The Social Network For The Recruiting Industry

A RecruitingBlogs.com Rant

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There are a lot of things I really like about RecruitingBlogs.com There are a few things that bug me a little but the thing that I am going to be writing about below bothers me the most and it has to stop. I encourage members who feel that their time spent on RecruitingBlogs.com is being eaten up by what I am going to write below, please do let me know so I can see about it.

You have to stop messaging people with the same message to each person. It says that you don't care and that you're not smart and that you don't get the recruiting industry. It doesn't work that way out there and it doesn't work that way in here. I know it’s a social network and that is why most things go but time wasting with valueless introductions can’t be tolerated over and over again. It's a complete waste of time to leave someone you don't know a message on RecruitingBlogs.com about something of no value.

Please stop leaving comments to all of the pretty ladies telling them that you like their pictures. I like lots of those pictures too but you don't see me leaving comments talking about what they look like and you don't see anybody I do business with or those I respect and look up to doing business that way.

Here is another hint. If you're a guy and your friendslist is made of up 99% women - that becomes your profile. The reverse is also true.

I am trying really hard to make RecruitingBlogs.com into something that is going to be something. I don't make everyone happy all of the time and I sometimes don't get to things that I say I am going to get to but I don't use RecruitingBlogs.com as a low end piece of shit sourcing and promotional tool for my business.

Thanks for letting me vent. I hope you don’t find it a waste of your time.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on July 18, 2008 at 12:25pm: Rayanne I just left you a ridiculous voice mail message because I was thinking off the cuff and your stupid voicemail system didn't let me delete it and re record. I hate doing that when I'm cold calling and I have because some of the big 4 firms have the same ridiculous practice. Anyway, I said what I had to. No need for more on that topic although you're welcome to call in on Wed and discuss it on the show.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joshua Letourneau on July 18, 2008 at 12:30pm: Sounds like an argument from someone trying to get something for free :P My boy, Biggie was right. Stay with me and you'll see what I'm saying.

Mr. Want-to-Advertise-For-Free: "What do you mean I have to pay? I mean, I made 3 posts yesterday! How could you do me like that, man???"

Quasi-JD: "Well, we have 10k members, so if you share some insights in your posts and videos, that helps you develop some business, right?"

Mr. Want-to-Advertise-For-Free: "Yeah, well . .. that's true, but I should be able to advertise for free, anyway."

Quasi-JD: "Are your classes free for network members? Or do you make free placements for your clients? I want you to be successful, we don't live in Free-Land."

Mr. Want-to-Advertise-For-Free: "I see how it is. I don't want to be your friend, anymore."

Quasi-JD: [thinks to himself that Biggie was right, "Mo Money, Mo Problems""

Animal, Diddy knows best: "More money, more problems - it's just the way it is."; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on July 18, 2008 at 12:39pm: Hey Josh. You're wrong.

You're saying that posting an article with a byline is the only way anyone should put his name out there. That's a fair trade. Free article for Rbc's ability to earn revenue off the eyeballs that come to see it.

But if this site wants to be a hub it has to let people put their flyers on telephone poles. And you know what? That's part of the reason people come here, to find out what is going on. So Rbc makes money off of other people's small self promotions as well as their articles.

Now, some bozo posted his entire executive recruiting marketing brochure on my page the other day. That's different. It's harrassment. I rewrote it with him as a janitiorial supervisor instead of a big executive. But not everyone would want to be bothered.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Slouch on July 18, 2008 at 12:47pm: I am not against vendors plugging their stuff as long as it is not too aggressive. there is a place in the forum section to do it and if I see stuff that belongs somewhere else, I move it.

I agree that it can be valuable information and it does create inventory that can be sold.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joshua Letourneau on July 18, 2008 at 12:52pm: I think we've circled around to near agreement if we break down some of our ideas and points --

Bylines are ok, and expected . . . entire executive recruiting marketing brochures are too much.

I think our only semantic difference may be how to treat the middle ground; the 'gray area', the 'flyers on telephone poles', as you suggest.

