Recruiting's Greatest Challenge

Recruiting can be really hard. It is pretty comparable to a consultative sales position. The only catch, though, is that you have two clients for each sale, a company and a candidate. Dealing with people can be a real enjoyable experience and it can also be hard because we are unpredictable. In fact, while it is the most interesting component to the recruiting process, the Human element can also be the most frustrating.

That is what has lead me to this new (well, at least for me) book. It is called Predictably Irrational. Here's the tagline for the book:

"When we make decisions we think we're in control, making rational choices. But are we? Entertaining and surprising, Ariely unmasks the subtle but powerful tricks that our minds play on us."

Ariely's book seems kind of like a gimmick, especially the title, but after getting into it, I have found it pretty interesting. The fascinating thing about the book is that everything is backed up by multiple experiments in which human beings react in consistently non-logical way (in other words, are predictably irrational).

So, what does this mean for the recruiting industry? It has a few implications for our field.

(1) I think this shows that there is as much value in a recruiter who understands what motivates candidates than one who is great at finding hard to find candidates but does not understand their psyche. Is money really the driving force behind switching from one company to another? Maybe, but I am willing to bet that more often than not it comes down to unhappiness, not solely money.

(2) It also shows us that experience is paramount when it comes to closing a deal. Be it sales or recruiting, you must understand the driving force behind the decision making process on both sides of the table. One of the real value in a recruiter is his or her ability to bring two parties to a common ground. This is something that really can only be learned from experience, but I think that Ariely's book is something like a catalyst for understanding why sometimes things do not go the way we expect.

We are a fascinating people and every day provides new adventures because we are constantly changing. If you are interested in learning more about Predictably Irrational and the concepts within it check out Dan's blog.
Cheers,

Spencer