Donald Breckenridge Jr.

We hear the recession woes in the headlines every day: 240,000 jobs shed in the first four months of this year; 80,000 workers got pink slips in March - the most in five years; for the third month in a row the U.S. employment rolls shrank. With these kinds of numbers, you would think HR departments would be slowing down their hiring, recruiting firms would be witnessing a dramatic reduction in searches; and top talent would be easier to find.<br />

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Not the case. Despite the fact that there is a decline in searches for specific industries, such as financial services hard hit by the foreclosure mess, executive search firm revenue was up 13 percent in the first quarter of this year and the average revenue per executive search consultant was up 5.5 percent, according to a survey from the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC).<br />

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Regardless of the malaise in the economy, top talent is still in high demand and HR departments are finding room on their roster for A-player candidates who can make an immediate top-line or bottom-line impact. Here are some helpful tips that will help you not only survive but thrive in an economic downturn.<br />

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Economic downturns actually create opportunities for companies to build and strengthen their organizations. In fact, HR professionals should take even greater care during this time to not only make room for "A Players, but especially to focus on retaining their current superstars. Here's what you can do:<br />

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1. Develop a Retention Depth Chart - If your company has a hiring freeze, you can't afford to lose your best employees, nor will you be able to cherry pick the best. Jeff Skrentny, a Certified Employee Retention Specialist (CERS)/CTS, and owner of Jefferson Group Consulting, encourages those in corporate HR to have a well-thought retention strategy:<br />

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" Determine who the key A-players are in each department.<br />

" Devise a plan to keep them. Anticipate and understand the motives of your company's A-players. From there, facilitate their growth. If they have a thirst for knowledge, provide opportunities that will encourage their growth within your organization, such as attending seminars. <br />

" Design a backup plan (just in case). Put a package and offer together in anticipation of them receiving an offer from someone else. Be one step ahead and know how to meet their expectations in advance.<br />

" Prepare for an economic upturn - When the economy improves, employees are more likely to consider moving jobs. Skrentny suggests using the slowdown period to train, develop and motivate current employees. It will help prevent future career hopscotching.<br />

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2. Be Selective -- Work with recruiters you trust and who have a proven track record. Ken Klein, director of operations at CKM Staffing, encourages HR professionals to weed out recruiters who are run of the mill. "Hold recruiters' feet to the fire, says Klein. Make sure they deliver what they promise. <br />

" Ask how many candidates they will deliver by month's end.<br />

" Require a detailed cover letter (from the recruiter) for each candidate that explains why they are the right match.<br />

" Request a separate, thorough questionnaire that digs deep into a candidate's background.<br />

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A good recruiter will not only establish trust, but they'll build your company with true top talent - even in a sluggish economy.<br />

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3. Get Ready for a Surging Candidate Pool - In the chance we do see massive layoffs in select sectors (such as in the financial sector today), HR departments can expect to be inundated with resumes from active candidates. Be certain you have an efficient system in place to sort and organize the influx. For example, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will help you build and expand your database, while keeping candidate information neatly organized and up-to-date. <br />

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4. Recruit Strategically - Remember that the art of recruiting is a continuous process, not simply triggered by an open position. Even if you're not hiring now, take control of your talent supply chain and don't let it dry up. Allow recruiters to keep adding to your candidate pool so that even when the pipeline seems full, you will be ready with the right candidate at the right time. <br />

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While the economic sky may be gray, it is not falling. HR departments would do well to maintain a competitive advantage for top talent by developing and strengthening their recruiting and retention strategies. Opportunities abound for corporate HR professionals to grow their organizations in a more focused, calculated way.<br />

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The key is to keep the top talent you have, and to work with trustworthy, knowledgeable recruiters who can use their eagle eyes to source additional "A players. Corporate HR professionals who implement streamlined retention and recruitment strategies during a recession are poised for more aggressive growth when the economy rebounds. And as we know, it always does. <br />

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Donald E. Breckenridge, Jr. is CEO of Sendouts, a web-based software solution provider for the recruiting and staffing industry. Donald regularly speaks to recruiting firms and staffing industry professionals about adapting their recruitment strategies to capitalize and compete in today's workplace. <br />