First of all, I promise that not all my images/posts will be skiing related. But while riding the chair lift up to the summit of Whiteface and then skiing down, I came to some realizations about interactive recruitment. I’ll start off by admitting that I am not always the most empathetic of those that don’t get interactive. But on this trip I started to think about some of the similarities of skiing and interactive recruitment.
- For beginners, it’s all scary - I’ve been skiing for a while and can be bored senseless when skiing on the bunny slopes with friends who are just learning. But for the new skiier, the bunny slope might as well be a vertical drop filled with moguls. Interactive is similar, when you first start learning about it - it seems overwelming and can be frightening.
- The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it - Once a skiing novice can get down the hill without falling, you can’t drag them off the mountain. With Interactive, once my clients have gotten a taste of what can be done in that space (metrics, return on investment, applicants they would never have reached in other ways), they always want more.
- Even experts get intimidated - At the top of a mountain, staring down a black diamond trail, I’m still always scared. It’s exhilarating, but scary to go down a new trail that challenges my abilities. Sometimes I stick to easier trails, where I know I won’t fall and can look good going down - but it doesn’t leave me with the same sense of accomplishment. With Interactive, there is always something new to try and always the fear of falling on your face, but what we learn and gain from trying new mediums is invaluable. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
So I do have a little more respect for what a challenge recruiting in the Interactive space might be, especially for those new to this space. From now on, I’ll remember how it feels to stand on the edge of black diamond trail, with my heart racing. To everyone involved in the space, I say keep going to up to the top of the mountain, and keep challenging yourself. Soon, you’ll be begging the chair lift operator to let you up for one last run before closing, while everyone else is hanging out in the lodge.
