Last night as we were driving back after a get-together, a family friend asked me- "hey, with all these firing and layoff news-how is it affecting you."?
Well, my instant smart answer was " When the jobs boom happened, it didn't affect me so the bust too would not really matter.he he"!
But I could sense from the tone, that others in the car were also wanting a serious response. So, I rallied around saying how as Executive Search firms in the hiring solutions business, our job was to help companies hire the talent they couldn't find themselves. And so while thousands were being hired every month, most companies didn't need to be dependent on external bandwidth. And that the present layoffs-the media goes ga ga daily over, is an overreaction. Companies, in order to grow faster, right size from time to time, and occasionally remove the 'dead wood' to remain cost effective. It is indeed sad that most may not have upgraded their skills or paid too much heed to add value, as their salaries had multiplied over the past decade. Most being replaced in India -are perhaps in the middle management levels, ie 20-30lacs salary level who make way for 2 or 3 junior folks, employed at 6-8lacs, aided with technology..for a higher ROI.
And so, companies will continue to need extraordinary talent or game-changers-and so, even in a recession, Specialist recruiters are more in demand..as they have access or can influence some star performers- who can 'raise the bar' for any employer.
To simply say “Hakuna Matata” or in more colloquial terms, “no worries,” when a problem comes your way is equivalent to saying, “ I am actually very worried but I am too scared/lazy/ambivalent/insert-other-negative-adjective-about-not-being-proactive to do anything about it.”
As I woke up this morning, I reflected-was I being too casual? Or flippant? Hence this rather long post to think aloud.
(As a person who began his corporate career in 1984 in India when the biggest employers were Banks and Govt PSUs and people worked until their retirement. I became a recruiter in 1992, by choice, in hindsight the best time as Liberalisation happened, & have been 'helping others find their calling'. Over time, the internet happened, email was born, job portals became popular, and job hopping as opportunities opened up. y2k. Onsite employment. Dotcom bust. 9/11. Offshoring...life goes on, with globalisation affecting our daily lives increasingly...)
Well, I must admit, I have been proactive as a recruiter, and here are somethings that I have been doing to reinvent the way I work, and add value to my stakeholders
-I have been an early adopter of social media, which has now become the de facto window to my world. It has helped me constantly upgrading my skills, listening to podcasts/webinars of a diverse set of subject matter experts, and learn, share and compare notes with a large network.
- I have invested in myself -by subscribing, being certified, and use the state-of-art tools to keep in sync with the technological solutions to the different disruptions happening all around us. Have personally spent a fortune trying out a bevvy of products that are launched -paid and freemiums- that leverage on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (MI)..and be sensitive to the analytics/trends.
-Networking with several different specialists in Recruitment, be it among the 470+ partners of NPA, the Worldwide Recruiting Network, but also investing in building a platform of affiliates, courtesy BNI, the world's largest Referral Network, that has been at the forefront of changing the way Business is being done globally by being part of "power teams" that help in influencing their customers by improved collaboration.
That has helped me add value to my customers- who seek hiring solutions- be it permanent hire, or temporary staffing, or Interim Management. And of course value added services like recruitment audit for small companies ( with lesser than 100 employees who do not have the luxury of having an internal senior HR professional), improve their hiring efficiency ( eg a no brainer idea like training an interview panel on what to look for..), use social media for hiring to attract the 'not so obvious' prospects, based on the stage of their lifecycle of growth !
You see, my mandates are in the business of finding 'people for jobs'.And yes, as a spin-off, in Outplacement, in the event of companies in the unfortunate situation of having to let go their valued employees.
Consequently, 'finding jobs for people', I have been able to focus on a making a difference to a few -who believe in my insights, by offering them a 'prepaid career coaching service'- namely AskMenon.com
"What? You mean I have to pay you, and not be assured of a job? No other recruiter does that!"
Fortunately, I try to use an analogy which is easier to relate..that of the doctors.
In a world where one can google for any information, and we can easily self-medicate, with access to pharmacies in every lane, we still go to doctors..right? And pay them for their insights for their consulting -with no assurance of a cure?
And so, AskMenon.com has a feature that allows one to schedule a call -a la outpatient consulting. And some offline packages -a la inpatient treatment, depending on the complexity of the need( with varied emphasis on critiquing resume/Linkedin profile and brainstorming!), say
-job search
-career growth
-leadership
Well, the extended networks have given me the luxury of being privy to global opportunities, leveraging the goodwill of over 1300 recruiters, 216k business owners across 65 countries willing to open up their relationships, -all at arm's length or a click away!
We are in the midst of a decade -a VUCA world- that has been changing faster than ever. Luck is what happens when Preparation Meets Opportunity.
And we need all the help -to keep ourselves sane, productive, and relevant! I am open to learning more from you. Thanks for staying with me on this journey. Do feel free to reach me offline. How can I help YOU?
Psst, The best jobs don't always go to the best. Often it happens to the right person at the right place and the right time. Stay connected!!
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