Job Offers!!! Why the ATS Job Search KILLED the NOW 50+ Mindset + Mojo Are MISTAKENLY letting a computer decide their fate? WTH? That's ridiculous!

Recruiting in the 1990's was terrific. I started recruiting when I was 19 years old. In 2001 - I experienced my first recession. Not terrific. In fact horrific. I was so naive it's ridiculous and a few times a week I think what I would've done now in retrospect some of it haunts me. How FOOLISH I was (you don't have to feel that way if you work with me obvs!)

I miss the days of Sex+The City, the 1990's and NO ATS Systems. I miss the days of recruiters being real recruiters and not having journalists who never worked a recruiting desk telling people what to do when they lose their job or how to interview. It's ridiculous to long for the days of the Meat Packing industry before it turned into DisneyWorld. But here I am reminiscing because watching people struggle daily here in their searches and reading my inboxes is really frustrating.

I recently took a poll on LinkedIn it stated that only 5% of people (who took the poll) were affected by 2001's recession. I was SHOCKED I really was - the .com recession as they call it was BRUTAL for me. I couldn't believe it - I was in the 5% that struggled for a few years post the 2001 recession?!?!?! When I look back it was 2001 to 2007 that defined me and that makes me the recruiter I am today.

When you excel in a recession - you're built for anything that can be thrown at you. However going through it is HELL.

When you think about how much you know about recruiting - you really don't know a ton. It's not what you do. You do your job and you do it so very well! Many people are quick to comment that recruiters are the worst. Really? The worst? They're a free service to you - how are they the worst? It's free. If you don't like CLOWNS don't go to the circus (I love clowns - not the creepy ones!)

The worst is actually HR. They're the ones who ask the recruiters to find people for them - many recruiters are so screwed over it's incomprehensible and there are terrific recruiters out there.

The recruiters who started in the 70's or 80's or early 90's (91 for me) will share that before hot jobs arrived on the scene - it was incredible.

Before HR existed (ugh) it was Personnel and Payroll/Benefits department.

The creation of HR is up there with the horrific creation of uploading your resume to a site you'll never hear from again only to hear a ping in your in box when they reject your resume that you uploaded saying your skill set doesn't fit what they're looking for -

No human ever viewed your resume so they're relying on AI and strict ridiculous parameters for searches that honestly probably don't exist and if they do there's no due date on that hiring.

When I think about recruiting in the 1990's it was incredible because you had to WORK. You had to meet people in PERSON. Shake their hands. They had to TRUST you that you'd find them the best people who wouldn't make you look bad and most especially the hiring manager.

I only had ONE person ever be let go from a firm I placed. It was a freelancer. It was his first day. I knew I shouldn't have placed him - I went against my grain. It was at Avon. He was rude to an administrative assistant he insulted her shoes. I got a call from a senior manager screaming at me GET HIM OUT OF HERE. Only one time and it haunts me to this day. I worked so hard to perfect what I did for a living and I do that every day 32 years later. This next recession? I'm ready for it and so is my staff.

This morning someone sent me their resume (he was/is lovely) and when he sent my phone call to his VM I texted him to say it's Lauren McDonald you sent me your resume.

He wrote back yes I sent me your resume.

I AM 52 years old. I do NOT do my business over LinkedIn, or text messages. I CALL PEOPLE because you LIST your phone number on your resume.

Then we spoke I think he was surprised I called.

I learned how to recruit at the age of 19 in 1991 and I'm grateful I did.

Because of that I'll survive whatever recession/depression is on the way to our world.

Nothing can replace communication in the from of Human to Human. Nothing.

If a transactional job search is what you're looking at now I wouldn't be the best person for that. I'm for communicating LIVE on the phone.

I've developed thousands of incredible relationships over the years.

Pick up the phone. And do me a favor - when you send your resume and someone calls you remember your manners - smile and maybe occasionally say thank you for the call.

Your future job offer will thank you.

ATS's took the human out of job searches - it's your responsibility to represent yourself as if you're not a robot before your role is replaced by one.

If you get my emails and you don't write me back - I understand you're busy but if you BLINK TWICE I know Corporate America isn't holding you hostage :)

Happy Thursday. Go YANKEES! #GOGOGO #youvegotthis