What the Heck is Pinterest, Anyway?

I've had several people (men, specifically) ask me recently "what is Pinterest, and should I be using it?". I was an early adopter of Linked In, Twitter, and social networking, so when the Pinterest craze started recently, I engaged in it to see what the fuss was about!

Here's my take - Pinterest is an online bulletin board that allows users to share ideas and interests. Right now, in its infancy, it's been adopted by those that are interested in creative projects and ideas, such as home projects, fashion, design, style, and food. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that early adopters are primarily women. I logged on to check it out, and I have to admit, I was mesmerized by beautiful photos of homes and food, and felt inspired to pursue some of these fun ideas. Alas, work and family provide me with little extra time, and in the end, I don't have time for addtional projects; I ended up feeling frustrated that I don't have the bandwidth to explore my inner Martha Stewart.

I'm seeing a lot of buzz about companies that are using Pinterest as a way to share how their services and products can be utilized by crafty users of the tool. A few creative job seekers have posted their online "portfolios" on Pinterest to bring exposure to their creative talents (specifically graphic designers, web developers, interior designers, chefs, etc.). Pretty smart stuff! I'm determined to look for ways that I can use this tool to bring attention to my company's employment brand, and how I might be able to use it to generate candidates for our open requirements, but right now, I'm not seeing the value.

Right now, I just see a lot of fun projects and beautiful recipes that I don't have time to make. I keep telling people that Etsy is the Pinterest for working moms, since we can pay other people to do crafty projects for us.  :)  And like sourcing on Facebook, there sure are a lot of distractions/ landmines on Pinterest that could prevent a busy recruiter from being productive. So at first glance, I'm not thinking that this is going to be an effective recruiting tool. But stay tuned...

So what's your take on Pinterest so far?

Miss Recruiter

A Case for Social Media Recruiting

I read an article recently on Recruiting.com titled Why Recruiting Looks Easy  (http://www.recruiter.com/articles/why-recruiting-looks-easy/) and a particular quote stood out to me – “A great recruiter creates the conditions for that magic luck to strike”. This statement really resounded with me, because that is my approach to recruiting!

Recruiting, indeed, is not easy. It requires inquisitive and thorough intake sessions with our hiring teams when new requisitions open, understanding our clients’ teams/culture/needs, being familiar with and using all recruiting resources available to us, and persistently sourcing for unicorns until we find them, woo them, negotiate with them, and close them. This takes expertise and it takes hard work.

But I believe that what separates a decently effective recruiter from the best of the best is someone who creates optimal conditions to attract talent. And one of the best ways that we can attract talent is building our own personal brand. Attending happy hours/career events and shaking hands is still a FUN way to network and brand ourselves, but social media gives us the global reach of the internet – the possibilities are practically endless for connecting with others! Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, blogging and even Pinterest – these are all fun, FREE portals for connecting with peers and talent, viewing industry-related news, learning about new recruiting trends and resources, and even bringing visibility to successes, helping build personal brand.


Every conversation recruiters have is important – recruiters should want to know good talent, unqualified talent, other recruiters, and even competitors. This knowledge and network we obtain via social media sets the stage for us to connect with others, create a network, understand the marketplace, and ultimately provide world-class delivery to our clients.


It’s worth spending an hour a week to use social media to create the conditions for recruiting magic to strike, and at the very least, develop your portfolio and network for your next career opportunity. So what are you waiting for? Jump in, the water’s warm!

Miss Recruiter