Tables Turned: When the Recruiter Becomes the Candidate

In May of this year, my company laid me off along with many others, basically closing the entire recruiting team in Denver. I guess they couldn’t justify carrying as many recruiters when there weren’t enough jobs to recruit for in the current job market.

I was shocked, like anyone who gets laid off, and so many have as of late. I would have stayed at that job for much longer. Instead, I found myself in the same position as many of my past candidates who I counseled to stay positive.

Back on the job trail myself, I now get a more realistic picture of how bad it is out here. As a recruiter, it’s really a punch in the gut to see how candidates are actually getting treated. Fake jobs and scams appear on all job boards. I was even asked once to buy a credit report from a company who then said I would get paid back if I was hired. 

Fake recruiters contact you out of the blue with a “great offer” that isn’t real. Jobs on job boards are swamped with applicants before they’ve even been posted an hour. Auto-replies and rejections are sent out and maybe occasionally, offers to interview with an AI droid. But there are no humans to be seen or heard from anywhere. Just a lot of candidates scratching their heads about what to do next.

I’m trying to stay human in an inhumane world. The only way I can think to do that is to reach out to people and try to get some time on their calendar to have a real chat. I’ve had informational interviews just to get on people’s radars, hoping they’ll remember me if a job comes up. I’ve heard people are starting to show up in person at companies they admire with a resume in hand, just like it was way back when, before the internet. I don’t knock this. It’s next on my agenda!

When I moved to Colorado in 2020, I was looking for a fresh start. The job market was tough then too but I was able to get interviews with real people and finally landed a job in July 2021 as a recruiter for marketing and creative roles. It made sense at the time since my background was in recruitment marketing at Apple. I wanted to make more of a direct impact on people’s lives. I loved finding people jobs they enjoyed.

I grew as a recruiter and became the lead recruiter in Denver for the company I was working for at the time. I prided myself on finding the needle-in-the-haystack candidate for each client. I also prioritized candidate experience. It was super important to me that people were treated with respect and always knew where in the process they were. My candidates appreciated the transparency, and I got many accolades for my work.

The job market went up in 2021 and 2022 but then it tumbled down again. I spoke to dozens and dozens of frustrated, desperate people looking for work. I tried my best to calm their fears and lift their spirits. I prided myself on helping candidates make the most of their resumes and portfolios. I spent long discussions on the phone and video going over how they could improve their formatting, information, keywords, bias avoidance and storytelling ability.

It was where I gained the greatest feeling of accomplishment, helping others.

Now recognizing the tables have turned on me, and I am now the frustrated job candidate, I’ve turned to friends for advice and networking. Talking to whoever I can, to gain another connection.

Even with the knowledge of a recruiter in my pocket and how to optimize my resume and profiles, breaking the employer virtual barrier is near impossible. But connecting with real people seems to be, ironically, in this age of AI the only way to get through.

I’ve realized in my search what’s important to me isn’t the same as it was in my 30s and 40s. I don’t care about a huge salary or a quick advancement to a VP role. I just want to do work that makes an impact on people’s lives and helps someone out. 

I’d love for it to be in education or nonprofit and I think with my skill set of understanding what employers look for, how to properly present yourself, project management and people and communications skills, I would make an excellent addition to any team looking to do good works. I just have to keep looking for the right person to talk to.

So just as I used to prop my candidates up emotionally and psychologically, I now find myself doing the same for me. Even as my unemployment has run out and I’m paying for an expensive COBRA plan, I continue to tell myself, “It’ll be ok. Something is bound to come along. Keep putting out positive energy and that’s what will return to you.” 

I’m looking for a leg up so I can help others get a leg up again as well. I want to be that person candidates are in contact with that’s a real human being among the AI frauds. I’m hoping to turn the tables once again very soon.