Do you belong to a recruiting association? If not, how do you build a network of recruiting partners? What recruiting resources do you use for professional development? Or, have you decided that the recruiters you “know” through social media are enough?
It’s my favorite time of year at NPA. Our members-only Global Conference is just a few weeks away, and the excitement and anticipation are killing me (so is the workload, but I digress…). The Global Conference is where the magic happens. I love sitting back and watching what happens when smart, engaged recruiters get together in person:
- The “ah-ha” moments that occur when two recruiters meet for the first time and realize the number of placements they can make by working together
- The wondrous moments when recruiters who are new to NPA walk into a breakout session where others are openly sharing their proprietary business processes
- The “light bulb” moments when a speaker or trainer shares something that a recruiter KNOWS can be implemented immediately to make (or save) money
- The joyful moments when recruiters celebrate each others’ successes (individual or shared) and lift each other up when times are tough
Planning conferences and meetings for NPA is part of my job, so I suppose I’m biased when I say it’s important for people to interact in person. But I’ve seen the spark, the energy, the magic when a room full of recruiters gets together, and it’s not something I have ever experienced through email or Facebook or LinkedIn. It’s better.
There are many kinds of recruiter associations: formal and informal, large and small, regional and global. Many of them offer in-person meetings. Find one that makes sense for your business model and go. While NPA’s meetings are members-only events, other recruiting associations allow both member and non-member attendees. It’s a great opportunity for professional development. After all, your clients expect you to be knowledgeable, with up-to-date skills, right?
If you’d rather start small, try reaching out to a handful of recruiters in your local area and meet up for coffee or a beer. You’ll learn more about each other in that hour than you could ever hope to learn through electronic updates. And you’ll walk away feeling more connected, with a solid network to support you. That’s the kind of recruiting association you need!
***
How’s business? Answer NPA’s one-question survey about your 2012 recruiting business predictions. We’ll blog about the results of our non-scientific poll next month!