T. Reed Gary

Talent Acquisition / Recruiting has traditionally included: identifying & engaging candidates; screening; selection; negotiation & closing; reference checks & drug tests; and even on-boarding / orientation processes which can last multiple days.

During previous "talent wars", a trend emerged where increasing % of candidates changed their minds in between accepting an offer and their 1st day of work. Large employers created teams in Recruiting to "shepherd" their pending new hires & minimize drop outs. In these economic times, we’re challenged to efficiently navigate the tsunami of resumes which arrive for every opportunity entering the public domain. Gone are the days when recruiters can respond to everyone who responds to an applicant cattle call. We balance the projection of employer / client brand with saving time / money. Clearly surgical sourcing into targeted employers & user groups produces more efficient yields from available resources. Whether one sources candidates through tools like manual Boolean searches or the latest in automated tools, the ROI (per day/week/month) clearly increases in this economy of shrinking resources.

I remember my grandfather’s toolbelt, it included slots for tools that cut; tighten; measure; label; drill; fasten; hammer; as well as, precision tools for jobs requiring finesse. His toolbelt was worn, scratched; and beat up from years of constant use. My toolbelt is “virtual” and includes Broadlook; LinkedIn; Bing; ZoomInfo; Exalead; Facebook; TalentHook; Google; Jigsaw; Yahoo; InfoGist; Hoovers; and, Alta Vista. I treasure my toolbelt just as much as I did my grandfathers after his passing.

Remember how much we touch other’s lives; their hope; and, their personal sense of dignity. Treat all with kindness and “pay it forward!”