Released every Monday, The Five is a weekly roundup (of sorts) with tools, tips, and tricks you can implement today to become a more efficient and effective recruiter.
Why am I here? Do I know what I am doing? Why do they hate me? These are not questions from a teenager’s journal. These are questions recruiters ask themselves when things seem rough. The truth about recruiting is that it is 75% skill and training but 25% luck. There are days when you can do everything right and lose a candidate. Of course, that means you can also do everything wrong and place a candidate.
Let’s face it. Recruiting is a stressful job, and nowhere was “Resiliency” in the job description. Yet, it is one of the most important traits recruiters can have. Resilience is the ability of people to cope with stress and crisis, and then rebound quickly and learn valuable lessons from their experience. Here are the five things you can do to become more a more resilient recruiter.
1. Get Connected.
Develop a strong professional network of peers and mentors in the industry. On Facebook, LinkedIn and even Snapchat, there are recruiting groups. If you have not yet, join the RecruitingBlogs and Secret Sourcing Group on Facebook now. Then go join the Recruiting Tools group on LinkedIn. Don’t wait until there’s crisis, but start networking now so that you have support when you need it. There could be someone today who needs you as well.
2. Take Care of Yourself.
Your mom has already told you this I am sure. Eat right, get good sleep and exercise. I am not a doctor, and this is not to be a substitute for needed medical advice. However, when you’re caught up on sleep, eating well and not getting stressed out, you’ll be less fragile and more able to deal with stressors like those pesky hiring managers.
3. Keep Things in Perspective.
Even when things seem completely out of control, don’t blow things out of proportion. Recruiters deal with resumes, not kidney’s. It is just not that serious. When things are stressful, we are fast to “jump to conclusions” as to how this will affect our job, the company, and the candidate. You are not a psychic, a robot, or someone with mind control. Remember, this too shall pass.
4. Have a Sense of Humor
Learning to laugh in the face of stressful situations can help you become almost immune to adversity. Did you lose a candidate because they changed their salary requirements at the last money? Sure that sucks. But the fact that the candidate thought they were worth twice as much then what you are offering can be hilarious. (What are they thinking!?)
5. Make a Success List.
You can do this. You have done it before, and you know what you are doing. Right now, make a list. On it, write down the placements that you are most proud of, the people you have helped and the jobs you closed that once seemed impossible. And pull it out from time to time. You will start to see it is not you- it is them. Worst case scenario, if your work environment is so stressful you have to quit, this list will help you when you interview for your next job!
By Jackye Clayton
Jackye is an acclaimed thought leader and inspirational speaker on recruiting and DEIB topics. She brings years of experience recruiting across a variety of industries including tech, HR, legal, and finance. In her role as VP of Talent Acquisition and DEIB, she leads all related work at Textio, provides critical expertise to customers, and serves as a leading voice in the products Textio creates for the broader ecosystem. Jackye has been named one of the 9 Powerful Women in Business You Should Know by SDHR Consulting, one of the 15 Women in HR Tech to Follow by VidCruiter, and is on the Top 100 list of Human Resources Influencers by Human Resource Executive Magazine.
Recruit Smarter
Weekly news and industry insights delivered straight to your inbox.
