Why won't you recommend someone to a recruiter...

Being the Search Execution Director with Hygun Group, Inc.  I can’t tell you how often I hear the words, "I don't know anyone", when I ask for a recommendation.  Is that really true?  Everyone knows people.  I am stunned on a daily basis by the lack of interest in recommending a friend, colleague or former coworker for an opportunity; especially in the Engineering field, where logic reigns supreme.  Why?  If this is a good opportunity and it makes sense for someone (which is the only way they would take it), what harm did you do?  You helped a person advance their career, make things better in some way for them and their family.  You just did something good, something great for someone else, something I bet you would appreciate them doing for you.  If my opportunity is not going to be better in some way, then they will obviously stay where they are.  But, we are also told "I don't know if they are looking".  It doesn’t matter.  We aren’t trying to find someone that is looking.  We want the recommendation of someone that this opportunity would be good for.  When someone hears that a fellow Engineer went to work for another firm or advanced their career, it is probable that you had no idea that they might be interested in a new our opportunity.  You are probably a bit surprised on a daily basis when you hear someone left one firm for another.  So, from now on, please take a moment & think about your fellow colleagues.  Maybe you would be doing a good thing for someone be recommending them to us when we call.