The Value of a Great Recruiter: Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Culture
Throughout my 20-year talent management career, I have realized a simple truth: a great recruiter is worth their weight in gold. The ability to find the perfect candidate who not only possesses the necessary skills but also aligns seamlessly with your company culture is a skill that sets exceptional recruiters apart. Let me share a story that exemplifies the distinction between a good recruiter and a great one, emphasizing the importance of finding a recruiter who truly understands your culture.
When I relocated to Russia with Kimberly-Clark, I discovered that the HR team had outsourced all regional HQ recruiting to a local agency. While outsourcing can be a viable option in certain situations, it became apparent that this agency fell short of understanding our company culture. They unwittingly raised a red flag during a meeting with them when they mentioned the difficulties of attracting top talent to Kimberly-Clark due to its reputation in Moscow. I probed further and discovered they were reserving the best candidates for their favored companies, leaving us with mediocre or lower-end talent. This revelation led me to make a crucial decision.
Motivated by the agency's shortcomings, I invested in hiring a dedicated recruiter who could effectively champion our company’s brand and culture. Enter Katja Chirkova, one of the best recruiters I have had the pleasure of working with. Katja possessed an extraordinary gift for understanding people and how they fit within our organization's unique culture. Her ability to attract top talent to Kimberly-Clark transformed our talent landscape, resulting in remarkable growth. Katja showed me the value of a great recruiter. To this day, she remains the standard by which I measure other recruiters.
Another exceptional recruiter who shares this gift is Derek Lutz. Over the past decade, Derek has completed 25+ searches for me. His expertise in identifying, recruiting, and securing top talent has been invaluable. In addition, his deep understanding of individuals and their compatibility with a company's culture is impressive. It is just one of the many reasons I co-founded Evolve HR Solutions with him. I wanted to partner with him as we started the HR recruiting practice because I see him as a great recruiter.
The key takeaway from my experiences is the significance of selecting a recruiter who truly comprehends your company's culture and possesses the skills to identify the right talent with superior capabilities. Their ability to identify candidates who have the necessary skills and thrive within your organization's culture sets them apart from the crowd. The story demonstrates the importance of finding recruiters like Katja Chirkova and Derek Lutz, who possess the rare gift of understanding people and their alignment with company culture. When it comes to external recruiting assistance, choose wisely and seek out those who truly grasp the essence of your organization. I encourage you to choose Evolve HR Solutions, where you have access to recruiters like Derek and myself to make a difference in building a high-performing team that aligns with your values.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Lupinacci spent the last 25 years at some of the world's best-known companies, such as Intel Corporation and Kimberly-Clark. His career spans key executive roles such as Chief Learning Officer, Chief Talent Officer, and Chief Integration Officer. After a successful corporate career, Jeff turned his focus to his true passion—serving the overworked and under-resourced HR profession.
Beyond his corporate success, Jeff is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, with his insights featured in leading publications such as CFO Europe, Nikkei Business Magazine, and Baylor Business Review. In addition to his business leadership, Jeff is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, where he teaches Human Capital Management for the Executive MBA program and leads the HR Strategy and Analytics capstone for undergraduates.
Jeff is the best-selling author of The Talent Advantage: A CEO’s Journey to Discover the Value of Talent. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and two doodles.