There should be a warning label on all job descriptions for recruiting roles.  Maybe the label should read something like this:  “Warning, recruiting is extremely addictive.  Recruiting may cause anxiety, frustration, elation, depression, fear, and a constant need for more”.  Yes, I know these things all too well.  I have done this for 20 years.

Recruiting is a dance.  It is a courtship of sorts.  You see, you start out alone with nothing.  You can sit on the sidelines and watch others dance or you can jump in and ask someone to dance with you.  Once you find the person to dance with, you have to do something special to impress them.   Once you have their attention, you have to continually court them so they stay interested.  When you finally have them hooked, then you can ask them to date you exclusively.  The interesting thing about the dance is that it is always re-occurring.  You can’t just dance with one person. You won’t make it in this industry.  You always have to go back to the dance floor.

Yes, going after a client is a tough.  It takes some thick skin.  It takes asking some uneasy questions and it involves talking about money.  It takes research.  It takes making phone calls.  It is a ton of e-mail.  It takes using social media.  Even when you are in recruiting for a long time, it is still not an easy thing to do.  It is a necessity though.  Getting on the dance floor is not always fun.  It is like waking up in the morning and saying I am going to have a blast running 26 miles.  It is, however, part of being a recruiter.

Once you get that “Yes”, you may feel like a teenage boy that wants to sing Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” at the top of my lungs.  You have got the first part done, but the reality is it is just the beginning.  You still have to negotiate terms, the contract, and most importantly find the people.  How hard can finding the people be you ask?  Finding the people is only half the battle, but getting them to the finish line is a completely different story.  Why?

“It ain’t over, until it’s over!”

Corralling candidates can be like corralling cattle.  You are going to have some bumps and bruises.  You are going to get roughed up.  You are going to get sweaty and you are going to loose some good ones.  It just happens.  Get over it.  This is where the anxiety, frustration, and depression kicks in.  Candidates you thought were sure things turn out to be the biggest duds in the world.

The funny thing is, people you didn’t think would make it to the final rounds of interviews do make it to the final rounds.  Like the NCAA tournament, you may start out with 64 teams, but only one wins the tournament.  That takes a lot of frog kissin’!

When you do get the candidate to the final round, your job still isn’t done.  You have to re-close, overcome objections, and God forbid overcome a counter offer.  Then an offer letter is presented.  They counter 3 or 4 more times and finally you come to an agreement.

Will they show on their first day?  Will another offer come through from another organization?  Crazy things happen before the first day of work.

So, you celebrate.  You give everyone a high five and have never been so excited.  You have WON the Superbowl.

What’s next?  Your back on that damn dance floor looking for another partner.

You feel uneasy and the cycle begins again.

Hit me again.  I need another shot of that Drug!

And so, the life of a recruiter.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.