Life Of A Recruiter

Dedicated to all the recruiters, unsung heroes of the staffing world

Opportunity, Req, Requisition, Requirement, Candidate, Consultant, Placement, Offer. These are some of the words that form a recruiter’s workspace. They live and dream in this realm.

Let us look at a typical work day of a recruiter.

He treads into office and promptly logs on to his computer. Eyes lit up at the sight of an e-mail response from a candidate who he had tried to reach out to the previous day. But then he sees the candidate’s pay rate expectations. Hopes dashed. And so the day begins. Day filled with Boolean searches, resume reviews, phone calls, voice mails and e-mails. In between, there are enquiries from the ‘Account Manager’, “Where are the resumes? It has been over a day now since you got that req. Client is moving fast. We have to deliver.” Race against time begins. Every resume in the search is opened with the hope that this could be the one bringing in the next placement from the client. After what seems like an eternity, there comes a breakthrough. A promising profile of someone who seems to be out of a job, has the right match of skills and seems like may fit in the client’s budget. Hopes raised. A phone call is made, pleasantries exchanged and then comes the all-important question, “Are you in the market right now for a new job?” “Yes”, is the reply from the other end. After the mandatory screening questions and scribbled notes, the next important question, “What are your rate expectations?” “What are you willing to pay?” is the reply from the candidate. Now the recruiter is in a quandary. Should he tell the candidate the rate range or should he push the candidate to name his price first. A judgment call is made and recruiter discloses the rate range. Reply from the other end is swift, “I will be okay with the upper limit of this range”. The recruiter proceeds to ask some other questions and then sends the customary ‘Right to Represent’ e-mail to the candidate, requesting him/her to reply quickly so the resume can be submitted to the client. After a couple of curt reminders, the candidate sends the reply for the ‘right to represent’ e-mail and then the recruiter quickly submits the resume to the account manager for further processing. Account manager skims through the resume, points out some mistakes or expresses some doubts about the candidate credentials, but after some coaxing and cajoling, sends the resume forward to the client.

Now another waiting game begins. Client likes the candidate, client likes him not is the question. Client likes him, requests an interview. Yippee! Recruiter is happy, says to self, “I knew it”. Candidate is contacted over the phone but no response. Voice mail box is full. E-mail is sent. No response. Recruiter is biting his nails. What if the candidate does not respond on time? It has already been 2 hours, since e-mail has been sent. Another phone call is made. No response. More nervous moments. It is almost end of the day now. Phone rings. It is the candidate. Phew! But he is not available to take interview for next 2 days. Well, you see, he is the candidate. He is in demand. He has other interviews. Time is an issue. Recruiter pushes a bit and gets a time slot of 3 days later. Interview happens as scheduled. Candidate says, “Interview went well. I think they like me”. But then, which candidate tells you that the interview did not go well. Now more wait. Account manager follows up with the client for feedback. Client is non-committal, “We are interviewing more candidates. Will let you know soon.” Soon turns out to be 3 days. They want to hire the recruiter’s candidate. Hip, hip, hurray!.

Recruiter is all excited, calls the candidate. Mr. Candidate is excited too but asks, “What was the pay rate again?” Recruiter is aghast. How come he does not remember the rate we agreed to? Why is he asking for the pay rate again? Is he going to ask for more money? These and some more questions pop into the recruiter’s mind at the same time. Candidate is reminded of the pay rate. “Hmm’, is the reply from the other end. Recruiter’s mind is racing. What does ‘Hmm’ mean? A ‘yay’ or ‘Nay’? Candidate tries his best to get the rate increased but recruiter stands his ground. Candidate says he has other opportunities, would need some time to think. Recruiter is at wit’s end but ‘Candidate is King’. Tells him that he has to get back to the client, so an early decision will help. Background checks have to be done, contract paperwork has to be completed etc. etc.

Recruiter is in luck. The candidate has agreed to work on the previously agreed upon rate. Drumroll!

Background check is completed on time and candidate is on-boarded successfully. Ka-Ching!

All’s well that ends well!

I wish all the recruiters more happy endings. But remember, all stories do not end happily. Keep your spirits up, smile and dial!

