A day in the life of a recruiter…
I felt such a sense of accomplishment today. I love my job!!! Fickle me always had trouble figuring out what it is that I wanted. Now, I finally know. I want to be in Human Resources. I have so much to learn but I am starting to see my strengths in my work and I am finding my way up the career ladder.
I have always enjoyed my job because of the positive impact I have. I love the look on someone’s face when I made them a job offer. I love dissecting someone’s mind to see what would make them a valuable addition to my company. I love being the person they seek out when they encounter a roadblock because they look to me as an ally and not a superior yet they are grateful to me for giving them a job. I enjoy conducting the new hire orientation. It brings me a great deal of satisfaction when I see one of my new hires excelling. Most of the people I hire are new immigrants, refugees actually. Seeking asylum is a long and difficult process. Once they are granted that new status, they are ready for their new life to begin and work is that first step. I give many people their first jobs in this country.
Today, I took on a different role. Employee relations and retention are two of the hardest aspects of human resources though recruiting (which is what I do) is more challenging. I had to approach my seemingly unhappy receptionist to understand her dissatisfaction. After much coaxing and prodding, I realize she likes the company but feels a lack of challenge in her position. I gave her more projects right then and there. The monthly newsletter is now off my hands and into hers! I felt like such a grownup managing her. I don’t think she realizes that I am probably only 3-4 years older than her! I just felt good because I realize a little can go such a long way in employee retention and that is something that companies do not do enough of. This is no longer an employer’s market. It is very hard to find good employees and new hire training is a huge drain on company budget. I find it difficult to maintain a good pool right now. I currently staff a company of about 300. My work load will double when we open our next store. I can’t wait for that challenge!
I also started an excellent internship program at our company. I took on three unpaid interns over the summer. They were a wonderful addition to our human resources department but they touched every aspect of the company. Imagine the pride I felt when all three girls told my boss they wanted to be recruiters at the end of their internship! I always made them feel like my equals. Even though they referred to me as their boss, I never treated them like my staff. I felt really happy when I realize I was inspiring to them when all I wanted was for them to have a good learning experience and something for their sparse resume. Aaah…someday they will write books about me…hmm….
