By Emma Saenz, Recruiting Assistant, Hawthorne Lane
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a recruiting firm? Or have you ever considered whether recruiting could be the right career path for you? Well, you’re in luck! For this blog post, I shadowed our Senior Recruiting Associate, Kenzie Dart. Kenzie is an accomplished recruiter with more than four years of experience sourcing top talent in the DC market. Come spend the day with me for a glimpse into what a day in the life of a Hawthorne Lane Recruiter entails.
7:45am: Coffee and preparation for the day
You know what everyone says…the early recruiter gets the placement, so Kenzie gets in before our office officially opens at 8AM. Recruiting is a fast-moving, ever-evolving industry where working quickly and with a sense of urgency is important. Having quiet time in the morning before the day gets off and running, sets your whole day up for success. As Kenzie put it, the daily prep work helps to “mitigate any surprises”.
After arriving at the office and settling in with a nice cup of coffee, Kenzie reviews her upcoming meetings, checks to confirm any interviews for the day were coordinated properly, and answers emails that came through overnight. Any additional pockets of time in the mornings are utilized for reviewing applications. Hawthorne Lane receives hundreds of applications a day, and each resume is carefully screened by members of our recruiting team.
8:15am: Attend company-wide morning meeting
Our morning staff meeting serves as the entire team’s preparation for the day. During the meeting all active and upcoming job orders are discussed. Recruiters listen closely to where various interview processes stand and whether any of the search parameters have changed. The meeting also serves as a space for open conversation, questions, and brainstorming of potential matches between candidates and our current job orders.
9:00am: Morning activities
Following the company morning meeting is the perfect time for follow-up activities! This includes circling back to think about candidates who could be right for available job opportunities. Oftentimes, this means speaking with colleagues who work directly with the employers to enable you, the recruiter, to be better prepared for reaching out to your candidates to present a role.
Kenzie also uses the morning to reach out to her candidates who are interviewing later in the day to send them a good luck message. While this gesture may appear small, it truly highlights the people and service-oriented nature of recruiting at Hawthorne Lane. As our Co-Founder, Karen Mills put it, “we are in the business of people”. We understand that although exciting, job searching can also be a nerve-racking endeavor. Regardless of the ups and downs, we are ultimately there to support you and be there for you throughout your job search journey.
10:00am to 4:00pm: Calls, calls, calls
Over the course of the day, Kenzie is in and out of meetings and receives numerous calls. The ability to manage a high volume of communication daily while maintaining awareness of several processes that are occurring simultaneously is an essential skill for recruiters. Outlined below are the different meetings and calls Kenzie received, which relate to various stages of the recruitment process.
- Candidate Interviews
Kenzie has approximately three to four 30-40-minute video calls each day with new candidates. For Hawthorne Lane to best support people and their job searches, it’s important that we first have context. These initial meetings lay the foundation for establishing rapport and a partnership with candidates by providing Kenzie with the opportunity to connect one on one and learn in more detail about their professional backgrounds and career interests moving forward. The meeting functions as a two-way street, where candidates also can ask questions in return about specific opportunities or about Hawthorne Lane as a firm.
- Interview Feedback
When candidates are actively interviewing with our clients, after wrapping up an interview they call Kenzie to share their feedback. The conversation quickly flows from initial thoughts about how the interview went, to gauging interest level in potential next steps. Regardless of whether excitement or possible hesitation is being expressed, Kenzie is there to listen and offer guidance and support. Checking in following an interview ensures that everyone is on the same page moving forward.
Outside of meetings and phone calls, Kenzie proactively checks in with her candidates to provide status updates, request additional information such as completing online testing, gather availability for future interviews, and touch base regarding contacting professional references.
4:00pm to 5:00pm: Closing the loop for the day
The day concludes with administrative tasks such as scanning and uploading notes, reviewing resumes, confirming scheduling of meetings for the upcoming days, and circling back to candidates on any outstanding items or updates. Although her computer closes and she leaves the office, Kenzie remains reachable to her colleagues and candidates because recruiting is an ongoing cycle and it can at times extend into after hours.
Reflection on the day
Recruiting is a highly process-oriented environment and yet no two days are ever alike. Every candidate we connect with has a unique story, and every job opportunity we work on has unique nuances to the position. But despite the vast variation in each day, what’s impossible to ignore is the level of consideration, care, and commitment to others that remains constant throughout. From her first cup of coffee in the morning to sending the day’s final email, Kenzie works with a level of intentionality and genuine investment in the success of others that comes through in every interview, every phone call, and every email. As a non-recruiting member of Hawthorne Lane’s team, it was truly a special experience to witness firsthand. Thank you for spending the day with me!
Emma Saenz is a Recruiting Assistant at Hawthorne Lane. Emma supports the team at Hawthorne Lane in an administrative capacity. From the start, she was drawn to Hawthorne Lane’s welcoming, hardworking culture and the energy of the recruiting world. Emma takes pride in contributing to the firm’s commitment to exceptional service by handling administrative responsibilities with efficiency, diligence and care.
