Sucking Eggs, Correctly

From ERE Exchange on May 27, 2009

"Yeah I've Recruited before. I had to hire people for my
team. I know what you do, its your core job, what do you mean you
cannot hire everyone we think we need? I mean I know how difficult it
can be at times. But I read the news, I know what is going on in the
world, this isn't one of those times. You're job must be easy now.
There must be candidates everywhere, I mean how hard can it be to hire
in a recession"

Ahhhh I love being in the Recruitment world. Especially in a Corporate
environment, we're lucky really. We have so many people who can and
will offer you advice. In fact nearly every single person in the
organisation will have an opinion as to how and where and how quickly
you should be hiring. There seems to be an omnipotence as far as a
knowledge of this mythical thing called "the market". One of the most
challenging parts of any Recruitment role I believe is client
education. Getting them to listen to the real version of the market
(well according to me anyways) as opposed to the media beat up,
hyperbole and assumptions that people are prone to. Don't make excuses,
just tell it how it is. Do you know it is not "just you" who can't find
the people they want? Try to back it up with more than just anecdotes.
They'll think you are just making excuses.
This has been one of my bug bears for a number of years, here are a few
points I've used to try to combat my lemon sucking lessons.

1/ Listen

2/ Be open and transparent

3/ Be honest

4/ Be factual and clear, most C level people have a decent BS monitor.

5/ Get some facts and stats to back up your argument

6/ Forward articles agreeing with your point of view.

7/ Remind people that being made redundant is not a blot on your career. It's like blogging. It just happens.

8/ Advise to not opportunistically hire people at a lower rate than
you should do, just because you can, keep your employer brand intact.
(Bad business karma I think)

9/ Find different ways, mediums to get your message across

10/ Be consistent and strong, don't be bullied into agreeing into something you don't agree with.

11/ Actively look for effective cost savings

12/ Get C levels involved in using technology to help (ie show possibilities of Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin etc)

13/ Know (and be active in) your "market", your demographic, your region

14/ Prove you know it. Be involved with all areas of the business,
add value to discussions which will show you understand the market, the
movements and the players in it. (ie know client or competitor is
laying people off in a certain area or hiring even)

15/ Don't be afraid to annoy and challenge some people

16/ Be Patient and calm

17/ Find a sponsor in the business

18/ Don't be arrogant, defensive or too aggressive

19/ BE RIGHT!

20/ FIND A WAY TO FIND AND HIRE THOSE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND PEOPLE ANYWAY

I'm sure there would be more, but these are the ones off the top of my head. Please let me know ideas
There is also the final little known clause... avoid the "I told you so dance" when you are proven correct.

Two things to live by... Add VALUE, let your bosses look good by
giving them all the information they could require if pushed by Boards
or other C level executives.

DELIVER, find a way. Continuously being able to solve business
problems with your skill in finding the right people at the right time,
will give you and your theories (or excuses if you want) that much more
credibility.
.........and finally, remember, you all want the same thing, to hire
quality people, at the right quantity at the right time for the future
success of a project, a team, a department, a business. Find a way to
start acting like it.