Author Topic: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?  (Read 3680 times)

startingsmall

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Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« on: February 06, 2018, 06:24:46 AM »
I'm a veterinarian looking to leave clinical practice, currently interviewing for what sounds like an awesome opportunity. The position is with a new startup corporate veterinary practice and their model involves having veterinarians as recruiters to bring on new veterinarians for the practices they're opening. I've met with the two veterinarians who are already in this role and met with a number of other members of the leadership team - the company itself sounds great and the people seem nice/fun/etc.

Having never worked in this sort of role, though, I'm wondering if anyone has any insight. My understanding is that much of my time will be spent on social media, finding and reaching out to veterinarians in the areas in which we'll be opening hospitals. I'll also be spending time at conferences and trade shows trying to attract candidates. Then phone interviews for screening, and occasional travel for in-person interviews (some in-person interviews will be done by me and some by the doc's future supervisor, depending on our schedules, who's closer to the candidate, etc.).  The position is work from home, except the travel for conferences/interviews.

So... has anyone worked in this sort of role before? Any pros/cons to this type of work, questions I should be asking, etc? It's honestly something I had never really considered, but the position came across my radar and sounds like a great way to get out of clinical work while still remaining connected to the profession.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 07:00:59 AM »
So... has anyone worked in this sort of role before? Any pros/cons to this type of work, questions I should be asking, etc? It's honestly something I had never really considered, but the position came across my radar and sounds like a great way to get out of clinical work while still remaining connected to the profession.

Is you want to get away from clinical work, then just go for it. If it doesn't work out and you want back to your original job, they will probably take you back, as they are recruiting.
Do you like to do all the travelling and sleeping in hotels?

2Cent

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2018, 07:02:13 AM »
If it's work from home, check how they will measure your performance. It is easy to let "work from home" change into "live at work" if the targets are ever growing.

startingsmall

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2018, 07:18:11 AM »
So... has anyone worked in this sort of role before? Any pros/cons to this type of work, questions I should be asking, etc? It's honestly something I had never really considered, but the position came across my radar and sounds like a great way to get out of clinical work while still remaining connected to the profession.

Is you want to get away from clinical work, then just go for it. If it doesn't work out and you want back to your original job, they will probably take you back, as they are recruiting.
Do you like to do all the travelling and sleeping in hotels?

According to what they have said, overnight travel only amounts to a few nights per month. I would be responsible for my state (most of which is within day trip distance), an adjacent state (some day trip, some overnight), and the state in which I grew up (which I miss like crazy, so travel there seems more like a perk than a headache).

Also, my husband and I have discussed future relocation and our leading candidates are all in the "other" two states, so this would be a job that I could do from pretty much anywhere we'd consider living.

Bayou Dweller

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2018, 06:20:32 AM »
Did you end up taking this position? Very curious to hear if you did or not!

Papa bear

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2018, 06:42:17 AM »
Sorry I missed the thread. I have been in recruiting for 10 years, both for a firm and with my own agency.  If anyone has any specific questions, let me know!


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startingsmall

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2018, 08:25:53 AM »
Did you end up taking this position? Very curious to hear if you did or not!

They narrowed it down to two candidates and chose the other candidate. Based on info that I learned after the fact, thought, I count myself lucky!

Ended up downshifting to part-time vet work, supplemented with freelance writing, and couldn't be happier!!

Goodidea

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2018, 10:27:45 AM »
Did you end up taking this position? Very curious to hear if you did or not!

They narrowed it down to two candidates and chose the other candidate. Based on info that I learned after the fact, thought, I count myself lucky!

Ended up downshifting to part-time vet work, supplemented with freelance writing, and couldn't be happier!!
Blessing in disguise, it seems.  Glad to hear you're happy :)

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2018, 12:20:14 PM »
Did you end up taking this position? Very curious to hear if you did or not!

They narrowed it down to two candidates and chose the other candidate. Based on info that I learned after the fact, thought, I count myself lucky!

Ended up downshifting to part-time vet work, supplemented with freelance writing, and couldn't be happier!!

Wow, nice! Good stuff.

Sorry I missed the thread. I have been in recruiting for 10 years, both for a firm and with my own agency.  If anyone has any specific questions, let me know!


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I've got some interviews coming up. Just trying to determine if the lifestyle is what I want. I think for my current situation, it is. The alternative is to stay where I am and that is not optimal for my happiness.

