By Eve Lessard / Illustration by Stephanie Chan
You look for stars. You look for the makeup of artists who can have long lasting careers and who could be headliners. – Clive Davis
The man who launched the careers of Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Patti Smith and Sean “Puffy” Combs could teach us all something about recruiting. He would probably concede, however, that finding great talent – whether you run a record label or a small business – isn’t what it used to be. Recruiting evolves, and fast. A decade ago, most companies posted ads in the newspaper, that soon-to-be-relic of a simpler time. Since then, a little thing called the internet (not to mention its social media offshoots) has changed the field of recruiting as much as it has changed the music industry. Predicting the future of recruitment is as difficult as predicting new ways that Kanye West can embarrass himself, but there are a few areas that job seekers and employers should watch in 2010.
Number #1: The Recovery
Thanks to the recession, prepare for the biggest movement of resources in recent memory. The latest economic forecasts suggest that Canada’s recovery, unlike the recovery in the U.S., will not be “jobless.” The sheer mass of unemployed, under-employed and others who have parked themselves in their current jobs to wait out the tough times mean that 2010 will still be an employer’s market.
That said, some companies will have turnover at levels they have never seen, let alone prepared for. The depth and scope of job cuts during the last 18 months means that the spike in turnover will be higher than other recent downturns. Forecasting when the turnover will peak is difficult, which means that employers should look at how to retain key staff – the ones holding the company together – so they have their strongest employee base when the recession is truly over. The good people are the first to move when times are tough.
Number #2: Look Long, Look Hard
Just because a recession is over doesn’t mean companies are going to spend more money to find people. Unlike the lavish spending in the early 2000s, access to capital will be tight – and the capital that is available will go toward projects that generate direct revenue. Some sectors such as healthcare and law enforcement require specific, highly trained workers, and companies in these areas will continue to recruit heavily. Most industries still don’t recognize recruiting as an integral long-term strategy to generate revenue, and this is unfortunate. Job seekers, therefore, will need to be able to prove their value upfront.
Number #3: Outsource This
As companies forego the overhead cost of rebuilding anaemic HR departments, the broader trend toward outsourcing and “projectization” will affect recruiting. Job seekers should look to third-party and virtual recruiters for opportunities, not just directly to potential employers.
Number #4: Social Media Rules
Just because you’re sick of hearing about social media doesn’t mean you can ignore it. Twitter has already become a great way to find positions. The traditional post-and-pray tactic – post the job and hope the right person finds it – is more and more replaced by the prey-and-sell method of headhunters. Recruiters have recognized the power new online tools give them to reach a wider talent pool of candidates who are not actively looking. In 2010, more employers will catch on to social media’s greatest contribution: building relationships with candidates. Job seekers, meanwhile, will need to make it part of their search strategy. Some fields such as marketing and communications, for instance, may require you to master social media platforms to position yourself as an expert in your field.
Number #5: It’s Not Just Who You Know
Posting positions will still be an efficient way of finding interesting candidates. There is no significant difference between posting a job opening on an online board now and posting it in a newspaper or employment office a decade ago. While general online job boards may become extinct, niche job boards aren’t going anywhere.
Number #6: Next-Generation Management
Like job seekers, the next step for recruiters is to adapt to new tools. These new tools will need to include ways to track not only candidates who have are actively seeking work and have, but potential candidates who may not even know they are being targeted. Recruiters will need to become part-time sleuthes, often working with little upfront information about people who aren’t actively looking for a new job.
Number #7: Mobile Recruiting
The final trend is more of a shot-in-the-dark: recruiters will be trying to reach more and more Gen X and Yers and the oldest of the Digital Generation where they live: on their smartphones. Who knows when – or if – companies will eventually accept job applications from your iPhone.
Category: Career Track, Entrepreneurship, First Job, Leadership, Work
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