As a recruiter I can empathise with you and understand your concerns. However you must realise that this is a money making business and “what the client wants, the client gets”. If they are paying a large fee for a certain type of candidate, they can choose whatever they want. We can advise to some extent, many times I have been able to open a clients eyes to different options and made them see outside the circle.
We are here for the candidate, as without them we would be out of a job. Unfortunately it comes down to the employers choice. Honestly, it would make our job a lot easier if they broadened their views,

Cheers

Thanks Mike, totally agree with you. WAY past time that they broadened their views,

Cheers, Toby

Yes, ‘guessing’ ages may be a problem for recruiters, but I wouldn’t consider it a “huge waste of time and a huge waste of resources”.

There are bigger issue’s mate.

Kev

My response:

Kev, thanks for your post. Agree there are always bigger issues. But this one’s big enough.

We have a system where we pretend to assess people because we legally have to.

As a 56 year old with a lot of friends around my age, it is certainly a problem for them and the half million others in Australia who have to go through this charade. And it is a problem for all the employers given the extra work it creates.

There is a better way, but that’s for another Rant,

Cheers, Toby

You referred to the ignorant as if this sorry state is “their” doing. I’m the unaware ad-reader, complacently scanning job ads. I’m the one not caring about anything broader than getting the best job I can.

Hell is me not knowing or caring enough to do something about equity or finding a better balance - and I’m not the industry, I’m the job hunter!

If “their” going to be encouraged to change their practices, I’d rather do it from a place of shared responsibility than point the finger. I agree we need strong people to wake us up; I’m not naive enough to think that the pointed finger hasn’t found a target in me.

Thanks for making me aware.
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Thanks Rebecca, agree we are all responsible. Which is sort of my point though I didn’t say it, so thank you.

Make people aware of the problem is step one: then we can solve it. At the moment it is underground, hidden and ignored.

Reminds me a bit of Cane Toads in Australia - an unmitigated disaster for the environment and our native animals. Doesn’t affect us economically so we do virtually nothing about it.

The disaster for older people, migrants, gays, and still to some extent women has dispersed pain. So it can be ignored.

Not if http://www.recruitershamefile.com takes off as I think it will. Note that this is not aimed only at agencies, employers are ultimately responsible and cannot hide behind shonky recruiters,

Cheers, Toby

By the way, I totally and utterly agree with this. But what is your recommendation to fix it?

Do we put ages and experiences back on the CVs and adverts?

Keep up the attack please, we desperately need some sanity back in the recruiting world.

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Peter, thanks for comment. Agree sanity is sorely needed.

The solution is harder, but starts with acknowledging that we have swept it under the carpet. That it is rampant. To start discussing this. To get the HR community to stand up and be counted, to say what they think.

Then to hold employers to count. To start looking at their hiring decisions, their reasons for rejections.

The real way: http://www.recruitershamefile.com - start the public process of shaming. Was supposed to launch it this week in my Rant. Just forgot!

Why not make the first comment, and send it to as many friends as you can. I will announce it in my next Rant,

Cheers, Toby

“Toby-this is crap!”

Had to ask why, and got the following:

“If you think that a job board like SEEK can provide the same level of service as a quality recruiter then you have been doing it wrong all these years.”

I replied that I was NOT saying this, in fact nothing like it.

The Job Boards don’t work yet, my argument is if we get out of their way, they will. Then quality recruiters can work on the real job: helping clients find the best from the applicants.

He, like others who are in recruitment seem unwilling to imagine a different world.

But it is coming, as it has for all agency businesses. Recruitment just has one difference that delays it: we don’t have an efficient clearing house.

There is a reason why stockbroking and other industries changed so fast when technology came in: they had a monopoly clearing house (market place). Recruitment has thousands of market places.

They will gradually disappear. Only we can speed it up,

Cheers, Toby

Toby: Thanks Kolya, a good Rant! Bit unfair to all companies though, I work with some who are very different to this. But are some that are as you describe. To a job seeker who is a bit different, many companies can appear like this.

Regarding most recruiters: no argument. Just selling what they’ve got. Doing what they have done for the past 30 years. Time for a sea-change.

Regarding job boards: We use them every day, and they work reasonably well because we understand how to operate them. And we pay a lot less for ads than the employers who use them directly. What job boards are capable of has not been shown yet: there is too much noise, too many multiple postings of jobs by different agencies. Too many transaction recruiters cluttering up the space,

Cheers, Toby

LinkedIn: already infested with recruiters!

I’ve noticed over many (too many!) years in this industry that the best employees are rarely those who hit the ground running. Lots of reasons for this, but primarily that those who were trained become incredibly loyal and committed. And were hired for their great cultural fit. And bring a whole new perspective to the company.

Why wouldn’t you? Well, there are budgets to meet this quarter and this year and in the real world.

Pity. Some of the most successful companies take a longer view.

Cheers, Toby