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I am really sad that the reputable Korn Ferry put out this skewed-without-context article, "The New Unemployables': A Scary Future". KF is applying their formidable leading position as third party executive recruiters to an area where they don’t have experience—the reality that most people get hired outside of third party executive recruiting. For example, Dan Kaplan 🟦 makes the comment below where “having an ‘Open to Work Banner’ is the kiss of death.” 😞 Yes, it’s true that Dan will never be able to place a candidate with an Open to Work banner to receive a sizable fee, but that doesn’t mean it’s the kiss of death in every hiring scenario…just in Dan’s small world. How I came to learn about this article is an executive job seeker, who Dan will most likely never place, reached out to me after reading this article, asking, “Is this true?” I answered, “it’s about having a strategy. Saying ‘this is the magic elixir’ and ‘this is the kiss of death’ isn’t helpful. Mr. Kaplan says having the open to work banner is the ‘kiss of death’ because he gets paid high fees for finding talent that isn’t readily available in the market place. But given that only 10-15% of hires happen through third party recruiters, and other stats show that third party recruiting engagements are down 25%, it’s sounds like Mr. Kaplan is talking about a strategy for very narrow group of candidates. 60-65% of hires happen through networking — more than the hires happening through recruiters. Stats from SourceCon and other HR/recruiting conferences I’ve attended show that hiring managers and corporate recruiters like the “open to work” sign. It helps them find talent that is readily available and can start within 2 weeks… So it’s about having a strategy.” What Dan is saying is true in Dan’s niche world…gonna guess Dan makes 10-25 placements a year? Doing 10-25 placements a year doesn’t make one an expert on all the ways hiring can happens. So without that context of Dan saying, “In my tiny world, I could never place someone with that banner”, candidates who have that banner are thinking they are doomed when they read this KF article. The statements the authors, Dan, David Vied, David Ellis, PhD, and Adam Prager made without context hurt the majority of executive job seekers who KF will never place–but still read their blog. They need to stay in their lane. Just because you aren’t able to be placed by KF or a third party recruiter, doesn’t mean your career is over. 80-85% of hiring happens through all kinds of networking and job postings--outside of 3rd party recruiters. Also, keep in mind, the boom for fractional, interim, and contract CXO leaders shows work is still needing to be done. KF Consulting CEO Mark Arian and the Interim Talent Division at Korn Ferry I bet use the “Open to Work” phrase to find talent that can start immediately. 😉 Nothing is a “magic elixir” or “kiss of death” – it's about having an individualized strategy that suits you.
Lisa Rangel
1mo
Gurpreet Kaur Mann & Ed Han Anyone looking for proof that recruiters prefer to see #opentowork banners and that they aren’t viewed as desperate can do a search here on LinkedIn “#opentowork poll banner” and you will yield the polls and sentiment from actual recruiters. Here is a sampling of what a quick search found: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hunglee_recruiting-jobsearch-activity-7128301719611957249-VH9D?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ivyblossom_opentowork-jobsearch-talentacquisition-activity-7137463089200840705-4EFV?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benjaminsheffield_opentowork-activity-7130192206807658497-ElRB?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios https://www.linkedin.com/posts/liamhaghighat_opentowork-greenbanner-talentacquisition-activity-7205906113156759552-gF4o?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7125404497786343424-z0V_?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
Beth C.
2mo
Two sound bytes here that resonated with me most Lisa Rangel… 1) Doing 10-25 placements a year doesn’t make one an expert on all the ways hiring can happens. 2) Nothing is a “magic elixir” or “kiss of death” – it's about having an individualized strategy that suits you. Such a smart and healthy perspective. I often share with my network that job search isn’t about the either/or statements, it’s about turning those statements into AND statements. Find balance in the actions that you take when job searching. It’s not all or nothing. It’s “give it a try, give it some space to breathe, and evaluate the outcomes” to make good decisions about what to do and try next. Thank you for sharing your perspectives on this article and opening our eyes to a path forward that removes fear.
Rod Recker
2mo
The “open to work” banner didn’t exist when I was laid off several years ago. I wish it had because I would have used it. Instead it took me months to find a new job. After I landed that one I had several people tell me later that they wish they had known I was looking - missed opportunities for sure. Now as I’m looking to add to my new team I’m thankful to know when people are available. I can understand why recruiters feel the same. As Lisa says - it’s about strategy. Your LinkedIn presence is just one piece of a strong strategy. Targeted networking is another. Figure out your strategy and don’t hesitate to let people know you are “Open to Work”.
David Perry
2mo
Listen once and for ALL I’m telling you as the author of all three editions of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and author of Executive Recruiting for Dummies AND Hiring Greatness… the Open to Work banner DOES NOT cast a negative shadow over job hunters. FULL STOP. Let me be clear…by virtue of the number of books on job hunting and recruiting I’ve sold AND the crowds I’ve spoken in front of around the world…I AM THE AUTHORITY ON THIS.
Mark Toscano
2mo
"They need to stay in their lane". I drive in their lane. A lot. And anyone who knows me on LinkedIn knows I am a big fan of the Green Banner/Open to Work thing. It helps me identify candidates who are more likely to respond to my outreach, and candidates who are available to start quickly. I admit, KF is working with larger, better known clients than I do. That will change their perspective a little. But that slight shift in perspective isn't enough to justify overly dramatic, sweeping statements like "Kiss of Death". To quote Ed Han, that sentiment is "Utter and complete hogwash".
Jay Martin
2mo
Irrelevant. It won't help you in my opinion, and it would hurt you IF the people you are talking to actually looked at your profile and cared. Chances are they know you or got your resume, and won't be digging into your silly posts or care that you have a green ring. I regard this assumption to be overthinking it, and also am not a fan of the green rings as I don't think they really do anything other than tell people you know you are out, though that may elicit reach outs from friends (I know, I do this). Also, www.ClearAs.org is the best job search program, The 7 Gates, am adding in a bunch of placeholders and finally locking down the numbers of the files in www.JobSeeker.Training this afternoon.
Interestingly, the "Open to Work" banner receives such negativity, whereas the "I'm Hiring" banner does not. Essentially, both banners do the same thing for a LinkedIn user: they signify to others that there is an opportunity to work with them. I've heard many times the sentiment that using the OTW banner makes people look "desperate." What is desperate about seeking your next role, stepping stone in your career, choosing a better place for you, changing industries or disciplines, or removing yourself from an unhealthy work situation? Those are brave moves that self-assured people make.
Brian Fink
2mo
Where is the data to show that this feature is the "kiss of death?" What's the difference between signalling visually and doing it discretely via notifying recruiters?
Jonathan Warren
2mo
Lisa Rangel Is it possible that the "kiss of death" referenced was projection onto others about his own career? As you pointed out, if people use the "open to work" banner, there's less need for the type of recruiter who specializes in finding the "hard to find" people. In essence, it comes off as Mr. Kaplan is feeling threatened by a tiny little green banner, much in the same way, I suppose, as people are feeling about these so-called "ai" tools. In a sea of green banners, it's hard to stand out. But this points at an even longer "issue" with the recruiting industry as a whole: there are recruiters, and their clients, who refuse to hire those without a current job. We remove that mentality, and unemployment will drop rapidly.
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2moHere is the Korn Ferry article: https://www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/the-new-unemployables-a-scary-future