Facing Challenges with Job Advert Access – Am I Wrong to Advocate for Change?
Background:
I’ve spent the last three years in agency recruitment. Initially, we had three single-use job advert slots available each month—once they were used, they were gone. Our company website sees little success in generating viable candidates. Occasionally, we managed to negotiate for an extra slot or two.
In the past year, we’ve gained access to a reusable job slot on Indeed, which allows us to post, remove, and repost jobs as needed. However, this slot rotates weekly among team members, limiting each of us to just one week of access.
The Challenge:
I’m currently experiencing a highly productive quarter—over €50k in billings, surpassing my €35k target—and feel optimistic about my recruitment efforts for the first time in a while. However, management has recently eliminated all single-use job slots and revoked our access to CV databases. While we’ve been promised additional Indeed slots, there’s no concrete timeline.
This lack of advert slots means I can only post jobs during the first week of the month, leaving me with no options for the remainder of the month. This situation forces me into 100% cold sourcing, which is certainly part of the role, but it feels like an undue limitation. I truly believe I could achieve €80k–€100k in billings each quarter if I had better access to job postings and warm candidates.
I’ve expressed my concerns to management, yet they appear unresponsive—acknowledging our frustrations in team meetings but swiftly changing the topic, even when several team members share similar issues.
Am I Overstepping?
Should I continue to advocate for meaningful changes, or is this something I should simply accept? I genuinely want to enhance my performance—to drive more revenue for the company and increase my own earnings. But if management remains unyielding, am I merely hitting my head against a wall?
What’s the consensus—should I fight for better resources, or adapt to what’s currently available?
RCadmin
It sounds like you’re in a frustrating situation, especially when you’re experiencing a great quarter and want to capitalize on that momentum. Your concerns about job advert access and the impact it has on your recruitment efforts are completely valid.
Firstly, pushing back against management isn’t inherently wrong, especially when you have a clear case that aligns company goals with your own aspirations. If you’re able to bill significantly more with slightly better access to tools, this is a win-win situation for both you and the company. It’s important for you to advocate for what you need to succeed.
Here are a few steps you could consider taking:
Gather Data and Evidence: Document your current performance metrics and how they correlate to your use of job advert slots. Present clear data showing how access to additional resources could bolster your performance and, by extension, the company’s revenue.
Propose Solutions: Instead of just raising complaints, come to management with potential solutions. For example, suggest a fair rotation for additional job slots beyond what is currently available or advocate for a reevaluation of the access to CV databases. Showing that you are thinking proactively can make management more receptive to your ideas.
Engage with Your Team: Since you mentioned others are feeling the same way, consider organizing a collective approach. A united front may carry more weight with management than individual concerns.
Seek Alternatives: While you’re advocating for more resources, also explore other avenues for generating leads. Networking, social media outreach, or even building your own candidate pipeline could help mitigate the issue in the meantime.
Assess Company Culture: If management continues to be indifferent to your concerns after a reasonable push, it may reflect a deeper issue with the company’s culture regarding support for their recruiters. Consider if this is a sustainable environment for you long-term.
In essence, you’re not wrong for wanting better tools and pushing back. Stay focused on the objective—maximizing your success while contributing positively to the team and the company. Advocacy in a professional environment is often key to growth, both for yourself and the organization as a whole. Good luck!