Finally Ever After Ending

April 2 - The day that Ms. Grutter starts work. It brings me more joy than most people get in their jobs; the chance to meet someone in public, provide a window of opportunity and then see them move forward.

Sometimes it takes half a year. Sometimes it takes a year and sometimes it takes FIVE years. I often think about one of my successful hires and how it took five years (and him moving to a competitor in the process) before finally hitting the right offer. He recently has been promoted to run a regional Health care Division with expanding opportunity and income.

POINT ONE: It takes time and patience - the stars must align.
REMEMBER: Don't lose track of the good ones.

POINT TWO: It has to be the right opportunity.
REMEMBER: Long Term Retention and Job Satisfaction come from a fit that is congruent to the values, goals and mission of the candidate.

I've been at this a while now (16 years) and there has never been a prospect that I couldn't eventually match to an opportunity. It wasn't always a match to the company I was recruiting for. There have been those "Pay It Forward" moments that still bring me this kind of job satisfaction. In fact, it happened just last week:

I was leaving a business meeting when I heard my name called out. I was greeted by a man with a huge smile on his face (as if he had been searching the building for me all morning). He said "I don't know if you remember me, but three years ago I was looking for a job and you helped me enormously". "Up to that point in my life I had never been required to take a job interview as I had only worked for one company". Then he stated, "you helped me connect with the right people and gave me some great advice which landed me this job and I couldn't be happier; thank you".

My three year investment had just paid me more than any 401k or IRA could have returned. You could have hit me with a baseball bat and it still would have been one of the best days I have experienced all month!

Recruiting holds some great surprises. Sometimes you never know the role you will play in helping someone find their Happy Ever After.

- T.B.

P.S. I am told by a number of people that I must have caught Rosie's on an "off day". In all Blog Fairness I think I will return to Greenville and try the food again. Who knows, maybe Ashley's replacement could make a good recruit!

copyright: 2007 Human Dimensions of Michigan