What would you say are the top 3 good / bad things about the profession? It seems rather rewarding from what I can tell.

Papa bear

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2018, 01:45:22 PM »


I've got some interviews coming up. Just trying to determine if the lifestyle is what I want. I think for my current situation, it is. The alternative is to stay where I am and that is not optimal for my happiness.

What would you say are the top 3 good / bad things about the profession? It seems rather rewarding from what I can tell.
[/quote]

Good luck with the interviews!  My answers will be geared toward 3rd party recruiting, which is agency staffing/recruiting/headhunting. 

Pros:

You can make a lot of money.  Positions are typically commission based.  If you are good, look for 100k+.  If you are good and lucky, 250k+. If you meet expectations, you'll probably get 150% of median area pay rates. If you don't perform, you leave, place yourself into a job, go into internal recruiting, or get fired. 

You get the chance to talk with a lot of people and get to know a market or industry pretty well.  You will get to a point of knowing what is happening with companies or employees before anything is made public.  The rumor mill runs strong.  You may find out about upcoming layoffs or a large contract that is being signed.  From a personnel perspective, you may be working with an executive that is confidentially looking to leave, or hiring a SVP without the current person knowing that their position is on the chopping block.

There is a sense of accomplishment with helping someone with their job search, or finding the perfect person to start working for one of your clients.  For the most part, when you are working with someone, you have just found them a position that is better than their previous role.  You may have shortened a commute, found someone a promotion, or moved someone to a flexible, work from home position.  You will probably change someone's life at some point. 

Cons:

This is sales.  Every bit of it is sales. Selling your service to companies.  Selling to people to convince them that they want to change jobs.  Hell, just getting someone on the phone is difficult.  This is a job that is heavy on cold calling and you should expect a lot of rejection, ghosting, no shows, and following bad leads.  Your compensation is also based on your ability to sell.  If you don't pick up the phone, don't network, or have a bad month, your salary will reflect this.

This is a cutthroat industry, you will get lied to constantly, and you have to be a psychologist.  Your competitors/other firms will constantly try to take your business.  They will undercut your bids, embellish their results, or spread rumors about your service.  Employees that you are representing will lie to you.  They will drag you through weeks of work for a client of yours, only to tell you, "thanks, but I only needed to get an offer so that I could get my current company to match or counter."  Companies will lie to you, not pay you for your services, and blame you when things go wrong.  You will get used to being the scapegoat.  Companies will send you on wild goose chases just to benchmark you off of someone else or their own teams. 

The internal politics can be horrendous.  As I said above, this is sales.  And some of your coworkers will do nothing but claim credit on your accounts, your recruits, and your efforts.  You will get thrown under the bus by these people.  Be weary and be careful who you trust. Most coworkers will be great to work with.  But those few that are backstabbers can really burn you.

Bayou Dweller

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2018, 01:20:35 PM »
Very interesting stuff. Thank you for taking the time to write that all out.

Do you find that you're able to hit your FI number in a reasonable amount of time with that kind of salary? It seems like I can earn much more than in my current role, even within the next 2-4 years. And I've only got 14 years until FIRE, and that assumes nothing changes in my current scenario.

Papa bear

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2018, 03:21:13 PM »
I had some pretty good years working for a big firm.  I saved up and bought rental properties with the surplus.

Now that I branched off with my own firm, I can work PT hours and total flexibility.  I don't think I would have been able to do all this if I had stayed in my previous work.




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COEE

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2018, 05:21:30 PM »
@PapaBear yes - thanks for the inside information.  It's always helpful to get the other perspective.

I've worked with several recruiters, most are garbage - I've learned to be selective.  Questions #1 is always: "Do you have exclusivity for this job".  If the answer is "no" or anything but "yes", I promptly hang up the phone.  I don't want to work with someone trolling for jobs.  In fact, I lost an opportunity once because the employer was afraid to hire me because he didn't want to pay the recruiter.  Technically we met through other networking paths before the recruiter squeezed his slimy nose into the deal.  Lesson learned.

Somewhat of a tangent:
I'm always looking for my next move, and I make that clear to the recruiters I work with.  I also usually let them know up front that chances are that things won't work out, but I'm always willing to talk if the opportunity is right, and that their are reasons that I would like to make a move.  I never discuss salary up front, but rather ask for their salary range.  If it's something I can work with, I continue on.  I also generally let them know that I'm well compensated (>25th percentile) for my experience and role, and I expect to be compensated better to move, but on the flip side of that coin, my resume is really good and I deliver on that resume.