A Funny drive from Chennai to Coimbatore

That was my second time to Chennai.  I went for an interview. Whenever I go there, I stay with my friend. As usual, that company was not that lucky to have me. To tell the truth, I go there to spend time with my lovable friend, with interview as a pretext. That night I was supposed to return to Coimbatore to attend another interview the next day. Late that day, my friend informed me that she got her pre-engagement function the next morning, so she would travel with me till Salem.

            We reached Koimbed Bus stand by auto. We got into a bus at the earliest possible, as it was already late.  It was two seated semi-sleeper bus. I carried a single laptop knapsack, which I kept down between my legs and my friend carried two bags with her. So I helped her to keep one bag that holds her function Saree and jewels on the top and another laptop bag below her legs.  We shared the dinner (biscuit) and at the meantime, the bus was on track. After a long chat about our old networks, we both fell asleep. It will take 6 hours to reach Salem. As we started by 10.30 PM, we would reach Salem around 4.30 AM.

            When I opened my eyes, it was early morning and I could see the sunrise, since I was sitting in the window seat I can easily see the bright sun and I could feel the fresh breeze. I guessed it should be 6.00 AM and looked into my watch; yes it was 6.10 AM already.  I glanced my near seat. To my shock, my friend was still sleeping. I am used with the road driving from Salem to Coimbatore, I've traveled through it a lot. I just browsed through the window and found that we have crossed Salem 2 hours back. Again I turned back to my friend and woke her up.

She opened her eyes asking “What’s your problem?”

I replied her “Its 6.30 AM”

“So what?”

I screamed, “Hey!  We have crossed Salem!”

“Don’t be funny, Sleep…”

 “Really we crossed Salem, before 2 hours”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes I am. We have just crossed Perundhurai”

“What!  Perundhurai? Hey, please tell me exactly where we are”

            Then I showed her a board showing Perundhurai with a left turn arrow. Actually, Perundhurai is the second stop from Salem. In between, we have another town, Erode. She was confused. She has the function at her home by 10.00 AM. As I am aware, the next drop point of the bus is Karumathampatti which is 30 KM away from Coimbatore. In the meanwhile, I saw a Tollgate some 200 m away from us. Moreover, I was sure that the bus would stop there at least for a minute or two. I just asked her to get ready with her bags, once the bus stops she can get down there and get a bus that drives towards Salem. As it was a very good idea, she took her two bags and rushed towards the door. I saw her getting down from the bus and she walked to the other side of the road and caught a bus to Salem.  My travel towards the destination resumed.  I had a telephone call from my friend.

“Hi dear, I saw you getting into the bus. Reach safe”, I said

“Yeah, I got bus. But there is a problem”, she said

“Problem? What’s that?” I asked.

            Within hearing her voice lot of imaginary problems where running into my mind. “She got into a wrong bus”. “Her pre-engagement function is cancelled”. “She doesn't have money to take bus ticket”. “She felt sick”. “Her parents scolded her”. When my mind was portraying my problem I heard, “Hey! I've taken someone else’s bag from the bus. The bag holds a laptop and a pair of shoes, I’m afraid”

“What? You took someone else’s bag? Check again”, I yelled

“I checked it’s not my bag. My bag is still lying there in that bus”, she said

 “What’s the color of the bag?” I asked

“Dark green, also I kept my saree and jewels in that bag. I can’t go home without that bag, help me”, she said in a low voice

In the meanwhile, I found the bag and checked for the things inside. Yes, she was right. It’s her bag. But whose was the one which she took. With a big query in my mind, I disconnected the call saying her, “Will call in 5 minutes”

I glanced at the persons in the nearby seat. The one sitting in the before seat was awake and was peeping through the window. The person who was sitting in the opposite seat was in a deep sleep. Back to that, I saw a friend in deep discussion. Back to my seat I found a couple eating something. My eyes again rolled back to the person at the side, he opened his eyes and found I was watching him. He got up wiped his eyes and looked at me again. I gave a dirty smile and he reverted the same. I thought he would be the comfortable person to ask for a help.

