Shauna Moerke is…

I’m super excited for tomorrow. No, it’s not because it’s Friday. Tomorrow we have a candidate coming in for a second interview and I can’t wait. He is a candidate all recruiters look for. There’s just something about who they are and what they can bring to the position that makes you excited for the future.

I know The HR Capitalist has discussed candidate crushes before, but that’s not exactly it. Sometimes as a recruiter you come across a candidate that makes you excited about the position you are staffing for simply because you want them to be in it. It’s not just the Halo Effect and it’s not simply that they can do the job. You are happy you have an opportunity available because you can see the value they can bring to the company.

Is it necessary to excite the recruiter like this, to get them to “crush” on you? Of course not. If you have the right skills, give a good interview, and fit the culture then I’ll be comfortable hiring you. So why should this matter to you when you are looking for work? Because energizing candidates have better options. They are superstars and people will treat them as such. Recruiters and hiring managers will go out of their way to woo them. They can negotiate from a stronger position. And all things being equal, I’m going to hire the candidate who is energizing over the candidate I am comfortable with.

So, my question to all you applicants out there is: Do you want the recruiter to just be comfortable hiring you, or excited at the prospect of hiring you?