Above compensation though is the job.  Primarily am I a good culture fit?  Do I want to come into work on Monday and be with these people?  Generally I've learned that if we talk for less than eight hours before making me an offer, I'm not a good culture fit.  I want to be wined and dined and 69'd damn it!  What I mean by that is that I want to know that you want me.  Not someone else.  I'm the right man for your job.  I want to know you're cautious before making a important hire, and that I'm the right person for that critical role.  Not, "Hey CFO, we need an ass in this seat.  Can we find another EE to warm it so that we can make more money?"

I literally was offered a job a few weeks ago.  3 hour interview.  HR called a couple days later and asked about my salary history, I told them what I made currently and that I wanted a 15% bump to move which I thought was reasonable (not really a great deal for me actually - longer commute, less flexible work hours, but they had a cool job, and I thought I'd be a good fit).  I got an offer at my current compensation level.  Apparently the HR lady graphed the EE's salaries vs. years of experience and they decided my current salary was all they were willing to pay.  I just shook my head.  They didn't get it.  Their search continues judging by the website still having the opening.

Papa bear

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2018, 06:28:03 PM »
I have plenty of insider info on the industry!  If anyone has any specifics for questions, I'll be happy to give you my experience.

To the above point on refusing to work unless there's exclusivity: 

We are an industry that shouldn't exist. It's crazy that a company will pay 20-40% of starting salary to find someone.  It's a horrible inefficiency in the market that technology has tried to fix, but has only made it worse.

I'd say a majority of recruiters are garbage.  They "inventory" recruit and are fishing for candidates to represent. They may make up jobs or provide fake postings. They may lie about even working with a company or may copy someone else's job. I've seen it.

Companies never want to pay the recruiter. They would much rather have their own team find someone so they can avoid a fee.  So outside of executive search or confidential searches (usually high level roles anyway), true "exclusive" search roles are rare.  The company will always continue their own search. 

So to automatically pass off on someone that doesn't have exclusive could keep you from some jobs.  I know I don't have "exclusivity" on most of my jobs. But I get to bypass HR, online applications, and crappy phone interviews. I can, for the most part, get you the job faster than if you applied directly to the company.  You will get lost in their ATS (applicant tracking system) and be forgotten about, while I'll have a meeting with management already scheduled. 




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COEE

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Re: Anyone work in recruiting/talent acquisition?
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2018, 08:45:29 AM »
So to automatically pass off on someone that doesn't have exclusive could keep you from some jobs.  I know I don't have "exclusivity" on most of my jobs. But I get to bypass HR, online applications, and crappy phone interviews. I can, for the most part, get you the job faster than if you applied directly to the company.  You will get lost in their ATS (applicant tracking system) and be forgotten about, while I'll have a meeting with management already scheduled. 

I'm okay with losing out on some jobs.  I usually have 1-5 recruiters contact me each week.  Mostly for jobs in Detroit, Silicon Valley, Chicago, central Iowa and other places I consider shitty places to visit, let alone live.  Most are weeded out quickly just based on that fact.  But question #1 is always if they have exclusivity.  If the answer is anything but "yes" then I hang up the phone - politely of course.

I'm to a level where if you don't have exclusivity for the job you probably 1) don't have an important enough role for me to fill to get me very excited to work for the company and 2) don't need me bad enough to pay my current salary forget 15%+ more.

I target companies and jobs where I'm a pivotal player in the future of the company or division.  These jobs are hard to find and hard to recruit for.  Yet they come my way 1-3 times a year.  Always with an exclusive recruiter, sometimes corporate and sometime contracted.  I don't usually send out my resume - people contact me out of the blue most of the time.  When I do send out my resume, I have a 75%+ call back rate - I'm not getting lost in the ATS - because I have a rockstar resume.  I also have no problem filling out an online form or working with HR.  Getting to bypass those things are nice, but aren't required to get me hired.  I understand that I have to play the game sometimes to get hired (usually only with megacorps).

On recruiters lying - I was once asked by a recruiter to lie on my resume.  I refused and still got the interview.  The interviewer was smart enough and quick enough to understand that we were wasting each other's time.  We were off the phone within 5 minutes.  I'm not sure that the recruiter didn't edit my resume though to get me the interview - he absolutely lied to get the hiring manager convinced to call me.  I now only send out my resume in pdf form - it's harder to manipulate.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!