The Threat to the Recruiting Industry

There have been some occasional concerns over the years with regard to the future of the recruiting industry, but none were legitimate. Many prognosticators said the Internet would be the downfall, but as we quickly found out, you cannot replace a savvy headhunter who can identify, locate, and sell those incredibly valuable candidates that hiring managers daydream about called passive job seekers. In that regard, the Internet has actually helped headhunters. While everyone else is playing around with social networking, Internet recruiting schemes, and unuseful and expensive applicant tracking systems to find candidates, headhunters are digging deep and getting the job done. There is really only one factor that will have an impact long-term on recruiting and that is more devastating Socialism.

You may be thinking the relationship between Socialism and the recruiting industry has never occurred to you. It is time to start considering it. You should also start considering an exit strategy from recruiting if things continue on the path we are on. As recruiters, you know it is wise to think about your next job while in your current one, or to have a back-up plan. Socialism's impact on employment, hiring, growth, and recruiting is very real. The impact of socialist policies can already be seen far and wide and it is growing and spreading. It has been for several decades.

If you are still not sure what this whole Socialism thing is all about, it is easily explained. Socialism is an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise. The essential characteristic of Socialism is the denial of individual property rights. In essence, your life, work, and money really does not belong to you. The government believes they have a right to take and distribute it as they see fit. What was once yours now belongs to the "public". Sure, you will be able to keep something, kind of like you get to keep around 50% of your income now after paying all of the various taxes. What happens in a Socialist society is that incentive is lost, misery sets in, and people give up the fight. Try to think of the exact opposite of Capitalism and all of the immense benefits it has brought to humans and their standard of living and you will be on the right track.

Does Socialism work? No, it does not. It has been tried numerous times, even to this day, and the results are always distatrous. The United States is the first political/economic system that recognized the individual and the results have been astounding. You probably do not need to be sold on the fact that our accomplishments and successes in a relatively short 200 or so years have been unmatched by any other system. It is not disputable. The good that capitalism has brought in terms of raising the standard of living for people has been truly remarkable. On the other hand, instead of prosperity, Socialism has brought economic paralysis or collapse to every country that tried it. The degree of socialization has been the degree of the disaster. The examples around the world endless and plain to see. Do some research if you're not convinced.

So what does this have to do with recruiting? It has everything to do with recruiting. Do you think there is a flourishing recruiting industry on the scale of the United States going on in socialist countries? Do you think there are anywhere near the number of prospering recruitment agencies, headhunters, and search firms throughout Europe as compared to the U.S.? It is not even close. Why is that? It boils down to incentive. When business and individuals are not burdened by government interference, excessive taxes, regulations and controls, and stifling bureaucracy they are free to grow, expand, flourish, invest, and of course hire more people.

Do you think an economic system in which companies are forcibly required to abide by excessive government involvement and paralyzing taxes is conducive to a hiring environment? Do you think this translates into business growth, expansion, and more open job openings for recruiters to work on? Contemplate a socialist America characterized by perpetually high long-term unemployment, crippling debt, and no money for investment, and you can connect the dots. Ask yourself how you believe this could impact your recruiting career long-term.

Recruiting is one of the most exciting, challenging, rewarding, and entrepreneurial endeavors someone could embark on in life. America needs to continue to provide the environment - Capitalism - for the recruiting industry to prosper. I know, we have never experienced true laissez-faire Capitalism, but we need to stop destroying what is left of it. If you keep an objective market oriented eye open, you will clearly see that Socialism is a nightmare for individuals, business, economies, and recruiters while a flouishing capitalisic society driven by incenctive ensures the growth recruiters need for prosperity.