A Need to Know

When I began my recruiting career in 1992, I had the benefit of learning from the best trainers and mentors in the industry, even by today’s standards. Being new and enthusiastic, I was ready to leap in and begin recruiting candidates as soon as I received information about the job, which usually consisted of little more than a basic job description much like the job posts you find on company websites or job portals today. 

 

My own manager, too, was among those to whom I am most grateful; I learned from the best. Back then, much to my frustration, I wasn’t permitted to begin working on any project without more complete information - not yet. Retrospectively, I was correctly being admonished because those job postings were not nearly enough information with which to properly work, until I invested the time to gain a thorough knowledge about not only additional job specs and responsibility details, but I also needed a proper understanding of what kind of person the hiring manager wanted to attract and hire who would match and fit their company’s culture. Of course this makes sense, but my first inclination was to leap ahead impulsively. However, I quickly learned this was wise counsel and, to this day, I won’t lift a finger and will do nothing, until I gain all of the necessary details so that I can, in turn, knowledgably inform and recruit the right kind of candidates. Anything less could result in a waste of time for everyone involved. 

 

Anytime you will find yourself considering and interviewing for a job you should endeavor to learn more, get beyond the barely basic title/duties/money aspect or you could make a bad decision with too little information. By the time you, the interviewee and candidate, reach the offer stage you should have gained a full understanding of the potential job and all of your remaining questions answered sufficiently; this is information you need to know in order to make a fully informed decision. Failing to do so could result in having to start all over again, looking for another job sooner than you’d intended.