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HR Departments

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    HR Departments

    Hi all. I have been too busy trying to drum up business, no time to indulge myself in shooting socialists and "prattractors" on this site . My phone is worn out so I am taking a little time to return to this board with a major gripe.

    I have never done so much cold calling as I have done over the past few months. One thing I have learnt is to not pitch to HR/recruitment or shared services unless you are in for the long haul.

    To begin with HR/shared services/recruitment departments have become impregnable fortresses who's main objective is not to serve their internal managers but more importantly to keep us dreaded agencies away or put us in our place. Add the fact they also have a monopoly on their company's recruitment business they are mostly completely out of touch with the real world.

    Whilst it may be entirely desirable to keep us agents at bay they are now locked into a completely defensive mindset that must surely have an adverse effect on genuine candidates as well on their own performances.

    The PSL has now become a defence mechanism that is trotted out at the slightest hint of you being an agent. I have long decided that it is a complete waste of time engaging anyone who has nothing better to say than "we have a PSL"

    The good news is that it has dished out a lesson to us recruiters which is that we need to go to the business in order to discover if there are genuine recruitment needs. It is now much easier to get to speak to a board director of a FTSE 250 company than it is to a low level recruitment manager hiding behind a voicemail. Pitching on a voicemail is a total waste of time. Ultimately if you have the solution to a problem no company will allow itself to place the PSL ahead of its business needs.

    The ray of hope is that these people are rarely popular amongst the hiring fraternity, and because they have a monopoly they are bound to try to dumb down their internal customers expectations to the level of their own competence. There will always be a "chink" of an opportunity

    What is also alarming is the number of ex recruitment agency staff that they employ who are using their position of power to kick back at the industry that they failed in.. not all but some.

    The lesson is to make and keep those contacts that you have made over the years.

    Back to the phone for me
    Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

    #2
    Originally posted by DodgyAgent View Post
    I have long decided that it is a complete waste of time engaging anyone who has nothing better to say than "we have a PSL"
    umm...you do realise that that's the effect they wanted by saying it..?

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by thunderlizard View Post
      umm...you do realise that that's the effect they wanted by saying it..?
      The unintended consequence is that recruiters are now call hiring managers directly. The good news however is that unless you have something that is different, new, or answers a specific problem then the PSL will keep out the time wasters which is what it SHOULD be doing. It has now become a blunt instrument to keep EVERYONE out and to serve and protect those who manage it.
      Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by DodgyAgent View Post
        The good news is that it has dished out a lesson to us recruiters which is that we need to go to the business in order to discover if there are genuine recruitment needs.
        I just have an image of you knocking on doors now saying "'scuse me, luv, I just 'appen to be in the neighbourhood and wondered if you could help me. It's not dodgy, honest, but I've told my boss that I've sold this stuff so I can give you a good discount. I've got three SAP developers and I can throw in an Oracle guy as well for the same price..."
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        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
          I just have an image of you knocking on doors now saying "'scuse me, luv, I just 'appen to be in the neighbourhood and wondered if you could help me. It's not dodgy, honest, but I've told my boss that I've sold this stuff so I can give you a good discount. I've got three SAP developers and I can throw in an Oracle guy as well for the same price..."


          I've done that before but not with people
          Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

          Comment


            #6
            What do you expect? Everyone knows HR in general are the most lazy, useless, self-serving people in the corporate world. Why would you work in HR unless you had no talent in anything useful?
            Hard Brexit now!
            #prayfornodeal

            Comment


              #7
              That's true. Also it breeds complacency. Many's the time you see companies having to pay £150 per keyboard & mouse because they're only allowed to order from 1 supplier that knows its authorised supplier status isn't up for review for another 3 years.

              Comment


                #8
                anyway i trust you survived the recession DA?
                Hard Brexit now!
                #prayfornodeal

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by DodgyAgent View Post
                  The unintended consequence is that recruiters are now call hiring managers directly.
                  I was a hiring manager once. I used to fob off all unsolicited calls with the PSL line.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Hye, don't diss da HR. Dem laydeez are skinny, blonde and up for it, man. Dey's de only laydeez in ClientCo wot me and Andyw can lay onna first date, innit.

                    Dem's no good for talking to tho'. Too fick, innit.
                    I don't mind, as long as there's a bed beneath the stars that shine. I'll be fine.
                    If you give me a minute, a man's got a limit, I can't get a life if my heart's not in it.

                    Comment

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