The problem is not that recruiting as an industry is obsolete.
The problem is that you can't find a good recruiter based on your needs (price, specialty, experience level, etc).
The quality of recruiters is variable, but the need for them is constant. I appreciate more systems to post jobs and review candidates directly, but after LinkedIn and Craigslist, the value diminishes. I've also worked with recruiters who are highly qualified and present good candidates.
A solution would be a system to help you find a better recruiter and create more transparency in that industry.
I can envision a system whereby you can rate your interactions with recruiters (ie., Yelp for recruiting).
"I used [recruiter] and they found me [x] candidates in [y] days. The quality of the candidates was [z] and I [hired/didnt hire] someone that they presented. I [would/wouldn't] work with them again. They charged [x] per [candidate/hour/placement]"
When a recruiter contacts you, and knows nothing about your [Technology/Industry/Company], you can look them up on a site and rate them. You would rate them on these vectors, and then you could build a search tool that helps you find the right recruiter. ("Find me a BioTech Recruiter in Seattle who works with Genentech on a flat fee" etc)
This would also have a benefit keep recruiters more honest. The good recruiters would rise to the top, and potentially get more leads. You wouldn't have to waste as much time with poor recruiters since they would be outed pretty quickly. Frustration levels (as evinced by this thread) are pretty high when incompetent recruiters waste your time.
The problem is that you can't find a good recruiter based on your needs (price, specialty, experience level, etc).
The quality of recruiters is variable, but the need for them is constant. I appreciate more systems to post jobs and review candidates directly, but after LinkedIn and Craigslist, the value diminishes. I've also worked with recruiters who are highly qualified and present good candidates.
A solution would be a system to help you find a better recruiter and create more transparency in that industry.
I can envision a system whereby you can rate your interactions with recruiters (ie., Yelp for recruiting).
"I used [recruiter] and they found me [x] candidates in [y] days. The quality of the candidates was [z] and I [hired/didnt hire] someone that they presented. I [would/wouldn't] work with them again. They charged [x] per [candidate/hour/placement]"
When a recruiter contacts you, and knows nothing about your [Technology/Industry/Company], you can look them up on a site and rate them. You would rate them on these vectors, and then you could build a search tool that helps you find the right recruiter. ("Find me a BioTech Recruiter in Seattle who works with Genentech on a flat fee" etc)
This would also have a benefit keep recruiters more honest. The good recruiters would rise to the top, and potentially get more leads. You wouldn't have to waste as much time with poor recruiters since they would be outed pretty quickly. Frustration levels (as evinced by this thread) are pretty high when incompetent recruiters waste your time.