Choosing to write a blog about having humility- truly remembering to be human- in recruitment is necessary in a world which is ever changing, with AI altering how candidates experience a recruitment process and companies hire their staff; however, I felt rather compelled to share my views as a podcast I listened to recently only bolstered my view that by being the best humans we can be in our sector, we ensure we are future-proofing ourselves in a technology-led world and it is a stark reminder that ultimately it is a HUMAN business we are in!
The podcast I am referring to was broadcast on The School of Greatness podcast (Stitcher) – have a listen as the guest talks passionately about the conflict of confidence in business versus humility and it is this latter point that I believe lacks in the recruitment sector which is what I want to explore in this blog
The archetypal recruiter has historically been cast as a cocky 20-something, with stacks of confidence, oozing charm and charisma and with more balls than a Wimbledon tennis court… however, there is a seismic shift in my opinion as the market becomes ever more congested with recruitment companies and the ever-increasing ginormous threat of AI over the longevity of actual humans getting humans their next role…..this is an Armageddon warning to the Wolf of Wall Street. Embrace your humanity now before you make yourself extinct….
I have always maintained that nice people can be successful in recruitment (and business generally!)- there has always been a misinformed view that you have to be uber-competitive and cut-throat to make it in this recruitment world. I am hoping my connections, readers and subscribers will agree that I have always broken the rule with this by being honest, kind, caring and nice to everyone I have partnered….. call people back, tell people they aren’t being progressed, being honest throughout the process….
If every recruiter had to stop the way they had been trained and just focused their energy on listening to what the candidate seeking their help and the client trusting them actually wanted and replacing SALES and pushiness with CARE and empathy, ok maybe there would be less activity for a KPI matrix, but I bet you now there would be a better strike rate, lower ratios as the way you then recruit is by putting the HUMAN factor back into the whole reason recruiters exist….. to CONSULT clients on their hiring needs and candidates on their career options.
Brave employers need to think about the core values they post on their websites and paint in large letters on their board room walls- you talk about integrity and honesty but really you just care about profit and the size of your bonus cheque….
When did the sector lose sight of what we are here to do? Get people new jobs. We are changing peoples lives – quite literally.
I am not naive, I know that AI and Technology have simplified a lot of the process of elimination and selection for large companies and this will continue to evolve and impact recruitment.
The human factor must never be forgotten as there will come a time, to anyone and everyone reading this where you once again become the job seeker and will wish that the recruiter had taken heed of my comments to remember your feelings in the process.
