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Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on July 7, 2009 at 8:40am

Thanks Bill. His tapes were in our library when I got started. Funny thing - I was very interested in the internet from the very start. After it really took hold and was making inroads into several key areas within staffing I was still struggling to gain my manager's acceptance in the early 90s. He thought it was a fad.

So one day I decided I would reach out (I don't like that phrase - but it fits here) to a top industry trainer. Maybe having a staffing heavyweight on my side would change my bosses mind. So I looked up Steve's number (St. Louis as I recall) and placed the call.

"Hello, Steve. I'm Jerry Albright. I'm wondering if you can offer a little advice......." and went on to explain my situation.

No more than 20 seconds in he immediately WENT OFF on the internet! Called it all sorts of names. Something about "internet follies" and such. He said NO WAY would internet EVER play a major part in recruiting.

Interesting story. We're all wrong at times I guess.

One thing I think we should ask ALL of these trainers: When was the last time you actually called a company hoping to gain a job order? How many sendouts did you make this month? When was your last placement? When is your next one? Things are changing far too quickly in our world for any trainer who's been away from a desk very long - to have a solid handle on TODAY. Yes the PMA stuff will always be inspiring and basic sales/closing techniques should always be a part of our training. We all could use a trainer from TODAY in my opinion.

Cynical? Oh yes.......

Going around training, listening, consulting, coaching brings one pretty close to the work - but you're still not DOING the work.

OK. I'm heading for some coffee!

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Permalink Reply by bill josephson on July 7, 2009 at 8:47am

Jerry,

Speaking for myself, I do no Internet Recruiting as that's where my clients are and they won't be interested in my services if we're tripping over the same candidates. My value to them as a 3rd Party Recruiter is providing them passive invisible candidates they can't find on their own.

In retrospect, corporate recruiting became Internet dominated with the Internet replacing the Classified Ads in the newspapers. Steve's training only pertains to 3rd party recruiters. What I do is always keep track of how corporations are looking for people...........then do the opposite.

Good luck.

Bill

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Albright on July 7, 2009 at 9:02am

Bill,

I would think you and I have a very similar approach overall. The point I may have missed previously in my reply was that indeed internet is now really the backbone of how we service our clients. Not so much job boards, etc. but the very foundation for communicating, introducing candidates, researching potential clients, getting phone numbers, receiving resumes from both passive and active candidates, etc. The web is as much a part of our daily life as the phone, notepad and pencil. (I use a Pental .7mm mechanical)

Steve is most certainly in the top ring of trainers. I take nothing away from his success - just that it's probably been a decade or more - who knows it may be 20+ years - since he last faced an objection or roadblock IRL.

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Permalink Reply by bill josephson on July 7, 2009 at 9:09am

Jerry,

I agree. We (I) do an awful lot on the Internet using it as you describe.

I use it for everything.......except recruiting candidates.

Bill

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Permalink Reply by Robert Anderson on July 7, 2009 at 10:53am

I don't how long ago Jerry's episode took place, but Steve Finkel has always been extremely helpful to me. He has made no anti-internet comments, and has recommended a computer software program to me that has worked well. It is quite evident from both conversations and his new 2008 book Breakthrough! that he still works a desk..and is great at it.

I completely agree with Bill. Anyone who has not studied --really studied--Steve Finkel's books or DVDs or heard him speak is simply not as productive as he could be, by a very wide margin. His up to date 2008 book Breakthrough (with several chapters on dealing with a bad market) is a truly great book for any experienced recruiter in today's market, and his other products are terrific as well. A friend of mine heard him speak at a Management Recruiters conference recently, and said he was spectacular with his no-hype high-content effective information. He's a genuine in-deoth trainer, not just a speaker, and the difference is evident.

The article Bill references shoud be read by us all these days, as should his newly-revised book Breakthrough, for starters.

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Permalink Reply by Slouch on July 7, 2009 at 11:09am

He has a very dry way about him but I talk to a lot of people who like him so maybe a glass of water would help

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