Why do you stay with your employer? Is it the Monday – Friday 9-5 work schedule? Is it the extra time and resources you have been given to advance your professional development skills? Do you like your work/life balance (job flexibility)? Does the commute time benefit your lifestyle? Is it the job satisfaction that you derive from your work responsibilities? Does your company’s culture benefit you? Does your salary allow you to maintain a reasonable lifestyle?
If the responsibilities you hold at work as an administrative professional are anything like mine, we both know that our workdays can be long, and there is little time throughout the day for professional development (That is for the early morning, late evenings, or weekends, right?).
Whether or not you are looking for new employment opportunities, job recruiters can be valued resources. Periodically, recruiters will reach out to me and ask if I would be interested in interviewing for a position within their company. This happened just a week ago. How do I respond? I schedule an initial phone call to introduce myself and learn more about the position. Why? Am I actively looking for another position? No! So, why should I take their time and my time? Think about that for a moment.
- Knowledge – I often learn about businesses and organizations that I have never heard of by talking with recruiters over the phone. This information makes me smarter!
- Self-Awareness – I have enjoyed an incredible career as an executive assistant with the City of Rancho Cordova in California for more than a decade supporting four CEOs. I know what keeps me there, and it is a commitment that runs much deeper than a paycheck.
- Open – I am open to listening about employment opportunities. This helps me gain insights into what employers are looking for in a candidate. The conversations also help me gain a better understanding of salary ranges within certain businesses and organizations. If an extraordinary job opportunity did present itself, I may want to explore it further. New job opportunities can be exciting because there is the potential to fulfill our dreams, meet new people, evolve into greater human beings, and much more.
- Referrals – Finding qualified candidates for a new opening can be a challenging job. Being a recruiter and having the responsibility to find qualified candidates who will be a good fit with specific managers and executives can be even more challenging. I know many administrative professionals who are in positions that are unfulfilling, want new opportunities for their career advancement, or are unemployed. Why not help to refer strong, qualified candidates to a recruiter?
Entrepreneur Richard Branson said: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so that they do not want to.” I appreciate Mr. Branson’s commitment to invest in people and in return he has held onto many committed and loyal employees.
I challenge you to take the time to be friendly, respectful, open, and helpful when talking with recruiters. Over the past several months, I have had the opportunity to be the link between recruiters and administrative professionals securing new employment. Taking a few minutes to talk with people is never a waste of time. As administrative professionals connecting with people is one of our greatest resources.
This is an interesting perspective, Stacy. I have so many valuable contacts from when I was job searching who I still connect with on other levels. I appreciate your putting this into words.