High Turnover in the Recruiting Industry (and Why?)
I started my recruiting career in Long Beach, California right at the time of the 2008 recession. Even still, being from a small-town USA in Georgia, I was bright eyed and energized by the newness of the world on the west coast: unlimited seventy degreed, sunshine days and highways that paralleled the glittering coast. But, with a degree in Literature and Creative Writing and really not sure at all what I wanted to do in my career, I aimlessly posted my resume on one of the well-known job boards, not sure what to expect.?
Much quicker than anticipated, I received an email reach out from a small consulting company who had also created a recruiting branch, made up of just three other talent professionals.?Aware of my ignorance to the corporate world, the email very simply defined the role as “matching people to jobs”. Admittedly, this sounded like an “easy-in” for a big girl job. Who couldn’t match someone to a job? Plus, the role was less than 3 miles from my small duplex residence and - having just relocated, with limited transportation options - this couldn’t be better in terms of location. It was perfect!?
I walked into the office; a sky-high building off Ocean Avenue that viewed the Queen Mary and port from the right window. The sunlight pouring into the interviewing office, I was motivated from the get go. I knew I wanted this job. I could not believe I was given the opportunity to work a position outside of the waitressing and customer service jobs I had been doing since aged 15 and in the world of “Laguna Beach”! (My 22 year old brain). It has been an adventure since. Full of joys and highs - that exuberance only a recruiter can understand when getting a job filled and person HIRED! And low, lows. Really low…
13+ years later, I have interviewed thousands of candidates prospects for a broad scope of positions, not exempting the interviewing of other recruiting potentials. Continuously, I have found myself having to explain to the credulous recruiter prospects, that “yes, the concept of the recruiting isn’t challenging to grasp BUT…”
How do you explain the intricacies of a career path that is overrun by entry-level professionals, produces multi-billons in profit and value but, yet, also “boasts” as one of the highest turnover industries you can achieve in the corporate world??
I noticed quite quickly into my career, as I competed with other companies and recruiters, that the turnover was quite notable. A turnover that supersedes most any other corporate industry. But, why??
Unrealistic expectations: I think we all get a bit shell-shocked stepping into the recruitment world and realizing just how fierce and great the competition is (ever heard of VMS recruiting? Oy…) Unfortunately, what many fail to realize as they migrate into the dog-eat-dog recruiting world is that you can’t ‘simply' locate a mutually aligned, interested candidate for a role (which is a feat in itself). If you are a 3rd party recruiter, agency recruiter, etc. you are bound to contracts that disallow you to represent candidates who have already been in contact with the supported company for any reason within 6 months (or so) OR, if that candidate applies to the role on their own accord before you have been able to present them to the client, they are no longer represented by you. OR, while you are supporting a requisition, unless (you are in the world of the glorious “exclusive agreement” which isn’t incredibly common) you are competing against X amount of other recruiters for that same talent and working feverishly to be the “first to the punch”! It is constant and panic-inducing to always, always be off to the races. But, again, that’s the way of the world here.
The Grind and RESILIENCE: My father and I have had many conversations on the similarities of the recruiting industry and real estate business. So much of recruiting and real estate work is lots of effort with little result. But, when you do get a “win” it is substantial. This is why we congratulate colleagues with such enthusiasm when a single hire is achieved and this is why even an average of ONE hire a month (depending on the roles you support) is excellent success.?
Here is some recruiter math and a real life example of a role I worked on recently:?
For a single role I was supporting I reached out via cold emailing and calling to 271 prospective candidates I had located. 40-something responded, less than half of those were actually potentially interested (the others declined for varying reasons), then, of those, I interviewed seven. Of those seven, three showed mutual interest AND seemed to align with both the company value system and technical basics of the role from my perspective, however, only two of those three were actually elected by the Hiring Managers to proceed forward, and ONE was offered the job - at last. Which isn’t always the case…
How many times in recruiting do you get to that ONE offer, however, and the candidate declines? 50% of the time? And likely more in the current market, with the overwhelming company competition. Then, guess what? You start the cycle all over again. Hours and hours and hours of networking and conversations. Over and over and over again. Oh, and not to forget that most of us are recruiting multiple roles at once, an average of anywhere from 10-30 requisitions at at time. So all of these cycles are happening continuously and often. First the grinding, then the stars don’t align, and you start over. Again and again. WELCOME to Recruiting!
