has nothing to do with why I like his comments … I actually think he is spot on!
If you’ve been a reader for very long, you know that I’ve mentioned several of the items Greg has listed in previous blog posts over the last 1-2 years. For today though, I want to focus on two specific things he stated [emphasis added]:
— An increasing majority of vacant jobs will not be advertised anywhere. Forget web advertising vs. print media. More and more jobs just won’t get announced at all. Networking, social media, and skilled, specialised recruiters will fill most jobs before they ever hit the mainstream media. That has huge implications for us in the way we develop business, access talent and make the match. And also for the skill-set of our recruiting staff.
—Referrals will become the primary sourcing channel for all levels of positions. Not print, not job boards – but word of mouth, reputation, networking and referral programs.
If you’ve been sucked into the job boards vortex, it’s time to shake loose. Job boards have never been very good at the CFO-level, but the deception is that it seems so easy. Sit in front of a computer. Find a job description that seems like a perfect fit. Fire off your resume. And wait. And wait. And wait. Unfortunately, most times your resume is either lost in the black hole or round-filed by the gatekeeper.
Social media has transformed – forever – how the job search process will work. And as this author says – “networking; social media; and skilled, specialized (the Americanized version) recruiters” will win the day.
Referrals are already a huge sourcing strategy in many companies. Organizations prefer to ask trusted employees, and even third party service providers, for people they know and trust, and then happily reward those employees with bonuses for key hires they refer. Networking, building relationships before you need to ask for help, is critical for positioning yourself to get referred by people who know you, like you, trust you, and feel secure recommending you to their boss without negatively impacting their own position.
I loved hearing a contrarian recruiter include “word of mouth” and “reputation” in the same sentence as networking and referrals. That means, you need to be able to be found by those people who are looking for Senior Finance Executives like you … and, that your reputation, credibility, and compelling value proposition must precede you!
You’ve read my thoughts … now read Greg’s … and let me know what you think in the comments section below or discuss it in the CFO Careers Linked In group.
Cindy,
This is a great article and great commentary that applies to everyone.
Thanks Stephen. You’re right – it does apply to everyone!
Cindy,
This article is so true. You’d think as much as job seekers hate job boards, this would be viewed as good news. I’m surprised how many of those same individuals groan at this information. What do people want? Newspaper classifieds to return? Those days are gone. I’ve heard many say they just want to go back to the day when employers chased them…when they were getting recruitment calls. They don’t seem to realize that is still possible when they do the things you and Greg have been talking about. I get recruitment calls and I’m not looking for a job. It’s because I’m visible and using the internet to expand my playing field, increase my knowledge and reinforce my credibility when it comes to employment & job search topics.
— I’ve heard many say they just want to go back to the day when employers chased them…when they were getting recruitment calls. They don’t seem to realize that is still possible when they do the things you and Greg have been talking about. I get recruitment calls and I’m not looking for a job. —
So true, Lisa. Since the middle of December and continuing through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, my clients have been getting an average of 2-3 recruiter calls weekly. Those contacts are coming directly from their Linked In profiles.
One key point – all of these clients are employed and therefore the coveted “passive candidates.” They have the luxury of waiting for the “right” opportunity rather than just any opportunity. Start positioning yourself to get noticed long before you want to make a move!