How Rudolph Was Recruited

I posted this WAAAYYY back in 2016!! Wow, time flies.

“Man…I’m not sure. Do you think it would be the right fit for me?” said Rudolph. Rudolph was unsure of the recruiter that called him out of the blue. After all…how did he get his information? 

“You never know until you have a call with them…the worst they can say is no.” said Hermey the Elf. Hermey has been a recruiter for SWNP (Santa’s Workshop; North Pole) for several years. Santa told him that the organization was expanding, and he was in charge of finding a Chief Flight Executive over their Present Distribution Team. “It’s gotta be a fit for you Rudolph, and only you can make that call after you speak with them. The culture of the organization is incredible, benefits include 11 months of PTO, and mileage reimbursement for all travel. They really want a team player, and someone that can bring new ideas to the table.” Hermey said. 

Rudolph thought about it. He was a young reindeer with not an extensive amount of experience in his field, but his attitude was positive, and was willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. He was thinking about considering other opportunities anyway (his boss at “Island of Misfit Toys Inc” was an abominable person to work for.) 

“Think of it this way, Rudie: Instead of why, ask yourself ‘why not?’” said Hermey the Elf. 

“Sure, let’s go for it!” Rudolph said. He was nervous, but excited about the possibility of change. 

The next day, Rudolph got a call from the Talent Acquisition Manager named Dasher. Dasher was kind, and after a few of the standard “screening questions,” he arranged a skype call with the Human Resources Director. 

“Alright Rudolph, your skype with Comet is finalized for November 11th at 3pm. He tested his skype beforehand, and was ready on the third for the next step. 

Comet called right on time at 3pm. Comet skipped the chit chat, and got down to the tough questions. “Rudolph, tell me about a time where you were in a team situation where no one stepped up to be a leader, and you took them in the right direction.” Rudolph told him about a situation and the task at hand, the actions he took, and the result of his outcome. He knew that past behavior was the best indicator for future performance, and practiced his answer beforehand. 

“Great. I believe those were all the questions I had at the time. What questions do you have for me?” Rudolph asked Comet about why he enjoyed working at SWNP, how long he had been there, and the kind of personality Kris Kringle had. Those were great follow up questions, and Comet happily answered. 

“Comet, the last question I have for you is about next steps after this call, and the timing around it. I’m really excited about the opportunity!” Rudolph said. He wanted to let Comet know that he was on board, and ready to go to final. 

Comet smiled, and nodded his head. “Based on this call, I think we should talk about what your schedule looks like to come visit us on site. Can you email Dasher the availability you have for a two day visit?” Rudolph was excited, but kept his calm. “Yes sir, I’ll look at my calendar this afternoon.” He said. Rudolph got Comet’s personal email, and sent him a follow up “thank you” email after the call. 

One Week Later…

Rudolph calmly waited in the common area of Santa’s Workshop; North Pole. His peer panel interview was in five minutes, and he rehearsed his “accomplishments” answers in his head. He’s dressed in his best suit and tie, has a copy of his resume to distribute, and a legal pad to take notes with. 

The door to the conference room slowly creaked open. “We’re ready for you Rudolph,” says Vixen, Head of Toy Branding. Rudolph follows her in the room, and is introduced to the rest of the team. Dancer was Head of Delivery Logistics, Prancer was SVP of Forecasting Analytics, and Cupid was Director of Workshop Safety. 

They spoke about his background and his skill competencies, but the best part was asking them questions about the organization, and the kind of person they want to work with. This part of the game was really just a culture match. People hire people they like, and even if you don’t have all the skills on paper, they can teach you those…they just can’t teach you to change your personality. Rudolph decided these were the kind of people he would want to work with in the future. The last question was this: would he feel the same about the CEO? 

“Alright, time to meet the big man himself,” said Prancer. He led him down the hall to the executive suit, and knocked on the door that said “Kris Kringle, CEO of Santa’s Workshop; North Pole” in embossed, golden lettering. “Come in,” a deep voice said on the other side. It was time. 

Rudolph entered the room, and there was Kris Kringle. Kris was dressed in a red designer business suit with golden cuff links and a belt buckle to match. “Rudolph, I’m glad to finally meet you!” Kris boomed. His voice was loud, but welcoming at the same time. “So what do you think of the place so far?” Kris asked him with a twinkle in his eye. 

“It’s great! The team elaborated on the values on the mission of the company, and it’s exactly the direction I see myself going in as well. I got along with everyone there, and feel like they would be great people to work beside.” Rudolph said. 

“Good!” Kris said. “So, you’ve come all this way, and met everyone, and know about what we do. What do you think you could add to the team to take it to the next level?”

Rudolph has been waiting for this question since he started interviewing. “My track record is significantly different than the rest of the team here, but that’s why my "out of the box" skill set can bring added value to it as well. I believe a team is consisted of everyone being a different piece of the same puzzle, and when put together, the picture is complete. I’m your corner piece. My nose can lead us into uncharted territory, can guide us to different vendors, and expand on your already incredible share of the market. This company is great, and I want to help make it better.” 

Kris liked what he heard. His problem was expanding into geographies that had low air quality, and his transportation team had incurred an extensive amount of damage to their rig trying to navigate the flight course. The cost of repairs was hurting his bottom line, let alone their inability to deliver goods to the market. Rudolph was the solution to his problem. 

“Rudolph, I couldn’t agree more. I’m officially extending you an offer to work for us at Santa’s Workshop as our CFE over the Present Distribution Team.” Kris said with a smile. Rudolph beamed, and stood up. 

“Mr. Kringle, I’m honored. Yes, I accept!” Rudolph extended his hoof and shook with Kris. It was like this was the opportunity Rudolph had been waiting for…he just didn’t know it existed. Thank goodness Hermey the Recruiter called him! 

Rudolph started there two weeks later, and has been there ever since. He got the job not only because his skill set was exactly what they were needing, but because they liked him. The company’s total revenue increased by thirty percent since Rudolph began, and they even began expansion into new territories. They say the partnership will go down in hiiiiistoooooooryyyyyy….

Written by Krista Whiting