Dear Barb:
Do you believe Social Media sites will put us out of business? So many of the candidates I’m finding on LinkedIn have already been sourced by my clients. Between LinkedIn and Job Boards will clients really need or pay for our services in the future?
Stella P, Madison, WI
Dear Stella:
Nothing can replace a strong working relationship between a client and a recruiter who is considered a trusted advisor. If you are perceived as a vendor and only present talent you find on Job Boards or LinkedIn, then you might be dispensable. It is your responsibility to surface top talent through your recruiting and networking efforts. These passive candidates are the top talent your clients will hire. You need to identify and utilize multiple resources to assist you in your recruiting efforts.
Make sure you provide weekly updates on your progress for all active orders so your clients know you are working on their behalf. During these updates you can often make revisions that will help you fill the orders you write. Inform your clients of trends. Position yourself as a workforce/workplace expert when you are not working on an order or contract. When you are perceived as a trusted advisor, your clients will take you wherever they go because they value you. Recruiting has been, is, and always will be a relationship building profession! Classified ads didn’t replace recruiters and neither will Social Media!
Barbara J. Bruno, CPC, CTS
Would you like to Ask Barb a question? Email her at support@staffingandrecruiting.com. Each month in The Fordyce Letter print edition, Barbara Bruno answers questions from individuals in the Recruiting Profession. We will bring you some of these Q&A responses from Barb each week on FordyceLetter.com.