| It sounds like the beginning of an | | | | works. Conversely, a shift in philosophy |
| off-colour joke: what is the only | | | | for an HR manager involves defining |
| industry where the salespeople control | | | | talent more broadly than recruiters do |
| the quality of the product they're | | | | and to refrain from passing judgment on |
| hawking? The answer of course is the | | | | potential employees based strictly on |
| recruitment industry. Yet despite this | | | | the hard skills (or lack thereof) on |
| truism, one of Australia's leading | | | | their resumes. |
| recruiters, author Toby Marshall, is | | | | "It continues to amaze me: most |
| convinced the sector is fundamentally | | | | companies hire on skill and fire on |
| failing employers and jobseekers alike. | | | | fit", says Mr. Marshall. He points out |
| Whether in person or in his new book, | | | | that to locate people with the precise |
| Get great people: Your roadmap to hiring | | | | skills to do a particular job, hire |
| the best, Mr. Marshall doesn't mince | | | | them, and discover that they aren't a |
| words about the industry charged with | | | | good fit for the culture of the company, |
| rounding up willing and able workers for | | | | and then get rid of them, is a costly |
| eager bosses facing a scarcity of | | | | and inefficient way to operate. |
| skilled labour. For starters, he doesn't | | | | Conversely, to hire workers who are an |
| believe there is a talent scarcity. | | | | excellent fit for the company and who |
| "It's a perceived shortage", says Mr. | | | | have some of the needed skills (or |
| Marshall, the director of Abacus | | | | skills broadly related to the needed |
| Recruitment Solutions. "People are all | | | | skills) and then train them to fill the |
| fishing in the same pond ... People | | | | gaps in their knowledge makes much more |
| believe there is a shortage because | | | | sense. Yet companies remain reluctant to |
| recruitment says there is. But you've | | | | do this. |
| got to define talent more broadly. | | | | The interviewing process is another area |
| You've got to fish differently from | | | | that needs a radical shake-up, according |
| everyone else." He says the country's | | | | to Mr. Marshall. Usually, the person who |
| current unemployment rate of just over | | | | will be the successful candidate's |
| five per cent is misleading; the | | | | direct manager along with his or her own |
| percentage of people who are | | | | direct manager are the ones who conduct |
| underemployed (he points out that one | | | | job interviews. "But what do most job |
| need only to work 90 minutes a week to | | | | ads say?" asks Mr. Marshall. "They say |
| be considered employed) is around 15 per | | | | 'we are looking for a team player'. What |
| cent. | | | | does that even mean? It usually means we |
| Mr. Marshall also doesn't put much stock | | | | want a compliant person who will work |
| in what he calls the "non-debate" that | | | | their ass off for the company." If |
| is industrial relations reforms - saying | | | | employers are serious about getting a |
| that bosses, workers and politicians all | | | | team player, Mr. Marshall says; why not |
| seem to be missing the point. The issue | | | | invite one or more members of the actual |
| isn't just creating jobs and filling | | | | team to participate in the interview? As |
| them. "The real issue is creating jobs | | | | these people will be working alongside |
| people actually want to work in", he | | | | the new employee, they may be able to |
| says. "People only want a couple of | | | | provide some insight into whether he or |
| things: we want a job where we can feel | | | | she will make a good fit for the team. |
| useful and feed our kids. Nothing else | | | | Gen Y not? |
| matters. Everything else is crap." Yet | | | | Much has been written about what the |
| time and again, Mr. Marshall says, | | | | elusive workers from Generation Y (born |
| recruiters continue to lose sight of | | | | after 1977) want in a career, and Mr. |
| what matters to workers and what | | | | Marshall holds strong opinions about |
| employers need. | | | | what it takes to recruit and retain this |
| The root of all evil | | | | pool of talent. He dismisses a recent |
| The biggest problem with traditional | | | | study that shows Gen Yers are primarily |
| recruiters is the vast majority of them | | | | concerned with how much money they will |
| work on strict commission and want 100 | | | | be making and says they are no more or |
| per cent of their fee paid up front, | | | | less greedy than anyone else. |
| regardless if the employees they supply | | | | "It's hard to pin down anything about |
| are a good fit or end up staying with a | | | | this generation, but if you can say one |
| company long enough to become | | | | thing about them it's that they travel |
| profitable. Mr. Marshall writes in his | | | | in packs", he says. "They travel in |
| book that a good recruiter needs to have | | | | packs and they want to work in an |
| experience, maturity and industry | | | | environment that is fun; [essentially] |
| knowledge, and without these | | | | they want to want to work in a good |
| prerequisites their advice becomes | | | | pack." |
| questionable. Unfortunately, the driving | | | | By taking some of the emphasis away from |
| force behind many recruiters is not to | | | | hard skills and focusing on |
| deliver thoughtful advice on which | | | | relationships between team players, |
| candidates are best suited for which | | | | companies will find it easier to acquire |
| roles, but to make a "sale" at any cost. | | | | and hold on to younger workers. Often, |
| "If the consultant's earnings are | | | | Gen Yers turn to their ever-expanding |
| commission-driven it can be difficult to | | | | network of friends, rather than the |
| receive trustworthy advice", Mr. | | | | newspaper or the web, to get the jump on |
| Marshall writes. "Over 90 per cent of | | | | good jobs. Likewise, managers should |
| recruiters are on commission-based | | | | consider hiring new workers from |
| remuneration, which undermines the | | | | existing employees' circle of friends |
| objectivity of their advice. How is your | | | | and acquaintances. There may even come a |
| consultant being paid?" | | | | day when companies will be more inclined |
