As a recruiter, making a call to a candidate to offer them a job is without question the best part of my day. It would be wonderful to make that call all day long, to each and every candidate I meet. Unfortunately, I also have to make the other calls, speaking to candidates when the news is, “you’re not qualified” or “sorry, they chose another candidate.” Today I offered a candidate a Graphic Design position, his excitement was exhilarating and for me, it was thrilling to tell him the good news. Immediately after we talked, I had to tell my two other candidates that they needed to continue their job search. That wasn’t fun at all.
Will a recruiter help you find a job?
Recruiters work on behalf of companies to identify qualified people who have both the required skills and the right attitude for the job.
What many people don’t realize is that recruiters work on behalf of our clients; they tell me the job they need filled and I search for talented people to do the work. Some of these openings are easy to fill, others require months of work to find just the right person. When I connect with a candidate, I feel good; I get truly excited when I have an opening that would be a fit for them. Although technically I am working for the client, I talk to candidates all day, and understand how much a candidate may be counting on finding a job. Working with candidates and impacting their lives and often their family’s lives is a responsibility that I take very seriously.
I learn so much about my candidates through our conversations, interviews and coaching but they rarely learn anything about me – it’s the nature of the relationship. They never know that my cubicle is decorated with cards that my mother makes and a picture of my cat. When my friends ask me what I do as a recruiter, I usually say “I help find people jobs.” Even though my job is to fill open positions for my clients, I’m always aware of the role I play for candidates in trying to help them find a job, and hopefully a career.
Different candidates have different impressions of recruiters. These impressions come from their own experiences and word-of-mouth from friends and coworkers, so I work hard every day to leave a positive impression with everyone I work with. I may not be able to find a position for everyone, but I want them to know that I’m on their side – and I’d like nothing more than being able to call and say, “Congratulations! You got the job.”