The Recruiting Animal

Is Good Old Sourcing Dead?

Miles Jennings from Talentbar says:

1. Linkedin, Facebook, mySpace, JigSaw, Zoominfo are making people easier to find.

2. That changes the recruiter's function from sourcing to selling candidates on jobs and assessing them for the client

3. To perform these tasks well, a recruiter has to understand the business she is working in better than ever before.

4. The key to differentiating yourself is now an intense knowledge of a specific industry so that you can be a valuable resource to your clients. "It's time to know as much about their business as they do."

Animal Comment: This sounds better in theory than practice. In some business sectors, you will find a lot of people online. In others, very few

Moises Lopez sees the sourcer's role as changing as well. To that of a master networker. Not because names are so readily available but because companies are blocking internet sourcers from site flipping and x-raying.

In Defence of Salesmen

(Audio version here)

Are recruiters salesmen? There are two schools of thought here. One says yes but there's a whole bunch of other guys who go around bragging that they're not into sales. I came across one of them last week on Fistful of Talent.com. His name is Jason Pankow and I want to take a look at how this little punk, I mean corporate recruiter, builds his case against sales.

First he sets up a straw man. Right off the bat he tells you that a salesman is a hustler, someone who doesn't give a hoot about anybody but himself. All he thinks about is how he can trick you into buying a lousy product for a lot of money.

And just in case we don't get the message -- because it's so original -- right beside his posting he put a picture of a greasy guy in a loud suit standing in a used car lot.

But, you know, I think that must be a picture of Jason himself because, really, what difference is there between a classic used car salesman and a guy who tries to sell you the kind of shoddy argument Jason Pankow is shopping around? The answer is not very much.

Before we go any further I'm going to tell you what a salesman really is. Because it's not at all like Mr Pankow says. A salesman is a gutsy guy who isn't afraid to go up to complete strangers and ask them to do what he wants.

And when they say no he doesn't slink away like a wounded animal. He doesn't run and hide under a rock. No, he tries to show them where they're making an mistake.

Now a person like this has a lot more courage than the average guy. In the war for business, he's not peeling potatoes somewhere behind the lines. No, he's right up there at the front in hand to hand combat bringing in the orders that make the company run.

So everyone is jealous because beside him they look like nobodies. So what do they do? Instead of simply admitting that they are chickens and he's a hero they complain that sales people are pushy and salesmen are liars and then they pat themselves on the back for being such nice guys.

Did you see Beverly Hills Cop? The hero, Eddie Murphy, he's a salesman. The other guys, they're Jason Pankows. But here's something funny. When you first read Jason's postings you might think that he's as far from being a salesman as anyone could be.

I mean, he's got an article that tells recruiters they have to eat, sleep and breathe the corporate culture. And after you see that you say to yourself: a salesman is an individual, a hunter, a real American -- and this guy doesn't have an independent bone in his body.

But don't kid yourself. Panky is a salesman too. He might have merged his identity with Big Brother's but what do cult members normally do? They try to convert people. And this guy is watching like a hawk for any opportunity to show the candidate that he's just like him.

"You played frisbee at college? Me too. You like softball? We've got a league." Just like any salesman Jason is trying to reel the guy in. It might be soft sales -- for cream puffs -- but sales it is no matter how much he denies it.

And again, how different is it, really from what the used car salesman does? My friend, The Funny Banker, says that all sales is lying. That sounds outrageous, I know, but in a way, it's true. If you put your best foot forward you're hiding your worst foot, aren't you? And, I'll bet you dollars for donuts that anyone who sees himself as a missionary for of the corporate culture isn't focusing on the downside of the job.

Feedback
I spent many years denying my "salesman" mentality. My breaks came when I embraced exactly what you describe: I have the guts to talk to people I don't know, I rarely take "no" for an answer, and I am not afraid to ask again... I'll keep my worst foot well behind the other, thank you very much.
-- Rayanne Trumbo

Pose as a career consultant to sell candidates on jobs

Margaret Graziano says:
If you act like a career consultant, candidates will trust you.

So, forget about the job you are trying to fill for 45 minutes and get to know the candidate well. Just like a career consultant would. Then have a great sell.

Internet Makes Recruiters Wimps

The HR Capitalist claims that the internet has made recruiters into sissies.

Between 2004 and 2006 everyone had an email account and checked it regularly. All that you, as a recruiter, had to do was email a job description to potential candidates and you would hear back from them toot sweet.

Since 2007 everyone has more than one email address. And the email addresses on their old resumes are rarely checked so you have to track old candidates down by phone.

But after the internet has protected you from direct contact with the public for a few years, you find that you've been transformed into a shy and delicate little wimp. What should you do? Man up and get on the phone. Once you get a few cold calls under your belt, you won't feel so frightened.

Recruiters Must Reflect Company Culture

Jason Pankow is a Company Man.

Independent-minded Jason Pankow believes that recruiters must make themselves walking talking advertisements for their company culture.

According to Panky, a recruiter has to live the culture to convey it to others. And it has to define her in more than merely the technical aspects of her job.

