Sucking Eggs, correctly

"Yeah I've Recruited before. I had to hire people for my team. I know what you do, its your core job, what do you mean you cannot hire everyone we think we need? I mean I know how difficult it can be at times. But I read the news, I know what is going on in the world, this isn't one of those times. You're job must be easy now. There must be candidates everywhere, I mean how hard can it be to hire in a recession"

Ahhhh I love being in the Recruitment world. Especially in a Corporate environment, we're lucky really. We have so many people who can and will offer you advice. In fact nearly every single person in the organisation will have an opinion as to how and where and how quickly you should be hiring. There seems to be an omnipotence as far as a knowledge of this mythical thing called "the market".

One of the most challenging parts of any Recruitment role I believe is client education. Getting them to listen to the real version of the market (well according to me anyways) as opposed to the media beat up, hyperbole and assumptions that people are prone to. Don't make excuses, just tell it how it is. Do you know it is not "just you" who can't find the people they want? Try to back it up with more than just anecdotes. They'll think you are just making excuses.

This has been one of my bug bears for a number of years, here are a few points I've used to try to combat my lemon sucking lessons. (My other Bugbear, joke! I've always wondered what a bugbear was.. thanks Google)

1/ Listen
2/ Be open and transparent
3/ Be honest
4/ Be factual and clear, most C level people have a decent BS monitor.
5/ Get some facts and stats to back up your argument
6/ Forward articles agreeing with your point of view.
7/ Remind people that being made redundant is not a blot on your career. It's like blogging. It just happens.
8/ Advise to not opportunistically hire people at a lower rate than you should do, just because you can, keep your employer brand intact. (Bad business karma I think)
9/ Find different ways, mediums to get your message across
10/ Be consistent and strong, don't be bullied into agreeing into something you don't agree with.
11/ Actively look for effective cost savings
12/ Get C levels involved in using technology to help (ie show possibilities of Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin etc)
13/ Know (and be active in) your "market", your demographic, your region
14/ Prove you know it. Be involved with all areas of the business, add value to discussions which will show you understand the market, the movements and the players in it. (ie know client or competitor is laying people off in a certain area or hiring even)
15/ Don't be afraid to annoy and challenge some people
16/ Be Patient and calm
17/ Find a sponsor in the business
18/ Don't be arrogant, defensive or too aggressive
19/ BE RIGHT!
20/ FIND A WAY TO FIND AND HIRE THOSE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND PEOPLE ANYWAY

I'm sure there would be more, but these are the ones off the top of my head. Please let me know ideas

There is also the final little known clause... avoid the "I told you so dance" when you are proven correct.

Two things to live by... Add VALUE, let your bosses look good by giving them all the information they could require if pushed by Boards or other C level executives.

DELIVER, find a way. Continuously being able to solve business problems with your skill in finding the right people at the right time, will give you and your theories (or excuses if you want) that much more credibility.

.........and finally, remember, you all want the same thing, to hire quality people, at the right quantity at the right time for the future success of a project, a team, a department, a business. Find a way to start acting like it.