Before I get to today's useless rant, let me just go on record and say I love stock photography. Particularly overstaged, schlocky, poorly lit business-type stock photography.
I love it in the same way I love Russian dating sites. They're so bad, they're good. Mostly because the way these under talented photographers have the models pose is so broad and so overdone it resembles nothing like the real world.
In the real world for instance, if I walked into a conference room and were greeted by these two lanyard-wearing clowns I'd need to summon all my powers of self restraint not to throat punch them. Settle down there, Winkyboys.
But I have digressed.
Today's topic: Recruiters.
Why the fuck are there so many recruiters?
Have you been on linkedin.com lately?
Sandwiched between newsfeed items asking me to name a city without the letter A -- how about Asshattery, Arkansas, or to solve some inane mathematical equation -- again I'm going with Asshattery, Arkansas, there's a new announcement from someone entering the new lucrative field of recruiting.
I'm not here to disparage recruiters.
I've been known to bite the hand that feeds me but I'm not into full self-destruction mode (yet) and I still get the occasional booking through friends who are recruiters -- you long-timers in Los Angeles know who you are. And that I love you dearly.
I'm simply questioning the sudden explosion. It's like the 17 year cycle of the cicada. Only now the woodworks are clogged up with recruiters. It seems like everyone and their pilates instructor is in the game.
Moment of serendipity, and this is the absolute truth, as I am writing this and planning the next paragraph in my head, I received an email informing me of my newest linked connection -- a recruiter.
All of which begs the question.
Why are organizations having such a difficult time getting people to come through the front door? And more importantly, what specific jobs are these communication pros recruiting for? Is there a boom coming to the marketing world that will propel the industry forward and bring about a new golden age of advertising?
Oh... silly me, I just answered my question. Planners.
An agency can never have enough Planners.
Wink.
It seems pretty clear to me why agencies need recruiters. It's because the big holding companies have colluded to hold down wages. If advertising were a free-market economy, shitty agencies/shitty assignments would have to pay more to attract talent. Likewise your wages for late-night and weekend work would be greater. There would be no need for recruiters. The wage-driven market would obviate their utility.
ReplyDeleteRemember when the housing market was HOT? Everyone was a realtor and didn’t understand the market.
ReplyDeleteSome of them are doing it as a side gig along with two or three other jobs. Or they're doing it as a way to make a buck as a stay at home parent. In a "gig economy" it probably seems fun & "creative."
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