When I was six years old, I was a holy terror on roller skates, the jungle gym, and bicycle. I remember swinging around and around on the monkey bars, first whipping around on one leg and then soon graduated to both legs, knees bent over the bar. I was fearless. That was also the year that I tried to best every kid at tether ball. My skills were questionable, but my desire was extreme.

I taught myself how to skate backwards; I still have a bruised tail bone, thank you. I also became a demon on a bike. I had a purple Schwinn, girl's bike; I was so disappointed to not have a banana seat, they were soo cool. I remember, clear as day, one spring, riding that bicycle up and down the street where I lived. There was a slight grade, which at the time, seemed mountainous..., it wasn't.

On about my fifth time lap, I stopped at the top, looked down the hill and decided that I needed to ride down that hill with no hands. I did it and it was delightful; I felt like a bird. My next trip to the top, I paused and decided I would do it again, this time with my eyes closed. Can you say "adrenalin junkie" in-the-making? My trip down the hill this time scored disaster. I had veered off my course to the left and hit a parked car head-on. I flipped over the car and was knocked unconscious.

That's me with the shiner that matches my purple dress...

A neighbor found me passed out in the street and carried me home. I was taken to the emergency room where three stitches were precisely placed in my right upper cheek, the cheek that removed the hood ornament off the car on my way over it. I guess you could say that I have always been a risk taker; I was born to be a recruiter. Can you take rejection and then get back up? The virtues of a recruiter or anyone that works in search or HR include flexibility (hence, the monkey bars) and always looking for a better way (no-hands, eyes closed - I didn't say I found the better way, just that I was searching.)

Adrenalin junkies come in many forms. Nascar racers, skydivers, and triathletes to name a few. But I certainly don't think you can discount those of us that work closely with people every day, that risk rejection and searches being pulled out from under us. We are those that enter the lion's den of a hiring manager's office, that make the sign-off calls (actually calling the candidate that didn't get the job) without intimidation, that face down the guard dogs that are executive assistants or telephone operators, that take a client or candidate for a cup of coffee when they only have $5 left to their name - hoping this will be the one.

We stand at the edge and look down a slightly-graded road. There is still the temptation to close our eyes and just land where we may. But the times, they are a'changing. Keep them open and scope the street. Very interesting how risk and reward go hand-in-hand.

by rayannethorn