Job Counseling in Hard Times

Recruiters have been hit hard by the job market's downturn. With the flood of job seekers available, customers are trying to save money by hiring directly off the street; new projects have been cut; and even normal growth segments have shifted into a holding pattern.

The impact is a direct hit. Bonuses have disappeared, and branch offices have shut down. The pain is severe and personal.

With immediate pressure to generate commissions, is there any room for recruiters to experiment with improving a client's knowledge network?

In the short-term, maybe not.

Short-term

In the short-term, it seems like anything that distracts from prospecting activities should be avoided. There is probably a lot of truth in this view. Without a stream of commissions, paying bills depends on cash reserves.

If cash is low, every contact must be leveraged; every hint of a new project must be pursued. If the relationships built over time are sound, the recruiter has a chance.

Focus is the theme for the short-term.

The Long View

The long view paints a different picture.

Since recruiters' short-term survival depends heavily on past relationships, a long-term strategy for building and nurturing those connections is essential.

Clients Remember

People remember how they were treated in the hard times. Forever. The assistance given when times were good seems to blend into the background -- it's that extra bit of help when you are on the edge of despair that stands out.

For recruiters, hard times may well be their greatest opportunity. It's a chance to establish relationships that will carry their business for the next ten years.

Enter Knowledge Networking

What are the options for helping someone during this period? There aren't any openings, and "hang in there" advice rings hollow.

Enter knowledge networking. For a recruiter to direct a job seeker to a proactive, action oriented technique like solution-based articles is welcome advice. It's a breath of fresh air.

Knowledge networking leverages the client's experience, guides them through a daily contact process, and offers a chance for extra revenue. Because each section either reinforces their sense of worth, or produces tangible results, clients come away with a renewed bounce in their step.

Applying skills and seeing real results conveys a sense of control. The usual feeling of helplessness from job hunting in hard times is wiped out. Your clients will be invigorated. And appreciative.

Remember, today's job hunters are tomorrow's hiring managers. The very individuals seeking help are the contacts you'll be calling next year.

There might not be a position open, but being able to offer the job seeker an effective action plan is the start of a long-term relationship.

Business Opportunity

Not surprisingly, job hunt skills training is most effective during hard times. Everyone is motivated. Human Resource departments are trying to ease the transition for laid off workers; job seekers are frustrated with the traditional job hunt; and recruiters need a way to stay afloat.

For recruiters, the demand for job search training introduces several business opportunities.

Business Options

The business of helping clients use knowledge networking takes four forms:

Hard times have put recruiters in a difficult position. By teaching Knowledge Networking you may be able to use the high stress situation to build long-term relationships.

References

The Matrixx Group
* Special thanks to Carolyn McGee for her insights on relationship building.

Job Hunting in Hard Times: The Art of Knowledge Networking
* Covers the contact process in greater detail.