I titled this blog first Monday primarily so I would be forced into finishing it and publishing it today. I've been meaning to blog for months now, and still have several unfinished works in progress sitting in my RBC drafts. So, in the spirit of my new year commitment to blog weekly (and to test the theory that I work best under pressure), I figured I'd start this Monday Musings blog about nothing in particular and everything in general.

2012 was EPIC for me, both professionally and personally. Professionally, I sat on both sides of the interview desk - both as a candidate and a recruiter. Personally, I experienced several losses and wins that changed the way I interact with the world around me. I would like to think that I have learned lessons that have helped me to grow as a recruiting professional, as a connector of people, as an assessor of skills and as an active listener and problem solver. 

Granted, there were a few things in 2012 made me scratch my head so I figured I'd get them down on paper, so to speak. Among these were:

• why do more and more candidates reply to the auto-reject messages with long rants about why they should have been selected?
• why were some of my most talented and savvy friends/peers unemployed for most of the year?
• why do some recruiters turn their noses up to candidates who have been out of work for more than 3 months?
• why are some hiring managers so picky/unrealistic?
• why do some companies refuse to invest in training and retaining top talent after recruiters work so hard to attract quality people to the organization?
• why are people still losing their jobs due to their social media usage?

My hopes for 2013 are that I can add value to a company's bottom line while helping connect people with jobs they absolutely love (and if not love, then like a lot).

A special thank you to Noel and Tim for hosting such a neat little online oasis where recruiters can come to vent, ponder, brainstorm, rant, self-promote, encourage and enlighten others. Thanks to the entire Recruiting Blogs Community for publishing thought-provoking and engaging content. I wish you all a productive, inspiring and rewarding new year!

Happy blogging,

Maisha

Photo: TheSkorpionShow