Comments on: Recruiters. Discretion is our middle name

By: Gerry crispin

Gerry crispin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:32:22 +0000

You raise a stereotype of a braggadocio segment of the industry that raises questions about how secure any sensitive search they might be doing would be kept.

By: harry fowler

harry fowler — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:59:38 +0000

This issue is not exclusive to our industry. I’ve been in many a situation where I’ve heard business information that should have remained private. Sometimes I’ve acted on it, other times I’ve let it go. It’s a fact of life that people are loose with their tongue when they’re more vulnerable.

If other people’s stupidity has resulted in you winning business, then great , well done.

What’s of more importance is explaining to your own staff the implications of their own actions and ensuring that their behaviour doesn’t come back to haunt them or their business, especially as it’s coming up to Christmas.

Don’t talk shop in public and if you have to, be extremely discreet. Gathering from the responses above, if you’re indiscreet then you’re in for a bit of a wake up call.

By: Gary

Gary — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 23:53:16 +0000

I have made a total of three placements due to a conversation I eavesdropped on whilst travelling to work on the Manly JetCat. These two guys mentioned the company who was hiring and the manager.

Idiots.

I turned to my old friend Google, got the manager’s name, called him and I had what he needed. A few months later I even told him how I had orginally found out about his roles and he laughed out loud!

By: Russell Fairbanks

Russell Fairbanks — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:56:21 +0000

Sadly, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. I’ve seen far too many examples of ‘leaders’ rising to the top in our industry and yet they don’t possess the most basic of skills to run a leading business. I’m sure they wouldn’t survive in the resources or financial services sectors…

What does continue to surprise me though is the shareholders who put up with ‘leaders’ like this in their businesses… they should be run out of town. Perhaps this in part explains the poor price/ earnings ratios and valuations of some of the global recruitment companies?

It reminds me of a similar situation a few years back. A competitor of mine bragging in the pub about a large deal his company had landed with a certain client I hadn’t come across. Unlucky for him the deal wasn’t quite across the line allowing us to nip in and close it before they had any idea. The client went on to be one of our top clients for many years… I never did get around to buying that GM a drink… perhaps a large whisky would be appropriate…

By: Andy Headworth

Andy Headworth — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:04:11 +0000

Greg,

Wow! And I thought just hearing a recruiter talk about her day, clients and candidates on the train was bad enough!!

In all seriousness though, it does go to show that people just have no idea who could actually be listening to a conversation!!

I hope the ‘info’ they gave you can be utilised accordingly!

By: Jane Kennelly

Jane Kennelly — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:53:49 +0000

Hi Greg
Similar experience was had in an Auckland cafe recently… an eye opener. Made me smile actually.
Also recommend companies operate a ’2 block rule’ post client appointments – as in, do not talk about the just completed client appointment for at least two blocks.
I recall one client telling me of a situation where a ‘frank’ conversation was overheard in an elevator (by a senior employee of the just visited company) between the two recruiters who had just completed their visit. with that company. Not only unprofessional – just plain dumb.

By: Jayne Johnson

Jayne Johnson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:36:39 +0000

Very good post. Recruitment is a small world .. no doubt these guys will pay the price (and so they should!)

By: Keith Robinson

Keith Robinson — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:06:28 +0000

Greg, airport lounges seem to create a no-one can hear me mentality plus agree with Gareth a possible UK problem too.
But what worries me is if they say this in public “what the hell are they saying in private”.
Also agree re recruitment villages, have worked in many countries and always seems that “recruiters need to feel the need to be near each other” maybe it’s easy to “get the wagons circled.
Next time you are in the UK please look me up, regular on Bills show and just launched a monthly RecruiterCast web show at http://www.careersiteadvisor.com
Regards
Keith Robinson

By: Gareth Jones

Gareth Jones — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:37:00 +0000

Unfortunately they are representative of a significant number of people in recruitment industry, particulalry here in the UK so its no wonder we have a general image problem. It’s this kind of approach that directly influences clients general negative response to recruitment consultancies.

However, there is an upside – with people like this in the industry, the benchmark they set is very low so its not difficult to raise the bar and outperform them on the criteria that matter. I also believe that you reap what you sow and that at some stage the future this conversation will come back to haunt them.

By: Rob Williams

Rob Williams — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:32:14 +0000

It would have been extraordinarily difficult not to turn and say something. I agree with Lee – too irrational to chalk it up to plain stupidity but certainly not arrogance finely blended with their favorite cocktail. There was definitely some “machismo” going on here.