My Week of Pure Dumb Luck

Sometimes recruiting is just being in the right place at the right time. Oh, I know, it's lots of work and we have to be good with people, no fear of rejection, yada yada. But some days you just have to shake your head and thank your lucky stars that there is such a thing as pure dumb luck.

It's only Wednesday but so far I've had two insanely lucky breaks this week. Scenario #1 - after WEEKS of sourcing for a very tough to fill purchasing role I got a hit from a LinkedIn connection. Did the phone interview, secured the candidate's interest and submitted to my hiring manager. He's not a "slam dunk" fit on paper but based on my conversation I felt he was definitely a contender. Today one VP emails another VP (who happens to be my hiring manager's boss) and tells her that a customer mentioned over a golf game one of his colleagues who is in purchasing, currently looking for work, and comes with a glowing recommendation from our customer. Now guess who that colleague is... that's right - my candidate.

Scenario #2 - after a few weeks of fruitless sourcing and only 6 applicants to this particular job posting, I decided to waste a little time on a major job board... not something I do often. This job is pretty technical and for one of our field locations so more challenging than most of my reqs. Plugged in a couple of key words and wouldn't you know it - a candidate doing the EXACT SAME JOB with one of our competitors popped up. He just posted his resume yesterday. I called him up, cleared his reasons for leaving (he's still employed), closed on comp and we're setting up an interview later this week.

Man, is this business easy or what. :)

Comment by Sandra McCartt on December 7, 2011 at 8:34pm: Kinda like shootin big fish in a little barrel isn't it kid. :) Actually i think the planets are lining back up a little in deference to the winter arrival date a few weeks hence.

The way i figure it i would rather be lucky than good any day of the week but my thinks that luck is something the recruiting gods decide to bestow on us after kicking the crap out of us , poisoning the well, blowing up the camp and shooting the ones trying to hide in the bushes.

By the way folks, Amy has had 52 placements since she took this new job so i think she earned that luck.. When you punch the card that many times one should get a "free One". Talk about a frequent flyer.

Comment by Bill Schultz on December 7, 2011 at 10:29pm: You know you just bad juju'd both of those people.

Comment by Amy Ala Miller on December 7, 2011 at 10:56pm: Thanks Sandra. I needed a little luck after last week. :)

@Bill, I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that lol

Comment by Tim Spagnola on December 8, 2011 at 9:21am: We all need a bit of luck here and there Amy. I also do agree with Sandra- 52 placements? Nice work! You are entitled to have one drop from the sky (or is it the Gods?). Hope all works out for you.

Comment by Brian K. Johnston on December 8, 2011 at 3:05pm: Amy- Thanks for sharing... LOVE the details/examples... Keep pressing....

Comment by Amy Ala Miller on December 8, 2011 at 3:25pm: Thanks everyone! Still holding my breath to see how far we get with either/both. Those 52 fills I've made since June were not all this easy... several were internal transfers/promotions I facilitated and that is often more challenging than bringing someone from the outside!

Comment by Barbara Goldman on December 9, 2011 at 12:13pm: Since we are wizards at counting the numbers, this is what we have found in our office:

Recruiting luck, is indeed part of the job.

It's about 5% of the job. Problem is, 2.5 percent of the luck is bad.

:)