For instance, in her clothing: "I wear laid back clothes". (Blue jeans and a t-shirt that says La Buena Vida).

In her office decor: My office is more than business paraphernalia. I've got bobbleheads, Seattle Mariners gear, and we make games so I've got posters of games (made by my company and others) and an Xbox and TV.

And in her feelings and her chit chat conversations:
"You played Ultimate Frisbee in college? Me, too!"
"Did I tell you about the company league that plays weekly on campus?
My team got creamed."

I wonder how many times he's had that Frisbee conversation? And this from a guy who brags that he isn't a salesman. Okay, he's a company man. But, tell me, which is worse?

The Professional Bar of Recruiting

(Audio version here)

You know why I don't play that cool jazz for an introduction on The Recruiting Animal Show that a lot of shows use? It's because we aren't cool, we're hot. This is a hot show. A fun show. But, you know, a lot of people they don't get that. All they want to do is make themselves look good. You know what I'm saying? So let me tell you a little story about what happened to me recently.

There was a novice recruiter who was very ambitious and she wanted to punch above her weight and play in the deep end as quickly as possible. So, she asked me if she could come on this show and I said "Of course, you can dear". And she was very excited at the thought of playing with the big boys. But her so-called pals didn't think she could handle it and they immediately started bugging me to lower the diving board.

"Animal, I love your show," one guy told me, "But you're scaring people away. Everyone thinks you're the enemy and pretty soon you won't be able to get any guests."

"Oh no!" I said, "What should I do?".

"Well," he said, "You should lob your guests some easy questions and then just let them talk."

"You mean I should let them ramble on and say whatever they want? And if your little friend wants to deliver a canned speech about recruiting kindergarten, I should just let that happen. Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes, yes," he said, "Exactly. It's going to be really interesting."

Well she came on and even though these losers, who have no respect for my audience, tried to lob her cues for canned answers it still turned out to be a pretty good show. I liked it and I'm a tough judge. You ask Dave Manaster. He had to talk me down from the ledge many times in the early days (over Instant Messenger).

So then, this girl gets on her video diary and delivers an academy awards acceptance speech for her performance on the show. And who does she thank? The Recruiting Animal for making her interesting? No! She thanks all those other guys who tried to bring the show down!

And what does she say about me? "Well," she said, "I think I proved that I know my stuff. Even though The Recruiting Animal Show is not a professional bar."

Not a professional bar? What does that mean? Let's look at the panel on that show. First of all, there was me. And what am I, borscht? And Maureen Sharib and David Manaster. What are they, chopped liver? And Clifford Mintz. He's got a PhD for Pete's sake.

Of course, Dennis and Paul were there too and they're pretty smart guys but they blew their brains out before they arrived. I don't know what happened but they turned into a couple of lapdogs. Actually, I do know what happened (and so do you) but I don't want to say it in public and embarrass them.

You know, a few days ago, I was talking to Jessica Lee on Twitter and she told me she doesn't like my show. She likes the hard stuff, she said. And I said, "Honey, I've got news for you. I am the hard stuff." So listen, you guys out there in Recruiterland, if you cant take it, stick with the gingerale! 'Cause this is the Recruiting Animal Show not Tiny Talent Time.

And as far as I know, the only professional bar in recruiting is the kind that serves chicken wings. But if superstars go there, you're going to find today's guest leaning against it. His name is Craig Silverman and we all know him as the Executive Vice President of Hireability but now he's got a new job and he's going to tell us what he had to do to get it.

So all you kiddies, it's time to change the channel or put on your diapers because I want you to join me and Craig Silverman on the Recruiting Animal Show!

A Showman's Cold Call

Harry Joiner, the Marketing Headhunter, used to be in a rock band and he's still a showman. He starts every cold call like this:

HARRY: Hi Mary. Do you know who I am?

MARY: No

HARRY: So, you have NO idea who I am?

MARY: No

HARRY: Huh. You know nothing about me …

MARY: No [but now she's racking her brain to figure out who he is because it sounds like she should know].

HARRY: Okay. It happens. I’m Harry Joiner, and I’m a marketing headhunter specializing in ecommerce and new media. In fact, … are you online right now? … Okay, Google “marketing headhunter” … Last year I closed VP-level deals for some of America’s best loved brands, like X, Y, and Z …”

Comment: Harry claims that his boast makes people feel like they are doing their friends a favor by introducing them to him. And I'm sure that this works -- for Harry. But, again, he's a showman with a special talent for communicating . Most people could not pull this off.

Johanna Rothman Interviews The Recruiting Animal

I've admired Johanna Rothman since I heard her fantastic interview with Roy Osherove in March 2005.

So I was very pleased when she recently interviewed me.

She made me look good like I knew that she would -- and she's agreed to appear on The Recruiting Animal Show in the near future.

Internet Recruiting - Free Webcast

PRICE: FREE

FROM: The Human Capital Institute

DATE: February 14th, 2008
TIME: 1:00 - 2:00PM ET.

TOPIC: Internet Recruiting 2.0 - The Flow of Information.

REGISTER HERE. Description here.

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