A lot of recruiters in this industry call themselves “executive recruiters.” It makes them sound high-level, experienced and important. The truth is, most of them aren’t executive recruiters. In fact, I know I am not yet an executive recruiter – but I will be.
It doesn’t make sense for an early-career recruiter to think executive level recruiting is for them when they haven’t had the time to build those relationships. Executives at most companies have built their relationships through the years, and no matter how good of a recruiter you are, they tend to stay loyal to those relationships.
It can take a lot of time and effort to try to break into executive-level recruitment, and for younger recruiters, you could lose that relationship shortly after building it due to retirement of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. This is why I am putting my efforts into building relationships with our next generation of leaders – millennials.
Millennials already make up 12 percent of department heads, and seven percent of senior management teams. They are moving up the ranks, and they haven’t planted roots like the generations before them. They are ready to start from the ground up, invest in new relationships and come in as the next generation of leaders.
I want to create relationships with millennial leaders that they will carry throughout their careers. I want to engage with them through technology, and on social media to build authentic relationships where they are – online. Some recruiters think these are poor relationships because millennials aren’t the top dogs right now – but in five to 10 years, they will be.
I know who my audience is, and I am genuinely happy to say it is millennial leaders. They get beat up by broad generalizations, and are targets for outlets that need to create news, but they are our next gen leaders. They are ready to try out new technology, new career opportunities and new processes in the workplace. They are office-transformers and mindset-shifters. I am not ashamed to focus my efforts on millennials, or to believe in them as the future of our workforce.
Millennials: I am ready to be your agent. I am ready to work with a generation that isn’t set in their ways, that thrives on change, advancements and improvements. If you are ready to take the next step in your career, and are excited to find your next opportunity through our firm’s cutting-edge career technology with the assistance of a human who cares about your future – contact me today.
Everyone else: hug a millennial. They’ll be your boss soon.
