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Do you have any Grey Poupon? But of course... follow this blog post

posted by on July 17, 2008

Several varieties of Grey Poupon exist, each crafted to address one’s primal need for mustard. But like the original commercial, within the recruiting community there exist factions of recruiters and recruiting pundits/experts who believe that if you don’t follow in line to their proselytizing you are open to ridicule.

For instance, take Applicant Tracking Systems – please! How many are there? Rhetorical question. How many recruiters believe their choice is the best ATS out there? Another rhetorical question. Yet the number of “best ATS” discussions has proliferated on every recruiting forum with each discussion becoming more heated as contrarians and purchasers of other systems proffer their opinion on why their choice was best.

They’re all failing to cut the mustard because each misses out on explaining how their specific processes, budgetary constraints, IT departments, ad naseum influenced their decision. This would constitute real information that would be useful to the community.

So why don’t we offer said information?

Because of the first tenet of the Poupon Principle:

It is easier to assert than to explain.

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3 comments

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  • 1 point 15 months ago

    I see what you mean Steve. Many so called "recruiters" really do nothing of the sort. They're internet/clerical type folks who happen to be somehow lumped in with those of us who are actually getting things done.

    I'm with you. The ATS banter on ERE is one of the things that let my attention wander to greener pastures. I drop in now and again - and I'm still subscribed to a few groups. When all is said and done though it mostly shakes out to be a bunch of ATS promoters and bashers. Not really much substance so I've strayed.........

    Cheers!

  • 1 point 15 months ago

    Gnawing isn't quite the right word; I'm trying to engage others in a discussion about what it's going to take to raise (or better yet "return") ERE to the entrepreneurial, all-for-one-one-for-all culture of it's early years. Let me explain using the ATS...

    Here's a simple Google I did for "site:www.ere.net (ATS OR applicant.tracking.system) inurl:groups"

    http://tinyurl.com/5prncm

    Notice how the requests for an ATS recommendation for one's situation results in most everyone asserting that the ATS they chose is great - with so very few people asking the questioner to explain their situation - special processes, budgetary constraints, IT infrastructure, etc. Per this example, not a single ATS is true plug-and-play so individual requirements are paramount (I'm an engineer so I have some experience in the technical realm) - yet the prominent response is to assert rather than to explain how the selection was made. Without the details of the decision, it's nothing more than a paid advertisement - how is this helping the community to make more informed decision?

    A corollary of the first tenet is to ask for help without explaining what has been done to date. When Maureen Sharib first started her ASK and Sourcing groups, one of the things I suggested was that she "enforce" a "rule" that if you want the community assist you in a befuddling search all you have to do is simply let the group know exactly what you've done so far and what your results have been. I'd say that's a reasonable trade-off for receiving free advice, right?

    So what has happened? The bulk of people asking "I've done everything I can - posted at all the job boards - but nothing. What else can I do?"

    Can these people cut the mustard as recruiters?

  • 1 point 15 months ago

    Evening Steve. For a new reader such as myself - can you clue me in here? Just what are you getting at? I'm pretty sure I'm of the same philosophy - but want to make sure I'm catching your drift.

    Can you spell it out? What is gnawing at you? All the though leaders? Or is it just that anyone can say anything they like about their product without having to verify it?

    What is it?