The good old days |
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Agir |
There was a time , not so long ago , when recruitment was based on clear principles : an objective identification of the best candidate to meet the company ’ s needs . The term recruit was originally used in the military to describe the selection of soldiers for a regiment . The requirements were good health , a demonstration of great physical aptitude , and good eyesight – all valid criteria that can only be accepted . The same logic was applied to the professional world : a lorry driver had to have stamina in the face of fatigue , a shorthand typist had to have fine , nimble fingers to run smoothly across the keys of the typewriter . In the world of yesteryear , everything seemed to run easily and efficiently . So why have these procedures been questioned and modified ?
The history of progress is also the history of the conquest of freedoms . From the ideology of the self-made man to Obama ’ s “ Yes we can ”, American capitalism has propagated the idea that the only limits are those set by oneself : the individual is free to define himself as he or she wishes . You can be of Chinese origin but loathe the “ mathematician ” stereotype and dedicate yourself to a career as a comedian , like famous YouTuber Steven He ; you can wear a size XL and be , like Ashley Graham , an internationally acclaimed model ; you can be a quadriplegic and take up Philippe Croizon ’ s crazy challenge to swim the English Channel . Faced with this desire for freedom and this challenge to the old rules , imagine the confusion faced by today ’ s recruiters : how do you recruit without firm limits , and without locking people into a job description ?
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The recruiter recruited
Added to this question is a relatively new phenomenon : an inversion of the balance of power . The “ No one is irreplaceable ” attitude arrogantly proclaimed by companies ten years ago has been replaced by a desperate “ We want you !” With talent in short supply , high employee turnover , and difficulty attracting the younger generation , recruiters are using a wide range of seduction strategies , but they are not always effective . It ’ s not uncommon at job interviews for the questions to come from the candidate ’ s side : “ What ’ s your policy on teleworking ? What about job flexibility ? What have you put in place in terms of diversity ? Do you have an active inclusion policy ?” Those who are not prepared with satisfactory answers , beware ! Generation Z , unfamiliar with the sacrificial logic that calls for a show of resilience for the sake of a theoretical future happiness , has an impatience and intransigence that demands a response . This generation looks recruiting company to share the values demanded of the candidate : skills , rigour , transparency , morality , humanism ... and that little “ je-ne-sais-quoi ” that makes all the difference . Caught up in the challenges of our time , recruiters are scrutinised , questioned and evaluated .
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We ’ re all recruiters !
Although the recruiter ’ s task may seem genuinely difficult , there ’ s a comparison to be drawn with our day-to-day lives , where we are constantly recruiting or being recruited . In our personal lives , we unconsciously take on the role of recruiter ; being introduced to someone at a dinner party , finding things we have in common ( golfing , children of similar age , a shared passion for the Beatles ), planning to invite them to the house , coming up with an ideal menu … the stages of a friendly recruitment process ! Meeting someone regularly at the beach , being attracted to their looks , identifying the most effective way of talking to them , showing yourself in the best light , subtly and casually ... What is seduction if not a recruitment process ? Doesn ’ t “ Job-dating ”, inspired by speed-dating , provide proof of this ? Human beings are social animals who live under the gaze of others , driven by the desire to please . Whether it ’ s for work , friendship , or love , we are both the recruiters and the recruited – sometimes both at the same time ! In all three spheres there are no fixed , rigid rules . Successful recruitment requires a combination of knowledge and intuition , of objective criteria , and of criteria that can elude definition .
No personality test , questionnaire , or coaching book can help you find the ideal friend , spouse , or colleague . Far from being a hindrance , the complexity of human nature forces us to reinvent and innovate , adding an exhilarating element to the adventure of life !
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