Tweet-Savvy Recruiters Needed

As the Wall Street Journal reports, getting a job is increasingly requiring expertise in emerging trends. Knowledge of Web 2.0—including social media and search engine marketing—stands out as a skill in demand for many different types of jobs.

This doesn't just mean that our recruiters are seeking Web 2.0 expertise among applicants; recruiters need Web 2.0 skills themselves. As we embark here at the Roundtable on our 2010 initiative on improving recruiter capabilities, we hear time and again from Recruiting executives that strategic online sourcing is near the top of the list of recruiter skill gaps today.

Social media is edging out traditional Recruiting priorities for 2010, and teams need recruiters who can execute to the fullest. How should recruiters step up their game in the social media space? We're working on that—stay tuned.

Go HR

In case you missed the headlines in the Wall Street Journal this week, HR got some overdue spotlight. With organizations increasingly focused on people issues such as succession management and talent attraction, HR experience is in demand for filling board seats. It's a subtle but nice testimony to the rise in strategic nature of the HR (and Recruiting!) functions in the last fifteen years.

Coming Up: Improving Recruiter Capabilities in 2010!

We’re kicking off our 2010 work on improving recruiter capabilities here at the Roundtable, and excitement is in the air. Most Recruiting executives are focused on streamlining recruiting systems, structures, and processes, but our data shows that improving recruiter capabilities is more than three times as effective at increasing quality and reducing time to fill. There is huge opportunity here to make improvements.

As you prepare for 2010 initiatives—including things like employment branding, workforce planning, diversity recruiting, and even the possible increase in hiring volumes—consider what kinds of simple assessment and development activities your recruiters will need to get the job done in an efficient budgeting environment.

Members, plan to participate in our 2010 research on improving recruiter capabilities. You may hear from us soon!

End-of-Year Presentations

Many of us are in the midst of strategic planning and preparations for 2010 as the end of the year rolls near. For most Recruiting executives, this means making presentations—business cases, strategic plans, discussion sessions, etc. Many of us are preparing for them in a hurry as timelines before the holidays are approaching. Some quick tips for effective presentations are in order.

To inform (e.g., updates to your recruiting team and hiring managers):

• Make sure the subject fits the time allotment


• Compare difficult to grasp ideas with familiar ideas


• Use visual aides

To convince (e.g., strategic plan proposal):

• Begin in a friendly manner


• Encourage "yes" responses from audience members


• Focus on conveying respect for the audience

To inspire action (e.g., hiring manager training):

• Begin with an example or incident


• State the point of the incident and the action the audience should take


• Include the benefits the audience will get from the action

For more tips on preparing content, rehearsing, and facilitating discussion, members of our sister program, the Corporate Leadership Council, can access Tips for Effective Presentations.

If you're preparing a presentation on a specific recruiting topic, members be sure to check the Presentation Materials section of the Recruiting Roundtable Web site—there might be a presentation template ready for you. For example, see business case templates on onboarding, defining hiring needs, and campus recruiting.

Candidate Advice Survey- Going On Now

Have you encountered too many candidates that are overly-aggressive, unprofessional and/or underprepared? Here's your chance to give candidates advice on what they should (and shouldn't) do during the hiring process.

We want your advice on how candidates should behave during the hiring process. We will be surveying recruiting professionals between now and December 9th about what advice they would give candidates. Roundtable Members look in your inbox for an invitation to take the survey, or click here to access via our website.

The survey will only take 5 minutes to complete. In return for your participation, you'll receive an early draft of the results (if you provide your email address) on Friday, December 11. You'll see what other recruiters think is most important, and you'll provide candidates with valuable guidance that will improve their job searches (and make your life easier).