Home thoughts from abroad
I'm watching a Floridian sunrise as I write this piece and may tend to romanticise a little - it's difficult to resist in this breathtaking environment - but I met a recruiter in a bar earlier in the week (like you do) and she invited me to speak at a network meeting of Staffing Agencies in Florida. Great opportunity I thought but do I really want to turn this into a 'Busman's holiday'. I went along anyway and boy am I glad I did.
I was welcomed very warmly, introduced as the guest speaker (news to me) and given the floor. I talked a bit about experiences and then threw the session open for questions.
The leader, a girl who had previously worked for Manpower; and spent sometime in the UK, started by asking me the $64,000 recruitment question - 'Why don't you guys in the UK ever talk to each other?" I admitted that she had already exceeded the scope of my knowledge and asked if she had read my blog, as it was a long standing hobbyhorse.
Two things struck me about this group as the session unfolded; firstly, they were prepared to discuss anything (even pricing, with no mention of the dreaded 'c' word), openly talking about their clients and sharing contacts and secondly, their relationship with their clients (mostly on an RPO type arrangement) seemed so much more professional (or do I mean open) than ours in the UK. They were comfortable being recruiters and were seen as professionals, offering a professional and essential business support service.
It still baffles me why we seem so uncomfortable in our UK recruitment skin and feel shy about the obscene margins we no longer make! And more importantly why we don't speak out collectively to correct these misunderstandings!
I think there are massive lessons to learn from America and it might be a good source for new young talent; at least 30% of the audience I spoke to would love a 12-24 month opportunity to work in the UK (and explore those 'quaint little towns' in Europe). Who knows REC could even create an exchange scheme with its friends at ASA (the American Staffing Association).
Gareth
I was welcomed very warmly, introduced as the guest speaker (news to me) and given the floor. I talked a bit about experiences and then threw the session open for questions.
The leader, a girl who had previously worked for Manpower; and spent sometime in the UK, started by asking me the $64,000 recruitment question - 'Why don't you guys in the UK ever talk to each other?" I admitted that she had already exceeded the scope of my knowledge and asked if she had read my blog, as it was a long standing hobbyhorse.
Two things struck me about this group as the session unfolded; firstly, they were prepared to discuss anything (even pricing, with no mention of the dreaded 'c' word), openly talking about their clients and sharing contacts and secondly, their relationship with their clients (mostly on an RPO type arrangement) seemed so much more professional (or do I mean open) than ours in the UK. They were comfortable being recruiters and were seen as professionals, offering a professional and essential business support service.
It still baffles me why we seem so uncomfortable in our UK recruitment skin and feel shy about the obscene margins we no longer make! And more importantly why we don't speak out collectively to correct these misunderstandings!
I think there are massive lessons to learn from America and it might be a good source for new young talent; at least 30% of the audience I spoke to would love a 12-24 month opportunity to work in the UK (and explore those 'quaint little towns' in Europe). Who knows REC could even create an exchange scheme with its friends at ASA (the American Staffing Association).
Gareth
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