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The funnel approach to recruiting seems pretty tiring:

• What will get me the most candidates?  A favorite among hiring managers and usually implies that “somewhere in this pile of crap is a pony”
• What source will most likely get me the hire?  A favorite among recruiters and implies that “because I have a favorite hammer, I’m going to hammer this search into submission.
• Will you make your hire-by-date?  A favorite among recruiting or HR management and implies that “I don’t give a crap what you do or use, just make the delivery time.”

Generalizations?  Absolutely.  Yet we’re all guilty of think along these lines at some point.  This week, I was feeling particularly guilty.  I knew I was missing the bigger picture.  So I went off and looked for another angle.  I looked at the number of applicants versus hires by source for this fiscal year across all hires (temp and perm).  We’re talking about conversions here or, more specifically, the “conversion ratio”.

Here’s are some of my findings mixed in with my initial reactions:

• More isn’t necessarily better: Duh.  Examples of this include our career site and job boards, which as a source, has a conversion ratio of 00.5% and 00.8% respectively.  ”Effectiveness” comes to mind – or really, the lack there of.
• Clarification is key: Defining and setting expectations can only help your partners, your employees your would-be-candidates to better select initial fit upfront.
• Over fishing? Employee referrals, as a source, has a conversion ratio of 10%.  As a source of hire it’s 45% of our hires.  I wonder if this could leave of disappointed employees.  Sure employees can see the status of their submissions and we do call all employee referrals.  Yet the employee could be disappointed if only 1 in 10 of their referrals get hired, not to mention the recruiter workload in this area is felt.  Further investigation will be required.  Perhaps different forms of employee recognition could be in order
• Agencies can be helpful: Agencies, as a source, has a conversion ratio of 2%. That’s pretty good. If they are selected and managed carefully, agencies can have a great ROI.  Clarity of requirements and timely feedback from the client are critical, but often-overlooked investments by corporate clients.  I must note that we’re quick to “un-assign”  agencies that don’t deliver.  To be fair, I don’t have that kind of control over my other sources.  I turn off my corporate jobs page, now can I?
• Testing 1, 2, 3: Conversions, as a source, has a ratio of 100%.  The try-before-you-buy approach works and the current economic climate makes this even more attractive.

How would your sources or behaviors change if you knew your conversion ratios?

Photo by Joe Pemberton… and, no, I’m not trying to convert anyone to “become a PC”.

If we’re not recruiting or being a career guidance counselor as recruiters, then we’re probably looking for next gig.  The latter reminders us to heed our own job searching advice.  A recent article by the One-Minute Career Coach entitled Smart Moves For A Dirty Job Market in Money magazine (August 2008), keeps things simple.  I’ve added some comments too:

• Don’t pin all your hopes on a headhunter.  That’s right, you should avoid, well, your own kind: a) Unless your an executive, companies aren’t paying the finder fees as much these days and b) If you can’t negotiate and represent yourself as a recruiter, its time for another line of work
• Update your Linkedin profile.  This is your resume, your marketing piece to the world.  Make sure its the best, most accurate packaging of you.  You’ve used Linkedin to find people, but the truth is, as Shally Steckerl puts it, it is about you being found.  Whether you need a job or a candidate.  Due to the marketplace meltdown, Linkedin use is on the rise.
• Don’t look only within your current industry.  Check out indirect competitors up and down your last/current employer’s industry pipeline
• Go niche.  Why compete with the masses for jobs that scream “average”?  Yes, you have posted there, but we’ll save that for another talk
• Offer something of value.  This is my additional point.  Finding, serving and closing candidates is done by a lot of recruiters – what makes you special?  Perhaps “how” you do this noteworthy, but don’t bet on it.  Find something that makes you outstanding or remarkable.  Perhaps it is your command of the industry marquee players or a project that can be tied directly to improving the top or bottom line.  This is the one area stand out and not be a recruiting meme.
• If you are actively looking, please read this post and let me know if you’d like you’re name up on it too.

Today’s post by Kevin Wheeler (who is a smart and good guy) fired me up this morning.  Yes there are a lot of things in social media (SM) for a recruiter to use.  The “how” isn’t difficult for recruiters.  Where they get SM wrong is on the “why”.  If only see yourself as a hammer, you’re going to try to nail everything.  This is looks silly when recruiters behave this way with SM and why Josh Letourneau’s post is rings uncomfortably true.

Here’s my response to Kevin’s post:

Kevin get’s it partial credit for a good post.  Yes these are great tools…

The problem is with what most assume the definition of “tool” is versus what many of these items are: social media.

Social media isn’t just about marketing (or sales).  If it was it would merely be a tool.  Traditional marketing (or sales) is approached by recruiters as a way of finding people and TELLING THEM WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO HEAR.  Blogs, who’s “comments” sections are sparse these days, and Linkedin are of this type (although there are some new offerings).

Social media is about a CONVERSATION between two parties.  Most recruiters aren’t intersted or know what they have to offer (besides an opportunity or their corporate brand).  You can’t effectively use Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Plurk etc. if you just want to broadcast your message.  

Why use social media then?  Because you are committed to building a community (maybe it’s with recruiters or a particular industry or a specific skill set) and will CONTRIBUTE to the conversation, not just “hit it” and give nothing in return.

Don’t have to be just a recruiter or just hammer.  Nailing things get’s real old for you and everyone sees you as just a tool.  You can be better than that.  8~)   

Photo by Darren Hester