Comments on: Instant ROI http://www.researchgoddess.com/2009/08/instant-roi/ Remember where you came from... and always reach back. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:12:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: knightbishop http://www.researchgoddess.com/2009/08/instant-roi/comment-page-1/#comment-729 knightbishop Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:31:18 +0000 http://researchgoddess.wordpress.com/?p=1084#comment-729 Networking events are for networking. You might yield some instant benefit, but for the most part, it takes time. What has happened lately is that networking events have become quasi job-fairs, which is what you're describing. Since ROI is a calculation, what would the numerator and denominator be? Leads generated per hour? Hires per job fair (or networking event)? This isn't so cut and dry, but you're right that there is pressure on all of us to deliver results. Marketing used to hide behind the "benefit will come later down the road" mantra, but that case doesn't work with Upper Mgmt anymore. Sergio Zyman blew that out of the water when he went back to work for Coke and became the first person to hold the CMO title. The best practice is to show short-term and long-term benefit. This way, you're covered either way. Another approach that goes over well is to explain the short/mid/long-term benefits of talent pipelining, particularly relative to those roles that are highly critical (and/or are associated with long time-to-fill periods). Pipelining talent for roles that aren't highly critical or pivotal to the organization is a bad investment of time (considering opportunity cost), so just speak in economic terms when describing the criticality/pivotality of the roles you're targeting at the event, and you'll be good-to-go. Josh Letourneau www.linkedin.com/in/jletourneau www.twitter.com/jletourneau (Recruitosphere) www.twitter.com/3PrtyRegComplia (Niche-osphere) Networking events are for networking. You might yield some instant benefit, but for the most part, it takes time. What has happened lately is that networking events have become quasi job-fairs, which is what you’re describing.

Since ROI is a calculation, what would the numerator and denominator be? Leads generated per hour? Hires per job fair (or networking event)?

This isn’t so cut and dry, but you’re right that there is pressure on all of us to deliver results. Marketing used to hide behind the “benefit will come later down the road” mantra, but that case doesn’t work with Upper Mgmt anymore. Sergio Zyman blew that out of the water when he went back to work for Coke and became the first person to hold the CMO title. The best practice is to show short-term and long-term benefit. This way, you’re covered either way.

Another approach that goes over well is to explain the short/mid/long-term benefits of talent pipelining, particularly relative to those roles that are highly critical (and/or are associated with long time-to-fill periods). Pipelining talent for roles that aren’t highly critical or pivotal to the organization is a bad investment of time (considering opportunity cost), so just speak in economic terms when describing the criticality/pivotality of the roles you’re targeting at the event, and you’ll be good-to-go.

Josh Letourneau
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jletourneau
http://www.twitter.com/jletourneau (Recruitosphere)
http://www.twitter.com/3PrtyRegComplia (Niche-osphere)

]]> By: Lesa Caskey http://www.researchgoddess.com/2009/08/instant-roi/comment-page-1/#comment-728 Lesa Caskey Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:28:30 +0000 http://researchgoddess.wordpress.com/?p=1084#comment-728 Amybeth - It was delightful to take a walk down your Twitter path this morning to find this post. I'm always pleased to find kindreds in our industry who share the long term view of making the effort all the time to create make connections that benefit more than one person and that may not ever "pay off". Your mom is right and I commend you for keeping true to those words and for sharing her wisdom. Amybeth -

It was delightful to take a walk down your Twitter path this morning to find this post. I’m always pleased to find kindreds in our industry who share the long term view of making the effort all the time to create make connections that benefit more than one person and that may not ever “pay off”.
Your mom is right and I commend you for keeping true to those words and for sharing her wisdom.

]]> By: Jennifer McClure http://www.researchgoddess.com/2009/08/instant-roi/comment-page-1/#comment-727 Jennifer McClure Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:20:36 +0000 http://researchgoddess.wordpress.com/?p=1084#comment-727 One of the many reasons why I like you Amybeth is that you totally "get it" when it comes to networking and building relationships and how that can impact our jobs as recruiters/talent attractors! It frustrates me when some in our industry (who seem to do an awful lot of talking about what doesn't work versus what does) are constantly beating the drum of not doing anything other than working the phones. That's ONE strategy. I prefer to connect, build relationships and help people out. That's MY style (and similar to yours I believe). There's room for all of us on this big blue ball and my strategy works for me. In the words of the quotable Rodney King: "Can't we just all get along?" :) One of the many reasons why I like you Amybeth is that you totally “get it” when it comes to networking and building relationships and how that can impact our jobs as recruiters/talent attractors! It frustrates me when some in our industry (who seem to do an awful lot of talking about what doesn’t work versus what does) are constantly beating the drum of not doing anything other than working the phones. That’s ONE strategy. I prefer to connect, build relationships and help people out. That’s MY style (and similar to yours I believe). There’s room for all of us on this big blue ball and my strategy works for me. In the words of the quotable Rodney King: “Can’t we just all get along?” :)

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