“Recruiters have a lot of transferable skills,” he said.
Lucille Lamb, 38, has been a recruiter her entire career. But after her employer, cryptocurrency security startup Immunefi, stopped hiring her in the spring, she switched to her HR job. Instead of managing job postings and procuring recruits, she began setting up a performance evaluation system and an “accountability framework” for Immunefi’s employees.
“My job has changed a lot,” she said.
Lam said she appreciates the opportunity to learn new skills. “Now I understand how to get fired,” she said. “Even in a market that doesn’t hire anyone, I would have a valuable skill set.”
According to Turnbull Agency co-founder Matt Turnbull, at least 15 recruiters have sought him out in recent months as the network dried up. There was also an offer to charge him 10% to 30% less than his normal rate, which he has not seen since he started an agency operating in Los Angeles and France seven years ago. It was nothing.
“A lot of recruiters are desperate right now,” he said.
Those who are still working are having a harder time than before. Job seekers often get stuck holding patterns with companies with frozen budgets. Others see their offers abruptly withdrawn, leading to difficult conversations.
“You have to be as honest as you can without letting them down,” Turnbull said. “That doesn’t make it easier to do what you don’t want.”
At Recruit Rise, Mr. Hamada resumed recruiter training classes in late August. Ventures Keeping students away from her capital-funded start-ups has shown promise, although some have started with internships and part-time jobs rather than full-time gigs.