Since this month marks my one year anniversary with Plan A as a Recruiter, I thought it would be fitting to reflect back on what I’ve learnt over the past year and pass on some of that knowledge to Recruiters who are just starting out. Being a Recruiter isn’t easy work; there are a lot of expectations placed upon your shoulders. Give this post a quick read to learn about some of the things that I’ve learned to practice over this past fun-filled, action-packed year!

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Being a Recruiter isn’t easy. If you read one of my older blogs “So You Want To Be a Recruiter?” , you would have learned that there are a lot of expectations involved in the position. Sometimes it gets overwhelming to get everything done by yourself. Asking for help is something that I struggle with. I constantly think to myself, “I don’t need help. I can do this all on my own”. But that’s when things start to get missed and quality starts to dwindle. Don’t be afraid to ask your co-worker or manager for help!

2. It’s okay to say no. When asked to take on extra tasks, it’s okay to say no. Saying no and having the task passed on to someone else is better than taking it on yourself and not having time to complete it to the best quality possible.

3. You don’t know what you don’t know. My boss always says, “You can’t be good at everything, but you can be great at something”. If you don’t know how to do something, it’s okay! Not everyone is good at everything. Admitting when you don’t know how to do something is admirable! Admitting that you don’t know how to do something or that you’re unsure of a particular process also creates a great learning opportunity for you. This will give someone with more experience the chance to walk you through the steps or stages that must be taken in order to complete the project successfully.

4. Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously. The expectation that employers have of their employees to be serious and professional is normal, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Take the chance to laugh at yourself whenever the opportunity arises. If you work a full- or even part-time position, you spend the majority of your life working in that role. If you don’t take those opportunities to laugh at yourself (or whatever situation you’re dealing with) when they arise, you will never be happy. And who wants to spend the majority of their lives being unhappy?

5. No suggestion is a stupid one. The position that I’m in as a Recruiter with Plan A gives me the ability and autonomy to make decisions that I feel are best for the department and the company as a whole. This allows me to tap into creativity that (honestly) I didn’t even know I had. Sheri continuously encourages me and everyone else in the office to tap into our inner creativity on a daily basis. Don’t be afraid to make suggestions that may seem crazy or impossible to achieve. Strange ideas often snowball into something great!