When I first started my career, many agencies in the market were (lovingly) referred to as “sweatshops” due to the tracked and timed outbound calls and extreme micromanagement. EVERYTHING was tracked and numbered. Numbers meant everything. The industry failed to realize the value behind authentic relationships and quality connections at that time. I can’t tell you how often I heard about learned of recruiting roles that required “being tied to your desk”. At that time, it was respectable to work through your lunch and be the last one in the office. Thankfully this expectation has changed quite a bit but we did not start out great..
Lack of control: Once you have made the wonderful achievement of presenting a candidate profile to your customer/client (or directly to your company), you are now the middle-(wo)man. At the mercy of the timeline of the Hiring Manager and also the candidate. Praying the Hiring Manager provides efficient feedback, interview request, ANYTHING, etc. within the tight window of your candidate who is often actively interviewing at a number of other locations. You can only “ping” a Manager so many times before you are getting to the nuisance stage and knowing that ‘fine line’ of “pushing” and “irritating” to the point of being ignored and yet somehow maintaining a healthy, respectable relationship, is different with everyone you work with. Often too, after days of waiting you get a “Thanks but no thanks”. WHAT do you tell your candidate who has been waiting for feedback? To wait longer so you can determine further ‘what went wrong here?’ OR if there is interest from the client, is your candidate even still available or interested? It is a perfectly timed process that has you on pins and needles every time.
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I have learned all too often in the recruitment world that “timing (really) is everything!”
Your livelihood also depends on the most unpredictable of all: people. People change their minds. They “ghost”. They can be inconsistent and “slippery” for lack of a better word. This means, you never know what to expect from anyone. But, yet, as a recruiter, you are responsible for the action(s) of those you are representing and working with or, in the least, however fair or unfair, whomever you tie your name to becomes an uncertain representation of your work.?
Fulfillment: It can be hard to locate fulfillment when your job is getting other people jobs. And, let me also just state that there is a strong difference between being a recruiter and an employment agency (both very important). Recruiters work for the company who hired them, the client who owns the job opening. Employment agencies more so work for the person looking for the job. Regardless, we - recruiters- are the middle-people in many ways to both sides of the business. This gap of understanding within the market and the recruiter, as the middle people, has settled into a less than respected working environment at times. But with the right perspective and attitude, recruitment can truly offer an exceptionally challenging, rewarding career path.
We didn’t choose this life: I am not aware of a single recruiter who went to school and set an objective with intention of becoming a recruiter. Almost anyone you ask will say, “they fell into it”. It just…happens (see above). In part because the recruiting industry does target many entry-level prospects who won’t know what hit ‘em! Joking. I believe, however, that the industry does this because the feeling is that entry-level, just out of school prospects, might be the most moldable and, also too, the most naively excited (again, see above). Full of energy and motivated to prove themselves in their first taste of the corporate world. However, sooner than later, many find themselves burnt out. And, in the midst of a whirlwind of snowballing commissions and corporate happy hour distractions, pause to look around momentarily realizing…”WAIT a minute! I am not passionate about this…WHAT is this?” Save, the few of us who do have that “aha!” moment but decide we are gluttons for punishment and shall continue. Of course, I am being dramatic here. My point is, recruiting is not a career goal for almost anyone. It offers a ‘gateway-career’ to other trajectories.?
Empathy: Almost all aspects of recruiting success leans heavily on being able to understand and communicate with all people. Empathy is particularly of importance because there is a lot of direct communication and passive communication that one has to be able to determine. The said and the unsaid is just as important. Further, being able to build relationships and act out of authenticity and trust; determining what is best for the people you are working with is crucial. Talent acquisition takes time and sometimes years of building relationships so that when, at the right time, the stars do align, and you can “match the (right) person to the (right) job.”?
Extreme time management, detail orientation and juggling required: enough said.?
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As with any career, there is almost a limitless ‘list’ of what could make one successful and - of course - this can’t always be defined so formulaically. However, hopefully this at least sheds some slight light on the recruiting challenges that may contribute to the 35%+ industry turnover and what should be expected beyond the simple thought of “matching people to jobs”.?
In honor of my first Recruiting “Boss”, who taught and exhibited all of these characteristics and also taught me the value of true connection?and integrity with people.?
Rest in Peace to one of the greatest: Craig Applehof?
Cited:?
https://peoplefacts.com/352-turnover-rate-staffing-industry-yes-high/; unknown. 2017
https://recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/why-so-many-recruiters-burn-out-or-fade-away; Drue De Angelis; 2012
Individual & Family Services Professional
2 年Wow...learned alot from this compilation !! Now I better understand the? Job Search journey and how a Recruiter fits in. ??