I started, “Hi (Awkward smile)”

“Hi (Wide Open Smile)”, he replied

I don’t know how to initiate the problem. And within he closed his eyes again I started, “You know my friend, who was sitting near me got down in the before stop”

“Ok!”  He exclaimed

“She got down with someone else’s bag. I will get down in the next stop to return her bag. If anyone is searching for their bag in the bus stand please give my mobile number, I will help them to get back their bag”, I said

“Excuse me mam!” he started searching something on the top. After sometime he screamed, “Mam that is my bag. My laptop is there inside, I have a meeting today. Please help me”

“Is that your bag? Please don’t worry sir. Note down my mobile number, I will get back your bag for sure.  Please believe me”, I requested him

I shared my mobile number with him. Meanwhile I called my friend and asked her to send the bag in a Coimbatore bus when she gets down at Erode. Also, I informed her that she will receive her bag in another 2 hours.

“Mam I have a meeting by 12.00 PM. Will I get my laptop within that”, he requested me

“Don’t worry sir. My friend had already sent your bag in a bus”. I added, “I will get down in Karumathampatti to send her bag”

            I also shared the bus number, bus name and the driver number to raise his confidence. I gave him a promise that I will return his bag for sure and got down from the bus with two bags. Once I got down I directly walked to a nearby ATM, since I dint had any amount with me in hand. I took out Rs.1000 from ATM and crossed the road to search for a Salem bus. Finally I got one; I ran to the driver and handed over the bag with some money. Again I crossed the road and took bus to Coimbatore. I reached my friend’s place by 10.00 AM. My interview was scheduled by 2.00 PM. So I thought I can sleep for some time. Before sleeping I checked with my friend whether she collected her bag from the bus. She informed me that her bag is safe and she is getting ready for the function.

            I heard my phone ringing. I opened my eyes slowly and looked into my mobile, I stored his number as “Bus Guy”.

“Hi Mam”, he said

“Hi sir, have you collected your bag?” I asked him

“Mam, I am in Thiruvalluvar bus stand. I enquired many people over here and no one gave me a clear idea where I can find the bus” he said

“That bus will come to the out station bus stand sir” I said

“Oh. Ok mam. I will check with the driver and call you back” he said and disconnected the call

            I woke up after sometime and got ready to attend the interview. It took nearly one hour to reach the company. I did my interview well and came out of the company after an hour. Once I came out of the company I checked my mobile for any missed call. In the mean time I got a call from “Bus Guy”. It was 4.00 PM when I got the call.

            “Hi!! Mam. Finally I collected my bag from the bus. I came from Chennai for a Business meet, but I cancelled the meeting today since my laptop was not available. I have postponed the meeting for tomorrow. For your information, I am standing in the bus stand from morning 10.00 AM waiting for the bus. I received my bag in the second trip of the bus. Also I dint even take bath yet mam. Anyhow thanks for your help” he gave a long description.

“Sorry Sir”, I replied

“It wasn't your mistake. Kindly inform your friend about things happened today for me”, he said

“Thank you Mam”, he disconnected the call

            Once the call was disconnected I was still in a surprise that how come a person can be this much respective and humble even in a situation like this. I shared this situation with many of my friends and asked about their feel if they would have been in that place. I got a similar reply from everyone.

“I WOULDN'T HAVE BEHAVED A HUMAN”

Self Confidence-Tips

Music

Music is known to be able to immediately & effectively change our states. Listen to a sentimental song and we will start feeling emotional. It is the same for confidence. Find uplifting, confidence enhancing songs or music. Personally I like the Superman theme for obvious reasons. Get a list of as many songs as you like, put it in a CD, mp3 player, create a playlist of confident music tracks in your computer. Whenever you are not feeling confident, listen to it and let the music take over & inspire you to feel confident. Keep the music handy and nearby, like bringing your mp3 player whenever you are out, or keeping your CD in an easily accessible place.

Posture

Adopt a powerful, confident posture. This will usually be standing upright, head facing slightly up, chest pushed forward and breathing fully and deeply. Think of a person that you have always perceived to be confident, what is his/her posture like? Adopt that posture. If possible, use a full size mirror to ensure that you’re doing it right. If you can’t think of anyone, just think what a confident person’s posture would probably be like. Get to know the details of the confident posture and remember it. Adopt that posture and start feeling more confident anytime and anywhere.

