Several months ago, I received a call from a company interested in my recruiting skills. They wanted to talk to me about joining their team – about packing up my recruiting toolkit and changing company logos. They used phrases like, "strong compensation package," "long-term advancement," and "perfect fit."

The company was a technology leader, and, although I wasn't necessarily looking for a new opportunity, my interest was piqued. I decided to give it a spin. Four mediocre interviews and two weeks later, a job offer was on the table. Normally, that would not be a problem. However, I was uniquely aware that I'd somehow managed to navigate the hiring process (Recruiter – Hiring Manager – HR Manager – VP) without a single question addressing my recruiting experience. That's right – not one single question!

Strange as it sounds, I was disappointed. My interview guns were loaded and I was prepared to answer Lou Adler's infamous, "What is your single greatest accomplishment?" question. But I was never given the opportunity. I was all dressed up with no place to go.

Granted, I was flattered. But I also knew that one of two mistakes had just occurred. They either thought I was such an expert that they didn't need to interview me (hmmm, most likely not). Or, they simply didn't have an organized (structured) plan for interviewing and evaluating talent. On either account, they would have been weighed and found wanting.

Why? Because companies that embrace superior human capital practices create superior returns for their shareholders.

That's why I affectionately refer to recruiters as "investment bankers." As recruiters, we have the opportunity, every day, to improve our company's market value. And that's not just my opinion - that's the conclusion of a landmark study of North American companies released by Watson Wyatt Worldwide over eight years ago! The study's data show that a significant improvement in "recruiting excellence" is linked to a 10% increase in market value. Frankly, that's the kind of data every CFO loves to hear.

The data also show six critical recruiting practices with a positive impact on market value. The most important one seems rather obvious: Hire professionals who are well equipped to perform their duties. The second one, however, is often overlooked: Specifically design recruiting efforts to support a company's business plan. There you have it – smart companies value superior recruiting practices. And their shareholders say, "Thank you."

I was flattered to receive a job offer from a reputable company based purely on an overview of my recruiting philosophy (which is easily found on my blog). But it begs the question: Is this organization hiring professionals who are “well equipped to perform their duties?” If so, what are the criteria used to make this determination? Furthermore, are they “designing recruiting efforts to support their company's business plan?”

Sure, I'd like to think I've learned a thing or two about recruiting over the years, and that my background is attractive to any company desiring to be a recruiting “center of excellence.”

But I'd rather see us practice what we preach. I'd rather take the investment banker approach: invest in my company's bottom line by staying committed to excellence in recruiting practice. That means not taking anything for granted. Not getting sloppy. It means systematically evaluating the best talent and making tough decisions that support my company's business plan. It means due diligence in the interview process - even for the most qualified candidates.

Here's to Investment Banking Recruiting in 2007!

Dennis Smith has over a decade of progressive experience in agency and corporate recruiting, primarily in the wireless industry. He is currently a Senior Recruiting Manager at T-Mobile USA, supporting the recruiting efforts of the Engineering and Network Operations organization.