This week I took part in a #Radchat on Recruiting and some of the issues in the profession moving forward. There was alot of talk about mystique, “magic”, Smoke and Mirrors, and how its an issue to find the line where Sourcing stops and Recruiting begins. Now I know I’m still fairly new in this circle, and I will be the first to admit I don’t have the answers, but I do have some sure-fire ways to get them and be successful.

1. Ask Questions and lots of them, you will never know the answer unless you ask the question. There are a lot of people in the field and on the internet who are more than willing to share their experience and knowledge with you. I know this, because in my professional circle I look towards experience and willingness to share over “Look here, and here, and maybe there…and you will find what you need”. This is not to say I am opposed to research, but being able to repeat back what I have learned helps it sink in just that much better.

2. Find a Mentor. If Human Resources, Sourcing and Recruiting is the field you wish to pursue: Congratulations and give it your best effort. Realize up front that you will need an education, so you may wish to find someone who has put their time in and are willing to give back to this community. These people again, aren’t that hard to find if you do some research. Check out the professional web-sites, the blogs and other like areas where the experts hang out. When you ask for help, Show that potential mentor that you are serious about your goals and you do need their help. In the beginning, this may mean interning for little or no money, but once you have established yourself and your professional reputation, that internship could make all the difference in your career.

3. Clarify the answer. Yes, this does kind of go with point 1. however it can’t be said too many times, REPEAT BACK to your mentor what you have heard, making sure you actually understand what was said and that you see the reasoning behind the method.

4. Be willing to make mistakes. In the beginning you may find yourself in over your head, with tasks and requests piling up making you feel like you are drowning; Wait it out and stick with it. I haven’t met any skilled sourcing or recruiting professional who won’t admit to making a few mistakes, or admitting that there was more than one occasion where they were in over their head. It’s natural and it’s normal- believe it or not these people are human too, just like you and I.

5. Your word must become your bond. As you move forward and become more seasoned in the industry, your word is going to count for alot. Yes, there will probably be legal paperwork if you become sub-contracted to a firm, and working on their products or the finding of personnel, but you have to be willing to accomplish what is asked of you in a respectable amount of time, and you MUST deliver on what you promise. Being ahead of schedule is nice, but don’t do a half-assed job just to finish. A good job will lead to a solid reputation, which in turn will lead to more work, and one day possibly giving back and mentoring someone just like you.

There are no smoke and mirrors, and most of the mystique can be explained, at the end of the day the amount of effort you put forth will decide how successful you are. It’s just like sports—you like to be on the winning team; but first you must master the rulebook.

That is Something to Think About……

©2011 thedanieljsmith