I love recruiting for a ton of reasons.  When I first started thinking about this writing competition I thought about all the buzz words I was planning on using to impress the readers; strategically align, metrics, revenue generation, blah blah blah.  I was at lunch yesterday, and like a big Mack truck, the real reason I love recruiting hit me square between the eyes.

The scene: me, alone at subway, eating a sandwich, listening to talk radio on my iPhone, and catching up on all things Twitter.  I was the picture of a recruiter, sitting alone in the corner ignoring the world around me.  Pretty impressive, huh?

While tweeting furiously and trying to pick fights about how social recruiting is turning the recruiting business upside down (Which, by the way, I will argue to the death that it didn’t!), a lady walked up to me and said “Thank you”.  I didn’t actually hear her say it because I was in talk-radio land, but I read her lips clear as day she said it, thank you. I sat there, stunned, and took my ear buds out.

“Thanks for what?” I asked.

Her answer, the Mack truck: “For getting me a job.” The person thanking me was actually someone who had just started the day before with our company., I felt like a schmuck for two reasons. First, I didn’t immediately recognize her because I was so deep in my own world. Second, she actually thought I had gotten her the job. 

The times had taken a toll on her psyche. She was clearly ready to work for peanuts, desperate for an interview and willing to do what ever it took to get the job. She had been out of work since late last year, and had a previous stint of unemployment just before that. She was beaten down.  The one thing she forgot is that she is really good at what she does.

I smiled at her and said “Jane(not her real name), you have it backwords. I didn’t get you this job. Sincerely, thank you for accepting a job with our company.  Thank you for sharing your talents and gifts with us, and thanks for making me look like a great recruiter.”  She was taken aback, but managed to eek out a smile while simultaneously trying to hold back a tear.

I can remember three separate times in my career now that I have had a similar situation. I can remember their names, their stories and the heavy hearts they carried with them to meet me. I can remember the job they got and the company they went to work for,and I can remember feeling like I had done something really good. 

So Why I love recruiting? It’s simple. Every once in a while I get to do something really good with my talents.  I have gifts that no one else has; I am a blessed man.  I may not solve world hunger or end the deficit, but I have helped change the luck of at least three people. Those people, and those stories keep me grounded, keep me fighting and keep me looking at people, not resumes