When I graduated school, I had no plans to become a recruiter. I’ve learned since, that this is a common occurrence. In fact, despite my network of recruiting professionals, I do not know anyone whose career goal was to become a recruiter. The field is in demand and has significant earning potential, but few are choosing this path. So, how did I end up here? Why would I recommend it as a career choice? Read on, to find out.
Realizing I Needed a Career Shift
I originally went to school for criminal justice. I always wanted to focus on research and get into policy making. I thought I could make my mark on the world by creating policy based on solid, objective research. The reality of this path, however, is that being a researcher takes much more schooling than I was ready to commit to. This left me reconsidering my future. In short, this was the beginning of the story of how I fell into recruiting.
Throughout high school and college I worked in restaurants. I was a dishwasher, busboy, server, and bartender. I pretty much touched every front-of-house position. I fell back on this when my original plans changed but, while working in restaurants has it perks, the shifts did not make sense for my long term plans. Serving helped me realize the power of effort and work ethic. The shifts weren’t always easy, but the people skills serving taught me have been invaluable.
I moved from serving to sales; I was awful at it. It seemed like the harder I tried, the less likely I was to make a sale. My time in the industry was short but it helped me learn quick thinking and conversational skills. It was time to go back to the drawing board.
When My Career Trajectory Started To Change
Through my personal network, I got an opportunity for an internship. Amy Oviedo had just recently started Recruiting Experiences and needed some extra help with the new business. I started by uploading clients and potential leads to our CRM, reviewing and sorting resumes, and scheduling interviews for others. I quickly realized that recruiting fit both my skills and my interests and my career began to take off.
A Role Transitions to a Career
I went through the certified Talent Acquisition Professional Training course at Recruiting Experiences. I came on full time. Almost before I knew it, I was a recruiter! It was official. My first client contract involved sourcing and screening candidates, and then submitting those I thought were viable. This contract gave me valuable sourcing practice and helped me realize the power that quality sourcing has on the recruiting process. Now my client base has grown and my responsibilities to those clients are far more complex. I enjoy my work, continue to grow, and have become a consistent performer in the company. I will be forever thankful for the opportunity I was given to fall into a career I never knew I’d love.
Recruiting is a great career path because of the diverse paths people take to get here. There is no traditional “recruiting” background and the diversity of skills that brings is incredible! Recruiting helped me step into a professional role and fast-forward my career trajectory. I also love the exposure to so many other careers. Whether you are a new grad or a career changer, consider a career in recruiting. I hope my story helps others find the success I’ve been fortunate to have by falling into recruiting.
