A while back, there was contest on RBC that was based around the question, "What makes you a smart recruiter?" Many responded and you can search through the answers here, if you are so inclined. I thought I would take it back a step and ask, "What makes you a recruiter?" period.

What makes you a RECRUITER?

A Listener who hears the needs of the Hiring Manager, Client or Candidate.
A Liaison between the HM/Client and candidates.
A Sourcer of information.
An Identifier of "opportunity."
An Educator bringing news of prospects or services.
A Marketer for the Client/Company/Candidate.
A Salesman ready to close a deal, negotiate a salary or fee.

When I describe what I do, I sometimes feel like I am describing the duties of a therapist who will analyze issues and ask the right questions in order to help discover a resolution or perhaps the description is more like that of a bartender, who simply takes it all in, nods his head, concocts the right cure for all your ails and then places that cure in front of you, to drink it all in and then order another, or not.

While the actual duties of a recruiter can be methodical and repetitive, there is the chance to learn and develop, not only your mental capacity but also your prowess and that is where the "Smart" recruiter comes into play. There are those that would define smart as someone who resorts to trickery or unethical behavior, like a fox or perhaps a scorpion. Others rely on thoughtful study to become "experts" in their industry. Still, others think schmoozing or wooing is the way to the belly of a client or candidate. It falls back to balance and what you can live with.

Jack Bauer (24) advises that you have to decide on a course of action to get what you need and then determine whether or not you can live with that course. So will you be the Jack Bauer of recruiting? Is it good enough to merely be able to "live with it?" Or is it too schmaltzy to say "I do this because I have the opportunity to change people's lives?" Or is it greedy to say, "I do it for the money?"

Balance. Smart. Tough. What say you?

"If this (pointing to heart) is empty, this (pointing to head) doesn't matter." ~Dicky Fox, Jerry Maguire


by rayannethorn