Help Wanted (by Anonymous)

My life’s journey has been interesting and exciting to say the least. But it really took off when I found a career in Human Resources. I enjoyed every minute of the interviewing, recruiting, and event planning, especially when I was able to find the right people to help our company succeed. I always believed that if I found the right person for the job, most of the details could be learned, and that proved to be true. However, I have to say recruiting was never an easy task.

I spent a lot of time pouring through resumes, conversing with people on the phone, and interviewing them in person. Sometimes resumes would be too brief or too casual and at other times, they would be packed with too many words (indicative of a person who may like to talk a little too much). One time, the encounter was really strange when an older male candidate I was meeting in person pointed out to me that he was breathing at the same pace I was – in his effort to bond with me! Since team chemistry is also important, I would do my best to select the resumes of people who potentially possessed the right skill sets to do the job, but who also seemed like they’d be a good fit for our team.

Sometimes I would be surprised when a person came in for the interview because they would turn out to be much more complex and interesting than their resume suggested. So I learned to get to know the person for who they are and not what they put on paper. It’s easy to look at someone and think we know them by what we see on the surface, but quite often that impression is wrong. I found that if I am patient enough to dig deep, people would often surprise me in a good way. When recruiting, I also discovered it’s important to understand what motivates a person to do a good job. That way I could make sure they would be happy, challenged and fulfilled in their new position.

As I reflected on my career in Human Resources, I spotted my Bible which I try to read on a regular basis. It is a version that is in chronological order, so it helps me to have a better understanding of the history of it all and get it to stick in my little brain. I’m near the end now and have been reading about the day that Jesus was crucified and all the events that unfolded with His disciples. As someone committed to recruiting people, it occurred to me that part of Jesus’s job on earth was to recruit people. But even more important, He was sent here to enlighten His disciples and the rest of the entire world with a singular message.

“A new commandment I give unto you. As I have loved you, so shall you love one another.”

That message really hit home with me. Loving one another means getting to know people at a deeper level, accepting their differences, and giving them an opportunity to make a positive difference, in our company… or in our lives.

Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

~ Anonymous