Let’s face it. Technology is changing at a faster pace than we humans can comprehend. It’s going to keep changing and continue to frustrate the heck out of you-unless you step out of your comfort zone and embrace it. I’m not saying out with the old and in with the new, I’m saying, make room for some new and get rid of the budget-busters that aren’t returning on your investment.
As you unwrap your newly replenished budgets while getting hammered by your media reps who want you to renew your ridiculously large annual contract, just ask yourself some simple questions. Here’s a snipit from an email that I received from a Corporate Recruitment Manager of a Fortune 500 company:
“Do I really want to lock myself into a year long contract? If they are ‘locking’ me in, it’s probably because they aren’t confident enough that I’ll come back month after month..LOL. I guess to reward me for trusting them, they offer me a discount, which is nice but kind of insulting now that I think about it! What if something changes or emerges that is so dramatically different and better that this year long service that I’ve just subscribed to becomes obsolete in 4 months, that means I’ll still have 8 months to wait it out? Do you think they’ll consider a month to month for me?
My response to this was:
“If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. If they want your business that bad and are that confident that their product/solution is a good fit for your needs, then I would think they would be willing to negotiate with you, especially in such fast changing times. My recommendation to you would be to tell them what it is you are trying to accomplish and then ask them to provide a customized approach for you, not a packaged deal that can be found anywhere else. Your recruitment needs are not exactly like any other organization, so the solution they provide to you shouldn’t be cookie cutter. Tell them up front that you are not entertaining any sources that require long term contracts. Many interactive sources understand it’s a constantly evolving world and that you shouldn’t have to commit to something that may not fit your needs in 3 or even 6 months from now. Try the “Media Snacking” approach…..”
So what is Media Snacking?
As 2009 approaches, your New Year’s Resolution should be to not try to understand every piece of new Recruitment Software that is released, but to understand enough about each to understand the features and benefits and how it’s going to help you. This practice is called Media Snacking. Just take a nibble of each and move on to something else.
I understand that it can be a full time job finding, understanding and applying all of the new sources that are available to us to aid in the quest for top talent but keep in mind that you don’t have to be an expert on them all. That is the job of your media representative. All you have to do is share your unique recruitment scenario with the potential partner and what you hope to gain from using their services. They should present you back with a customized solution as it pertains to your situation. The only things you need to understand about their product/solution include:
- Features
- Benefits
- Results expected
When we discuss the challenges we face in the world of recruitment, I have to believe that it’s simply because the wrong tools are being used. Too much of the budget is being focused on “what we’re used to” and “what we did last year”.
Recruiter Challenge
Take 2009 as your opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, look at new media, embrace Recruitment 2.0 and incorporate it into your sourcing strategy. You’ll be happy to know that most of these Recruitment 2.0 sources are either free or are very inexpensive. Utilize the Media Snacking approach and make your media representatives work hard at determining if their source is going to be a good fit for your unique situation. Don’t be afraid to ask for things that aren’t currently “done for everyone else”.
Great post. We need to catch up soon!