Recruiters reveal what they love most about their careers

Valentine’s day is a day dedicated to love and joy.

It isn’t only about spending time with a dear one though.

On this lovely day, we want to learn more about recruiters and find out which part of their careers fills their hearts with happiness.

That is why we contacted four specialists in recruitment and HR to find out what they love most about their jobs.

We asked them two questions:

1. What is your favourite part about working in recruitment/HR?

2. What made you follow this career path? Why did you decide to work in this field?

Read their answers below!

Mine Alghazi Jacobson, Co-founder & Senior TA-consultant at WE:SOURCE

1. What is your favourite part about working in recruitment/HR?

"My favourite part of my job is to be able to change the business by educating hiring managers, companies and stakeholders to evaluate candidates in the correct ways.

I see too many recruitment processes where company qualifications don’t match the market and where the evaluation of the candidates is based on other factors than the competencies, sometimes the pictures on the resumes or sometimes the way they dress.

It’s my responsibility as a professional to change their ways. I also love matching roles with the perfect hire where the candidate also feels the passion for the role.

When I get in touch with the customer and the candidate after one year and both still feel satisfied, it is one of my best moments. Or when the customer feels that they brought more than a hire to the table after working with me."

2. What made you follow this career path? Why did you decide to work in this field?

"To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when I started my career. I just remember I was confused about the future and people kept telling me “you have social skills, you should work with people”.

I started to work in the HR business and kept thinking “talent acquisition is one of the most important businesses because the people make the company”.

So my job today is not just about making sure my customers get a hire. It’s about attracting the right candidates, using the technical and digital opportunities to find and evaluate the right talent, giving a great offer, giving the best onboarding process and making sure they feel happy until they exit and move on to the next assignment."

Lotta Ryman, Project manager Talent Acquisition/Candidate Responsible at OnePartnerGroup

1. What is your favourite part about working in recruitment/HR?

"In my job, I have the opportunity to make a difference and that is what I like most about working with recruitment. To be able to help companies with their competence needs, whether it is to enable expansion, to replace a colleague or for other reasons that make a company develop and it’s cool to be a part of.

But the absolute best thing about my job is to make a difference for our candidates, regardless of whether it is their first job or when the candidates take the opportunity to develop in a new role.

And I think the contact, from start to finish, is by far the best in my job. From the time I make contact with a candidate who has a suitable profile for a position, to have a (physical or digital) interview to agreements being written between a company and a candidate, and steps in between, you get to know the candidate (and also the company). Being part of that journey when someone decides to try new challenges really gives me energy!"

2. What made you follow this career path? Why did you decide to work in this field?

"It was really a coincidence. I had an internship during my fourth semester when I studied at the university and then I thought that I could try the recruitment and staffing industry knowing that it was not for me because I intended to work more in the field of finance.

I had no experience in either recruitment or staffing before, but I had heard about the company OnePartnerGroup so it became quite natural to contact them. After conversations with them, I had the opportunity to do a two-month internship there.

Two months have now become five years, which I really did not think about from the beginning, but I have the opportunity to work in an organisation where things change and to be able to develop and affect my job is something that is important for me and makes me grow as a person."

Anna Carlsson, Management Consultant and podcast host at HR Digitaliseringspodden

1. What is your favourite part about working in recruitment/HR?

"I love to see other people excel in what they do. Having the right person in the right job being supported by a great team and a committed leader is what makes me happy."

2. What made you follow this career path? Why did you decide to work in this field?

"I have a technology background and started to understand how technology can have a positive impact on HR, employees and leaders in 2012.

I was then working as a leader closely with HR and became convinced that tech can change the world to make it more inclusive and fair. Tech can also create more time for both HR and managers to have more time for valuable people interactions."

Rana Barghouth, Recruitment Manager at Jobbentrén

1. What is your favourite part about working in recruitment/HR?

"I worked in HR for many years and my favourite part was interviewing and recruiting people and then watching them develop and work their way up.

It’s great that people feel comfortable enough to share their personal concerns and be able to help and comfort them. It is incredibly rewarding.

On the other hand, many things are attractive in recruitment jobs; to meet all types of people who have different educational backgrounds & cultures and help them find their dream job, either if it is their first job opportunity or for those who want to continue their career.

I strongly believe in the importance of diversity and inclusion; that everyone can, in some way, contribute to all aspects of work and life."

2. What made you follow this career path? Why did you decide to work in this field?

"Human Resources are the central role of all organizations & companies.

I started my working life through an internship at an international telecommunications company in the HR field. I have spent 11 years in my home country and continue working in the recruitment function in Sweden.

I have always been very good at communicating, networking, listening to people’s problems and coming up with solutions to help them. And most importantly, the feeling which you get when you are able to give a job to people who deserve it is a great feeling.

All these are the main reasons why I wanted to become a part of the HR & recruitment field."