From History to Human Resources: It’s All About People
Like most recent high school graduates, I had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I was always of the opinion that if you weren’t set on being a doctor, a lawyer, or a professional athlete, you were most likely going to figure it out by the seat of your pants in college. Luckily for me (and my parents), I was extremely studious and after changing my major 5 times, I was still able to graduate from college, early, with a Bachelor’s degree in History.
There isn’t an easy parallel to draw with a History degree and a career in recruiting, but I assure you, there is one. In college, I was expected to analyze and report on human behavior in different places and times, different political climates, different religions, etc., which I credit wholeheartedly for an easier transition to the professional world and my career path of choice.
I became a recruiter by pure happenstance. A childhood friend’s company was hiring for an entry-level recruiter, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for me. I had a couple of years of experience under my belt doing inside sales, so I had the concepts down of what was necessary to succeed: smile and dial. I interviewed, I was hired. It was a bumpy road, and most of what eventually led to my success was trial and error. If something didn’t work out, it was a lesson learned the hard way, but a lesson nonetheless that I wouldn’t forget for my next interaction.
After 10 years in the field, I’ve learned that you need several qualities to be successful in recruiting:
Open-mindedness - The ability to look deeper at a resume and think of the larger story. Don’t assume you can pre-judge someone adequately with a quick glance over a piece of paper.
Analytical mindset - What is missing? What are the initial yellow flags that could potentially cause this person to not work out long-term?
Business savvy - Understanding the costs associated with both hiring and turnover and return on investment (ROI) on an individual and departmental level.
Empathy - I would attribute most of my success stories to this one key trait. We are all people and want to be treated as such. Regardless of the circumstance of why someone will not work out in a role, don’t be afraid to have difficult conversations. Of course, you’ll have to face the knee-jerk reaction associated with rejection, but they will always be thankful for the candidness at the end of the day.
Willingness to listen to your gut - There isn’t really an explanation for this one, other than in all the years I’ve been in this industry, my gut has been right 98% of the time.
How does history relate to what I do? History is all about understanding different cultures, behaviors, and events.
Same goes for talent acquisition and management. It’s all about people!
