Recruiter Harry Joiner is Blowing My Mind

I really don't know where to start on this post. Suffice to say, I've been following Harry's blog, Marketing Headhunter, for a long time and, though he seemed to have slowed down for awhile, he is back, and back with a bang!

Harry's posts on job searching and hiring don't just apply to marketers--these are pertinent posts for anyone who employs or wants to be employed in today's job market.

Here's some of the stuff catching my eye:

The Future of Linked In
Harry writes:

Linked-In's growth rate might defy traditional growth rates because, like Google, they are solving their market's problems in new and unconventional ways. In other words, you can't imagine what Linked-In's growth rate will be because you can't imagine what they'll evolve into -- and which recruiting platforms they will radically redefine while they do it.

Now, I'm not saying that recruiters are toast. Far from it. But I am saying that anyone who's involved with my industry should be watching Linked-In very carefully.

So... What happens if Sequoia crosses Linked-In with YouTube, giving passive candidates the chance to post two-minute videos of themselves?  Or what happens if Linked-In joins forces with Google, enabling a mash-up of Adwords' reach and targeting with Linked-In's growing network of active job seekers?

Then there's this post:

Why E-Harmony Won't Work for Recruiting
In response to a web strategist wishing he might see an "e-harmony" approach to matching job seekers with job offerers, Harry says, "I just don't see that happening EVER. And believe me, I've thought long and hard about it."

You need to read this post in which he offers five interesting reasons why candidates and HR departments won't find harmony in placement via the Web, alone.

I do take strong exception with Harry's use of CPAs as an example of a profession that doesn't "involve emerging technologies, or emerging uses of existing technologies" or "proprietary processes or technologies."

But, even with that, this post is loaded with thought-provoking ideas.

The third post I'm going to point you to is:

Here is a Question That Helps Me Close Searches
Harry writes

...interviewing candidates is really only half the battle when it comes to brokering a happy client/candidate marriage.

The other half is making sure that you understand what makes the client tick: Who they are as a company, what keeps them up at night, and so on. So without divulging too many trade secrets, I will share the ONE question I ask of every single client whenever I take a search assignment. Ready? Here goes ...

If your company's brand were a person, how would you describe them to a friend?

Read why he insists on asking that question and why HR people don't like it. Learn why your firm's management should ask the question both for prospective employees AND for your own marketing and branding purposes.

Most importantly, see why you should be following Harry's blog, too?

Comments

[Harry Joiner]

You know a guy's too damn busy when he sees something like this during the holidays and says to himself "man, that's great! gotta respond to that post with a comment." and then three weeks later he finally responds.

suffice it to say, busy doesn't mean ungrateful.

T-H-A-N-K-S for the really nice postup.

hair