FROM MAY 2014's RECRUITER MAGAZINE

Does Matt Churchward’s recruitment bugbear really wind you up too?

Even the word sends shivers down my spine. Because of jargon, I’m becoming increasingly confused about what the recruitment industry actually does. I’m pretty sure we help businesses find employees and vice versa, but can no longer say so with 100% certainty…

We all know the phrases and buzzwords to which I allude — human capital, talent acquisition, boutique agency etc. Everyone I speak to loathes them, but they show no sign of abating. Why is it so hard to let clients and candidates know, in simple terms, that we are recruitment experts? 

When I entered the industry 12 years ago, I researched agency websites. Websites weren’t as informative back in 2002 but at least they were to the point. Recently, I was on an oil & gas website and it was 10 minutes before I realised they were a recruitment company and not a potential client.

Kevin Spacey says in The Usual Suspects that the greatest trick the devil pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. Is our industry the Keyser Soze [Spacey’s character in the film] of UKTI? At this rate, management consultancy will be casting an envious eye over our ability to confuse customers. Can you imagine other industries doing this? Cravendale advertising ‘calcium-enriched mammary gland secretion’ or Silent Night exciting customers with its new line of ‘horizontal resting apparatus (HRA)’.

Why do we do this?

Are we embarrassed by what we do? Do we believe there is not enough value in it? Or do we believe we have to throw acronyms and fancy words at clients to get them to see new value in what is essentially the same service?

We should be proud of what we do. Helping create jobs and shape businesses are essential to a successful economy. Our service is valued by corporates, SMEs and public bodies. Why does the FA use recruiters to appoint the England manager? Because our industry adds value. If we can make good money while we do, it is not a reason to be sheepish — we work bloody hard.

In short, let’s cut out the jargon. Make it clear to customers what we do and deliver excellence. We are recruiters — we recruit people.

I have put together a brief Recruitment Dictionary. Feel free to distribute to clients, candidates and graduate recruitment consultants.

Talent acquisition = recruitment with a slightly longer-term view

Executive search = recruit senior people

Head hunting = recruit senior people you do not yet know

Human capital engagement = name gather

Resourcing partner = recruiter

Strategic on-boarding = give them a call to check they have turned up

Outplacement services = help candidates get a job

Workforce strategy = recruit senior HR interims for your business

Human capital consulting = tell you a bit about salaries

RPO = we can do all your recruitment at your office

MSP = we can do all your recruitment at our office

VMS = here is a website, some agencies and an 0845 number with which you can do your own recruitment

People manager = recruiter

Contingent workforce delivery consultant = temp recruiter

Executive referencing = doing our job

Talent identification manager = recruiter

Candidate attraction specialist = resourcer

Boutique agency = small recruitment business

Talent community = candidates

See you all next year at the Talent Acquisition and Human Capital Investment Awards for Excellence!

Matt Churchward, director, The Green Recruitment Company

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