The Good Things in a Sh*t Market 💩

It’s pretty easy to dwell on the negatives, I’ve been recruiting in NZ for 11 years now, and in my short tenure, it’s for sure the worst it’s ever been. The redundancies started last November and while they slowed down, they haven’t really stopped. The shedding of staff only paused momentarily to allow for PIPs to be implemented. Without a doubt, there are more reasons to be tearful than cheerful. The status quo in recruitment is usually everyone does pretty well and several agencies kill it. Now, a few places are making sneaky money, but most of the market is white-knuckling it until next year. I heard a saying on the news that was intended for the hospo industry but is easily applicable NZ-wide “Survive to 25” I tend to look on the bright side, an ‘at least it’s not raining’ outlook and while I could point to the lack of adverts on job boards or unemployment statistics, I’d prefer to highlight the good in the bad. The following are some things I’ve found good about the current market.

BD is more authentic.

It’s nice to catch up with clients when there isn't a big commercial elephant in the room. We’re all in the same boat trying to plug holes. Fortunately for me, my client base are all in all good buggers. They’re recruiters so they enjoy a yarn and see the value in conversations about the market. I appreciate your client base may be less amicable but they will be no less appreciative of hearing what’s going on out there.

Nothing comes out of left field.

We’ve all been there. It’s the 11th hour and you just finished typing the second reference about to hit send to the client and your candidate reaches out. They’ve been approached about a role that they can’t turn down. In the current market, you should be aware of who is hiring as it’ll be the same names every candidate you register is saying. As there’s a finite number of people hiring, there’s comfort in the predictability.

More focus on a role.

If you ever wanted to get a taste of internal recruitment this is it. Sometimes I feel like I’m recruiting specifically for one client at a time. The good thing about this is you know the brief inside out and it allows you to laser focus on a target audience. A live role in today’s market is something to behold. For those of you who work only exclusive roles, must be nice! For the rest of us who are gluttons for disappointment, the chase has never held more weight and you’re grateful for every bit of it.

Wins mean more.

I can’t be the only one who fist pumps harder or breathes a sigh of relief heavier in today's market. Doing good in a good market is ok, doing good in a shit market is amazing! It’s a dangerous time to be out of work and the fear is palpable. Your clients often want people who are still in a role, rightly or wrongly, the immediately available people have been deemed surplus to demands and must work harder to secure a position. With the general skittishness out there, it’s a cause for celebration when you, the client, and the candidate arrive at a point where everyone is happy.  

Stockpiling Candidates.

I should be better at this by now but get that database coded. Create folders of candidates you are talking to during this period. I know you can search for candidates registered between certain dates but keep people front of mind. Even if it’s as simple as a piece of paper towards the back of your notebook. The tides will change and when they do you want to be the one handing out floatation devices in the form of ready-to-go candidates. Usually, it’s one in one out so today's market at least allows us to build up some supply.

Be a leader.

People remember how you treated them in the tough times and the times, they’re tough. How you interact with your team could be the reason why your desk is flooded with resignations when the market does pick up. So be empathetic, shield them from the up above, and appreciate that this isn’t a normal market. Taking time out of your day to prep a candidate for a role that isn’t yours is a warm and fuzzy that can sustain you in these cold baron times.

There’s always a silver lining, even in the mushroom cloud. Once we get on the other side of this, when we’re back to boozy lunches and half-day Fridays, the industry will be left with war-hardened recruiters. Those who have a deeper understanding and appreciation for what it’s like to do what we do. In due time we’ll get fat and lazy again but till then keep your chiselled chin up in the air. 😊