Posted by Ashley Ryall on Tue, May 10, 2011 @ 12:54 PM
I took a poll around the office asking my fellow recruiters, "Why do you recruit?" Rather, "What makes you get up in the morning?" To my surprise, their motivation does not stem from the copious amounts of caffeinated coffee consumed to counteract the early morning sluggishness. Actually, their responses sat on a foundation of service, "We like to help people," and the explanations piled on from there, and into these categories:
Appreciative candidates and clients
John Leonard Employment Services consultants receive an overwhelming number of emails and calls from grateful candidates. "I love it when someone is so excited to be getting a position or even an interview at one of our client companies....they're so appreciative of me thinking of them for the position and trying to help them," says one Temporary Division Staffing Consultant, Elyse Gonsalves. Jennifer DeLucia, Temporary Division Manager is obviously excited when she tells me that "nothing feels better than a client company who only wants to talk to you because they know that you have their best interests at heart". This positive feedback is a strong motivating factor for John Leonard consultants to push and find the next success.
What it feels like to solidify a match
It's a unique and satisfying experience when we place our bright and highly qualified candidates with client companies. "It's as exhilarating as my first placement that I made in 1999," describes Direct Hire Division Senior Staffing Consultant, Rob Harvie. There's something to be said about the feeling you get when your hard work pays off. "Finding that right ‘fit’ is always a challenge and it takes a tremendous amount of effort and fortitude, but when that match is made, everybody wins. You're helping the candidate with their career in more ways than one, you're helping the company fill a strategic position that allows them to grow"…"Calling that candidate with an offer" and the candidate accepts said offer is "something that's hard to explain," especially considering the boomerang challenges so many recruiters have had to overcome since 2009; lay-offs, companies merging, hiring freezes, and everything in between.
The nature of the industry
Recruiters are, by nature, competitive and results-driven, and tend to have that "act-fast" mentality. Matching a client with a candidate is a constantly changing process, particularly because the product we promote is people. Go-getter John Leonard consultants love this challenge. Similar to a sports agent, our recruiters thrive on continual interaction with others, learning what our candidates bring to the table, and advocating in the candidate and client's best interests to solidify a win/win situation. "While the job does present its challenges, it is fun because the situation is constantly changing" says one of the newer members of the team, Jon Singleton - Direct Hire Staffing Consultant.
We are firm believers that there is a home for every candidate and so have made it our primary mission to wake up every morning with this mindset. Jennifer DeLucia, Temporary Division Manager, describes what makes a successful recruiter in this very competitive business where differentiating yourself from the pack is essential; "We're not just resume readers and interviewers. Gut instinct, a keen sense of judgment and knowing your candidates and companies well makes the difference between a good recruiter and a great one. "