WASHINGTON, DC -- One of the RSS feeds to which I subscribe belongs to a trade association. The association's fall conference is coming up, and this year they have decided to bridge the gap between candidates and clients by arranging an Online Matching Program.
As if you didn't already know this about the recruiting (read "Matchmaking") business, such gaps make the market for human capital inefficient, and traditionally recruiters have exploited the assymetric information between candidates and clients for fun and profit. As middlemen in this market of candidates and clients, only recruiters have been able to communicate openly with both sides.
But all that's changing.
According to the association's website, their Online Matching Program is their first attempt to provide online social networking for the fall conference. With this Matchmaking Program, members will be able to:
- "Complete a personal profile, and alter it anytime
- Identify other attendees or exhibitors who best match your profile
- Receive email matches when you want and from whom you want
- Communicate or set up meetings with your matches
- View and print the appointments you've created via an online calendar ..."
In other words, if you are looking for a candidate or a job, all you have to do is discreetly notify the parties with whom you want to speak and arrange a clandestine meeting at a coffeshop or hotel room or something during the show. Simple and effective for both sides -- and no outrageous search fee.
If the trade association's plans are any indication, recruiters are going to come under intense pressure to justify their value between candidates and clients -- lest they be disintermediated, or "cut out" of the middle.
Words to Live By: When I was a beef trader back in the 90's, my boss often said that "People will only pay for that which they either cannot -- or will not -- do for themselves." I wish I had that on a plaque.
Recruiters:
- What are you doing that your candidates cannot or will not do for themselves -- now and in the future?
- What are you doing that your clients cannot or will not do for themselves -- now and in the future?
And here's one more sick twist for recruiting firm owners:
- What are you doing that your employees cannot or will not do for themselves -- now and in the future?
You better be thinking about it. After all, this is the MySpace Generation we're dealing with.
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