From A Recruiter’s Point Of View

After working for several organizations, Ida was employed as a recruiter at Corporate Staffing Services. She believes that staying true to herself and sticking to her values got her here.

This is her story.

Backstory

Ida was raised in Nairobi area. She is the second last born in a family of 5 children. “Growing up with strict parents and many siblings taught me a lot of skills, one of them being resilience. I believe this is one skill that has always come in handy and contributed to who I am today.”

Educational background

Ida has a bachelor’s degree in commerce, marketing and human resource. She didn’t really think that she would end up in HR.

Her family and friends thought that she would take up a career in psychology owing to her empathy and calmness in stressful situations.

How she started working for Corporate Staffing Services

“I saw the job advertisement on Corporate Staffing Services website and it spoke to me. I submitted the application and was called for an interview within 24 hours of my application.

The interview went smoothly despite my being nervous. I was asked competency-based questions in regards to my previous roles.

I built a good rapport with the interviewers as I was very honest with my answers even in cases where I had no idea. I attended two interviews and was given an offer. It was a new challenge and I was excited for it.”

What it is like to work as a recruiter

“I love my job! I act as a link- redirecting talent to opportunity. I am always learning something new about different sectors from both candidates and employers.

Every step of the recruitment process is crucial. This starts from the moment I get a request from a client to when a candidate is given a job offer. A typical day for me involves responding to enquiries, having meetings with clients, overseeing the shortlisting process and conducting interviews.

One major challenge I face has to do with candidates who do not show up for interviews. This is a major setback in the recruitment process.

My advice to anybody interested in recruitment is that you need to understand that this is a support role. It requires skills in relationship management, conflict resolution, client service and active listening.”

Career Advice to Job seekers

“It’s okay to be who you are. Do not conform. Be true to yourself and pursue opportunities that speak to your skill set. It does not hurt to seek advice from a professional for the purpose of getting an objective point of view.

I meet several candidates who have so much experience and knowledge that is not well-articulated in their CVs. I recommend getting a professionally written CV. Think about it as an investment. The return will be worth so much more.”

If you were tasked to recruit three people to save the world, who would you pick?

“First, I would pick a spiritual leader. Spiritual guidance is necessary to remind us that God is all-knowing.

Second, I would pick someone in security to maintain and give advice on law and order.

Third, I would pick a true leader. Someone who is passionate, charismatic, can offer guidance, is selfless, purposeful and has clarity of thought.”