| Mr. Marshall writes that it is crucial | | | | to hire whole packs of friends rather |
| to find a consultant who won't force | | | | than just individuals. |
| "bodies" or useless ads on bosses who | | | | Despite their reputation for |
| need to hire. Often, many agencies use | | | | flip-flopping from job to job, Gen Yers |
| impressive-looking senior sales people | | | | can master loyalty, says Mr. Marshall, |
| to sell to a company looking for | | | | so long as companies are willing to |
| workers, but then delegate the actual | | | | focus on what's important to them. This |
| recruiting to a junior staff member with | | | | means keeping the job and the work |
| less experience and fewer connections. | | | | environment exciting, keeping workers |
| There is tremendous turnover in the | | | | updated on where their careers are |
| recruitment field - the average tenure | | | | going, and paying them well. Many young |
| of a new consultant is only between six | | | | workers also look for companies that |
| and 11 months. Mr. Marshall says the | | | | share their values and have a conscience |
| reason why so many leave the industry so | | | | - or at least appear to have a |
| soon is because of the stress of putting | | | | conscience. "Many of these young people |
| sales over delivery. | | | | are very idealistic", says Mr. Marshall, |
| "Most young recruiters today are young, | | | | "even if they themselves do bugger all |
| untrained, inexperienced and under | | | | about it." |
| pressure", he says. "It's a very bad | | | | Some other helpful hints |
| combination." | | | | Whether hiring from Gen Y, Gen X, a |
| To improve recruiting practices, | | | | semi-retired Boomer, or someone in |
| companies need to find consultants who | | | | between, you may find yourself having to |
| are willing to take their payments over | | | | hold your nose and hire a recruiter to |
| the long haul rather than expect a full | | | | provide you with candidates. If this is |
| commission up front. Mr. Marshall | | | | the case, Get great people offers a lot |
| suggests a 25/25/50 split: 25 per cent | | | | useful questions to ask recruiters |
| when the recruiter starts working, 25 | | | | before you commission them. They |
| per cent when the recruited employee | | | | include: |
| starts working, and 50 per cent after | | | | • "What salary range is appropriate |
| about a three-month period when it's | | | | for this role? A really strong indicator |
| clear the employee has become | | | | of whether they know what is going on |
| established in the job and a good fit | | | | 'out there', in your field. Knowing the |
| for the company. | | | | salary range will also help you define |
| Unfortunately, most recruiters baulk at | | | | the type of person you are seeking. |
| the idea of delaying their commission | | | | • "Can I talk to some of your |
| payments over such a long period. The | | | | long-standing clients? If you get fobbed |
| trend is to keep the notion of | | | | off on this question it is very |
| recruitment divorced from the notion of | | | | revealing - and a real danger sign. |
| retention. In other words, most | | | | • "Do you provide the applicant's |
| consultants take the money, fill the job | | | | original resume? This is an important |
| and run. | | | | point, as many consultants retype the |
| An in-sourced solution | | | | resumes before they hand them to you. |
| Mr. Marshall writes in his book: | | | | Why? To standardise the resume and put |
| "The simple truth is: most people can be | | | | it on the recruiter's letterhead - it's |
| good employees if they are in the right | | | | branding their company. If they retype, |
| job and the right company at the right | | | | insist they give you the original resume |
| stage in their career. Beware the | | | | also. The original will give you useful |
| recruitment consultant who tells you | | | | information such as how the applicant |
| otherwise and tries to convince you they | | | | writes, how they present on paper, and |
| have 'great people' on their books." | | | | perhaps some important negative |
| One of the main arguments of Get great | | | | information about them (you will find |
| people is that too often talented | | | | that the recruiter's standardisation |
| workers end up in the wrong place at the | | | | sometimes loses negatives!)" |
| wrong time of their careers. How do | | | | In the end, recruiting good workers is a |
| talented people end up in the wrong job? | | | | lot like fishing, and if you find you |
| Mr. Marshall writes: | | | | aren't getting many nibbles, perhaps |
| • "They focus on money and not other | | | | it's time to consider pulling up anchor, |
| important factors | | | | changing your bait, and casting your |
| • "They were pushed into it by a | | | | line in an entirely different pond. |
| recruitment consultant who was keen to | | | | Toby has worked for nearly 20 years in |
| 'sell' them to the company regardless of | | | | recruitment. His focus is on creative |
| fit." | | | | recruitment to solve his client's |
| If companies want to avoid the pitfalls | | | | employment problems, and on reducing |
| of traditional recruitment, HR managers | | | | their risk of recruiting the wrong |
| must realize they have the power to take | | | | employee. His formal studies were in |
| charge of their own hiring - provided | | | | economics, and he has an MBA from a top |
| they cherry pick sensible strategies | | | | 50 international business school. |
| from the recruitment industry and marry | | | | In 2005 he published the Amazon best |
| them to a broader philosophy about | | | | seller, Get Great People - a practical |
| employment. For example: one of the | | | | guide on how to recruit employees and |
| mistakes HR managers often make is | | | | the whole topic of Recruitment and |
| buying one-time ads in newspapers or on | | | | Selection. Toby is an active speaker on |
| the web each time a position becomes | | | | the international conference circuit. He |
| available. Mr. Marshall suggests doing | | | | speaks on Recruitment and Selection; The |
| what the recruiters do - buying bundles | | | | Changing World of Employment - How to |
| of 10 ads and advertising a position | | | | Recruit; and The Great Staff Scarcity |
| four times. A simple strategy, but it | | | | Myth. |