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Recruiting
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by Bill Radin
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The
Recruiter's Digest
Recruiting
News, Training & Commentary by Bill Radin |
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July 4,
2008 |
Recruiters, Bees and Patriots
How do you
measure a nation’s strength? By the size of its army? By its wealth in
natural resources? By its balance of trade?
Sure. But a more meaningful metric might be found in the vibrancy of its
workplace. A nation that values its talent and creative energy can only
strengthen its position, while a country that clings to a complacent job
culture is sure to lag behind.
In some corners of the world, there's a stigma attached to high achievement.
The taller a flower grows, the faster it gets pruned.
How sad. Where I come from, ambition meets an entirely different fate: The
taller a flower grows, the faster it gets recruited.
A Nation
Obsessed with Work
Pound for pound, Americans are the most productive people on earth. We work
longer hours and take fewer vacations than anyone else. But it’s not because
someone holds a gun to our heads.
We work hard because we generally love what we do. And with Blackberries and
cell phones as enablers, there’s practically no limit to our collective
obsession with getting ahead.
Is a manic work ethic healthy? Probably not. But for better or worse, it’s
wired in our DNA. When we love our jobs, we work like crazy. And if we
happen to hate them, so be it—we work all the harder to make a change.
Maybe Americans take the pursuit of happiness too literally. If a job
doesn't satisfy, we feel it’s our right—if not our duty—to move on and find
another. And with increasing regularity, they're found with the help of
recruiters.
A World-Wide
Trend
Recruiting isn’t just a Western phenomenon. From Kiev to Dubai, and
Bangalore to Beijing, recruiters are increasingly woven into the fabric of
achievement. Like an army of bumble bees, we cross-pollinate the tallest
flowers in our respective fields. A million times a day, we wage war against
occupational inertia and unrequited goals. A good shuffling of the deck
tends to reward meritocracy and punish the status quo.
Recruiters turn dreams into reality and ideas into action. We help narrow
the distance between the drawing board and the production line, between
research and development, and between proof-of-concept and corporate
profitability.
Economic
Patriotism
Not long ago, a recruiter called to cry on my shoulder. “I work really
hard,” she said. “And I get so little recognition in return!”
“That goes with the territory,” I said. “But never forget: your work is
extremely important.
“Every time you make a placement, a candidate becomes happier and more
productive. A family’s economic situation improves. An employer becomes more
competitive in the global economy. And ultimately, your success—and the
success of your many clients—makes us all a little stronger.
“So go ahead,” I said. “Hold your head high. Take pride in your role as a
recruiter, and for your service to our country.”
And in the blink of an eye, the crying stopped as her love of job and
country were joined.
Happy Independence Day, everyone.
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