Walk

Just like posture, walk with confidence. Usually it will be walking faster and walking with more energy and enthusiasm. Take every step as if you are 100% sure of it. Walk as if you are really sure of every step that you take. Feel sure of the direction you are heading as you take each step.

Talk

Project out your voice strongly as you speak. Speak in the way so that your voice is projected from your belly. Make it an assured tone, with a lively rhythmic pattern. Add more zing and enthusiasm to your speech. The choice of words used also has an impact on your level of confidence. Happy does not have the same impact as delighted. Similarly angry has a bigger influence than annoyed. Choose words that can bring out confidence. Eg. instead of saying you’ll ‘try’, say you are ‘determined’.

Look

What and where you focus on can impact your confidence levels. Looking down, on the floor, on the road and on the steps you are taking will not do much good for your confidence. Rather, look up. Towards the sky, the trees, the buildings around you. For some reason, looking up gives us an optimistic feeling. Like there’s something to look forward to in the future. Looking down feels pessimistic and rather sad.

Give compliments

Giving compliments makes us feel good about ourselves. When you are giving out sincere compliments, you are searching for the best qualities in others. This inadvertently makes you search out the best qualities in yourself as well. What you project out will then come back to you. Besides, humans naturally feel happy when giving out compliments.

Look/dress good

Dressing and looking sharp can make a person feel better and more confident about themselves. By looking good and taking care of personal appearance, it will affect the way you act and communicate with others. It’s like if you dress sloppily, you’re allowed to act sloppily. But if look like a million bucks, you’re more likely to act like a million bucks. Spending a bit more on high quality clothing is a good investment.

Smile

Finally, smile more often. Smiling sends the signal to your brain that you’re happy and things are going well & under control. What a great way to start feeling more confident.

Radiate Happiness

Being individually happy is not enough. Our wish should be that whomsoever we meet becomes happy and radiates happiness. A frustrated man will create frustration; a jealous person will create jealousy and so on.

You can turn every situation into your advantage. Have you ever thought of this? There is a story in the Puranas of how a saint turned an arrow, which was going to hurt someone, into a garland.

If somebody is shooting an arrow at you, insulting you, realize that they are doing it because they are miserable. Once you are blossomed from within, you can take any insult and turn it into your advantage.

Realize that they are simply pouring out their stress, tension and anxiety. When people shout or burst out at you, you can only feel good that all that was building up inside them is coming out. I am not saying that we should encourage this tendency or justify it.

But when it happens, do not regret it.

What do we normally do? We go on regretting and with regret we commit the same mistake again. Even when someone commits a mistake, he or she is not the culprit; the stress inside is causing him or her to make that mistake. Once we get rid of the stress inside us, there is no culprit; there is no one to be forgiven.

Then we begin to realize that the whole thing is just a game in which there are no winners or losers. It's just a play!

Techinques for demanding work style

Certain simple techniques to cope with our increasingly demandingwork-styles.
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Try not to use the intercom. It stretches your back, and leg. Rather, walk to your colleagues, it helps build rapport with and discuss matters with colleagues. Relaxes your eyes and ears.
Relaxes your neck.

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Drink lots of water / liquids. It will make you walk to the rest room regularly. Good stress buster

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Small meals at regular intervals, Keeps away acidity. Makes you walk to the cafeteria thus providing a good exercise.

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Laughter is the best medicine. Hard works are good, but let us lose our sense of humour. Learn to laugh for everything. Stress buster, good for face muscles and eyes. Sharpens thinking capabilities. Mainly, laughter is not contagious.

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20, 20, 20, 20 rule - Every 20 minutes Good for eyes, neck, back. You get 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 meters away for at least 20 seconds.
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Keep your feet firmly planted on ground. Good for back, neck and leg muscles. the ground Keeps Ego in check!

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Use an external mouse ( Laptop) Good for neck, back, arms, shoulders of the users).

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Ensure that you chair is adjusted. Good for back and neck

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Use speaker-phones for long calls.

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Get it off you . Talk to someone. All of us have stress. It is how we about anything that bothers you. manage it. Make friends in office to whom you can open your heart out. Honest discussions very often provide answers to difficult situations.


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All of us spend 10 hours in office and we need to learn to enjoy those 10hours. Happy working....