Recruiting: Mindset of a Matchmaker

February 9, 2012

 

Sometimes at work I seriously feel like Patti Stanger from Millionaire Matchmaker. Recruiting and dating so closely parallel each other that one of my favorite activities is to compare the two. A corporate recruiter is a lot like a matchmaker and the companies I recruit for resemble the clients knocking on Patti’s door to find long-term love and devotion.

First of all, it is important as a matchmaker/recruiter extraordinaire to set reasonable expectations for requirements the company is looking for in a candidate.

“So, you are looking for someone that went to an Ivy League school, worked at a top-tier consulting firm, has been in their current company for 10 years, has experience with healthcare and technology, lives in the area, has a great personality and loves puppies and walks on the beach? Alright let’s work on that..”

Yikes! It is my job to set reasonable expectations for the type of person that is really out there for the role and evaluate what the norm is. Maybe the majority doesn’t have all of the “must-haves,” but will fit in well with the culture and possess most of the requirements; they could still be a match made in heaven, but one has to give them a chance. Let their other strengths impress and focus on the positives and their potential rather than everything they are missing.

If you don’t think an interview is like a first date than you either have been single your whole life, unemployed, or both. This is the time to make a first impression. My job is to make sure the candidate and the hiring manager put their best foot forward. Many characteristics are evaluated during this crucial time. Are they dressed well? Are they well spoken? Do they share similar goals and interests? This could make it or break it! If the conversation is flowing well and both sides are enjoying themselves it’s fairly certain a second date will materialize…ahem, I mean, a second interview.

What if the first interview goes well and the candidate doesn’t hear back for over a week, or even two? They are going to think the company is not interested. They will potentially feel rejected, even if they are good for the position. How would it feel to go on a lovely, enjoyable first date and never hear back? Unless you’re desperate, I’m pretty sure one would move on and find the next best thing. You might even have hard feelings towards that person – how dare them!

You can easily avoid this by keeping the candidate “warm.” Give them a call and let them know you only have positive feedback from the interview, but are still awaiting next steps. Don’t fret, we will be in touch! This will definitely give them a sense of calm, and a warm fuzzy feeling regarding the company, maybe even some butterflies! If a candidate is great, you don’t want them to agree to a second interview or potential offer, you want them to be excited and ecstatic for next steps.

On the other hand, if a candidate seems to be overly cocky about an interview and assumes they will receive an offer shortly, you can combat this by breaking them down a little bit. Let them know they did a great job but there are several other qualified candidates going in for interviews and you will get in touch once the interview process has ended — wish them luck. AKA, there are other fish in the sea, buddy — relax.

Once a handful of candidates have been interviewed for a role, it should be simple to discover who shines the most. If no one stands out, that might be a sign to keep seeking Mr. or Mrs. Right. But once that perfect person comes along, you should have a gut feeling that they are the perfect match for the company. I’m a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. So even if that stellar candidate everyone is so excited about declines the offer, it just wasn’t mean to be. You need someone that wants you back! Besides, everyone has more than one soul mate, so keep searching.

 

Recruiting Lead - Software

<strong>Katy Smigowski</strong> is the Recruiting Lead-Software at <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/">Fitbit</a>, where she is directly managing sourcing team, recruiting process and recruiting strategy dedicated to driving software hiring in our Boston office. Prior to Fitbit, she was a Talent Specialist at OpenView responsible for recruiting initiatives for both the firm and its portfolio companies.