In fact, it is this gray area that is of such delicacy that perhaps the way the gray area is handled is the difference between winning and losing a business game in the social networking world?

Could the gray area be the variable revenue that so many brick-and-mortar institutions try to increase? If we're a burger world owner, and we know that we're increasing sales by 10% year over year . . . what would happen if we also marketed the higher margin add-ons, like shakes or soft ice cream? Could we see a higher aggregate growth rate than our accepted 10%? Even a growth rate of 11% is actually 10% greater than the accepted year-on-year 10%. That would be big, my friend - real big. I think that's a reason why Starbucks brought our boy, Howard Schultz back :) [Yes, he's making tough decisions now, but SB will be back with a vengeance . . . after the smoke clears.]

Through our conjecture, I think we've honed in on the real social networking challenge today - handling the gray area. Some may say a debate led us here, but I believe it's more a brainstorm with opposing viewpoints presented.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul DeBettignies on July 18, 2008 at 12:57pm: My only frustration has been individuals "welcoming" every (most) new member with a solicitation. That bothers me. The first few days new members are being asked for splits, sub contracts, job orders. Not a great welcome in my opinion.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on July 18, 2008 at 1:00pm: Those are real business opportunities. As long as they are direct communications rather than marketing brochures and don't close with How Can I Help? what's wrong with that? But Josh thinks the platform should charge a commission.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on July 18, 2008 at 1:01pm: Josh you seem to be saying that a community should allow links outside the site but not if they link to your own source of revenue. That's what I hear.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amanda Papp on July 18, 2008 at 1:11pm: I have 7 or so friend requests that I haven't accepted because of the reasons who are ranting about. I completely agree with you!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joshua Letourneau on July 18, 2008 at 1:14pm: Commission? I think I lost you. And it's ok to disagree. This is what Josh thinks, in Josh's own words: If you want to advertise, you should pay. Now, we don't live in a black-and-white world, so it's not like saying I'm Pro-Choice or Pro-Life . . . or that I'm on this side of the line while you're on the other. But I can tell you that I don't make free placements or answer any of the littany of LI requests for candidate referrals. Call me crazy, but I do this to make money . . . and I love what I do.

The semantic difference here between us is that I believe businesses should make a profit and that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The world of social media and social networking has presented new challenges to the old-media business model . . . but handling the gray area I described above may be the difference between building a profitable business or just building a network where people come and talk. These are nascent issues, Animal, and it's a tough game to play . . . in essence, the game has changed. But unless JD is willing to go broke and just be a nice guy, I think he's a businessperson who has goals.

If I was consulting any business, I'd say that we need to nail down your business model and I want you to be able to tell me in one line or less how you make money. If you can't do that, you're overthinking.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jim - medXcentral on July 18, 2008 at 1:15pm: I can appreciate that... but, that was that conversation... not this one. This string originated with respect to things going on here.

And, to be absolutely clear.. I am in search of a solution to help end the overall issue. Not that it's mine to solve. But, that's just how I tick. Call me crazy.. but, I'd rather be part of the solution. And, I know you've been around for a long time.. so I figured you might have some good suggestions.

Whatever Josh was discussing at the link above would probably be addressed there.... especially if referring to him specifically. That's just my opinion.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jim - medXcentral on July 18, 2008 at 1:27pm: Amazing. I did not know that was here(referring to the link in Slouch's post speaking to wasted time... sorry.. did not realize this post would end up so far down the string) , JD. I was out of the office for about an hour.. and that same member joined my network a posted a bunch of gibberish with a link to some spam site. I actually followed the link because there was something that suggested it could be legit and I wanted to be sure before pushing the "red button" banning the member from my community. I ended up pulling my network connection out and yanking the power cord out of the back of my computer. No exaggeration.

So.. of course... it took time to put my computer back together and then make sure all was ok in my system. So I agree... that kind of member activity can hurt a community... big time.; ▶ Reply to This