I've been talking to quite a few staffing firms, and business is steady in St Louis. It's down, no doubt, but there are still jobs to be had. The problem, as always, seems to be the easy money has dried up, and recruiters have to work harder to pay the bills.
Clients are more cautious about hiring, but that's a trend that has been accelerating for some time. Job Descriptions still fail to adequately explain what is needed, and far too often the skillset requested is a compilation of older requirements. Companies big and small post boring descriptions that don't mean anything, and then wonder why they can't get jobseekers to read the position before applying.
In a world where social media is touted as a cure-all, it's shocking that hiring information is still at a premium. Jobseekers flood to LinkedIn and Facebook and job boards, but I'm not hearing much about it benefitting them. LinkedIn is a part of the puzzle, but too many people are replacing, "I clicked Apply Now" with "I have a LinkedIn profile."
Not to blame jobseekers - recruiters spoiled by lots of jobs and posting are realizing that the phone, that accursed tool for talking with people, is still a requirement in staffing. Email and IM and Twitter are good for communicating process - setting appointments, adding value - but no one is persuading a candidate to take a job through text. And as for new requirements - being interesting and connected are requirements for getting heard. Hiring managers are getting more calls, but worse calls. That's a shame - as making connections when they don't have an open position is the backbone of your long-term financial worth.
Here's where I sound like John Sumser. We're learning that the old ways still work. Personal connections, industry experience, and the recognition that activity drives results on both sides of the equation are back in vogue. There is business and there are jobs to be had. Listening to recruiters, I sometimes long for the simple days of having no responsibilites but smiling and dialing. I'd make a killing in this market.
