Why Are You A Recruiter?

Because maybe you shouldn’t be a recruiter?

Maybe in 2024, you should choose something else…

I sure hope I leave the industry next year because, quite frankly, after the way I have seen job seekers treated this year, I’ve had enough. I’m tired of howling into the wind about the impact recruiters have on people’s lives when all I see is evidence that too few grasp what the job really is about.

I’m heartbroken to see updates like this 👇🏻 after 10+ years of asking you all to be human. And please don’t think AI will fix racism like this, it won’t!

Then there’s this BS 👇🏻 which has been going on for too long. This is a company obtaining a strategy for free from a recruiter. Don’t tell me otherwise; I have seen it too often.

TA Leads don’t give a highly detailed strategy and presentation during an interview! And if your company asks for similar from applicants, stop it.

Finally, let’s not forget the BS👇🏻 that is ghosting that has increased in 2023.

How is it possible that a profession that suffered so much in 2020 could turn around and create more misery in 2023?

I’m stunned that leaving people down and depressed is considered acceptable because, I hear whined, ‘…but they ghost us too!’ Who f*ing cares!!

Their ghosting doesn’t make you down or depressed.

The following rant came from conversations with TA & recruiter job seekers… just this week! 🙈🙊🙉

No, it’s not aimed at all recruiters – it’s aimed at those who tarnish the profession and plan to remain in it in 2024!

1. Recruiters play with people’s lives, livelihoods and emotions

If you don’t have the empathy or kindness to accept this basic principle, you probably need a different vocation.

Every single application has a real-life person behind it with hopes and dreams… and bills to pay! The vast majority of people are only a few paycheques away from homelessness too. Yes, yes, you get the occasional serial applicant (yawn), but the vast majority are not, so be kind.

Because it could be you!

In a heartbeat, it could be you.

And if you’re doing this to your own peers, one day, they just might receive your application and… 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘

2. Hire people who are better than you!

Yes, hire the ‘too good’ TA. Yes, hire the Gen-X with 25 years of experience when you have 5. Yes, hire the intimidating applicant who totally knows their stuff and is prepared to share it with you and your company!

Because these people don’t plan to show you up – that is your insecurity! Instead, hire them and learn from them. Use it as an opportunity to be better, do better, and grow.

3. You cannot be scared of knocking people back

The job is mostly rejecting people, oh sorry, “dispositioning” people. The job is saying no. The job is one role and more than one applicant.

So, if the real reason you’re not giving feedback or closure to applicants is because you are too scared to do so, learn. It is not difficult, and most people will be grateful that you respected them and their irreplaceable time.

But again, if you’d rather not reject people properly, leave the profession. Your skills are transferable to one where you won’t leave people down or depressed.

4. Having too many requirements is a choice and not a valid excuse to ghost applicants

Working where you do is a choice – sometimes it may not feel like that, but it is.

You chose the profession. Therefore, you have a responsibility to give closure to the people in your hiring process. People who will be ok receiving the rejection because it’s a damn sight better than what they’re getting now!

The last time you got ghosted by anyone… date, friend, relative… how did you feel? Was your livelihood involved? No! That would make it worse, right?

If you cannot make the business case for your company to have a manageable number of requirements to ensure that everyone receives the best experience possible… and you want to stay in the profession… make 2024 the year you find a new role with sensible requirement loads.

But if you prefer to believe that high requirement loads is a valid excuse for ghosting applicants, make 2024 the year to leave the profession. 👋🏻

5. Stop people pleasing

I have met wayyyyyyy too many people pleasers in TA, and besides being of disservice to your hiring manager and the company, people pleasing is extremely damaging to yourself. It leads to masks. Holding up a mask is exhausting. It leads to your needs not being met and, ultimately, burnout.

If you want to conduct a proper job brief, partner with your hiring managers effectively and efficiently, and deliver a better candidate experience, you simply cannot be a people pleaser. Make 2024 the year you learn to set boundaries and believe that ‘no’ is a complete sentence.

Of course, you may be thinking, ‘Like you ever had that problem, Katrina!’ Well, you would be wrong. I have been on a 12-year journey to heal self-hate and gain self-mastery, and one of the first things I needed to lose was people-pleasing and perfectionism. I share it all in upcoming my memoir, The Damage of Words.

My wish is that it takes me off to create greater impact and healing, so if you’ve ever wanted to book me to speak, for a workshop or something else, get your skates on. I truly do wish to make 2024 my last in our industry.

So, recruiters, are you staying or going in 2024? Let me know 🙂

#rantover