I was in the car with my teenage daughter this weekend when an ad for one of the largest job boards came on the radio. She said "Dad, isn't that what you do?" She's heard me talking to clients and candidates many times over the years, but this was the first time she actually asked me about it.
Usually when people ask me what I do, I keep it simple by saying that "I'm a Recruiter in PR, Marketing and Communications", but I decided to take advantage of the rare interest my daughter was showing. While we were talking, I realized that there are reasons why I've been doing it for so long and that I still love what I do.
I'm usually the one doing the interviewing, but I thought the best way to keep her engaged was for her to ask me some questions. I'm sharing her questions and my responses below as a tribute to my fellow Recruiters and for anyone who may not fully understand the value of my sometimes misunderstood "behind the scenes" business.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮?
My response was that technology is a great way find active job seekers which is important, but that what I do is a little different. I reach out to select people in and out of my network to find the best possible candidates. While it's more of an investment for companies, it allows them to hire candidates who either missed the job posting, were overlooked for some reason, OR who just aren't applying to job postings.
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?
This is tricky, but it starts with a good understanding of the company you're recruiting for, including the selling points, team, culture, and polices. Then looking for people who are not only qualified professionally, but who are aligned with the spirit of the company and a great fit for the actual role. I then gauge the interest of candidates during the process, help negotiate and help both sides cross the finish line. When this is done well, it results in great long-term hires.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿?
I explained that like most Recruiters, I didn't plan on this career. I fell into it and found that I had a knack for it. I like the interaction with both sides and solving the puzzle. There's also no better feeling than the moment a candidate accepts an offer. When both sides are excited and you know that you connected them, there's a great sense of accomplishment. It's a difficult and unpredictable business in many ways, but also more rewarding than I ever expected, so I wouldn't change a thing.
#hiring
#recruiting
#humanresources
#marketing
#commsjobs
#HR
#recruitment
#PR
