That may seem odd to those of you who think all I do is recruit, but my job is actually a little different than that. Since opening this branch of SOS Technical in 2005, I have filled all the roles of the branch. For literally a year, I was singlehanded, and had a blast finding new customers and developing relationships in the tech community.

If you asked HR what my job title is, it’s “Account Manager”, which means I develop and coordinate relationships with new clients, negotiate contracts, and work to coordinate recruiting efforts internally to the client.

But today, I’m putting on my much-loved and somewhat missed recruiting hat to try and help fill the funnel a bit on some of the great jobs we’re filling right now.

This morning I was thinking about why I recruit, partially because tomorrow I will be interviewed by the one-and-only Recruiting Animal on his Radio Show. I’m a little nervous maybe, but figure I will just be honest… what else do I have?

The thought crossed my mind again of how ironic it is that I find myself in this recruiting role, since in my other life as a programmer, I hated recruiters. I didn’t mind their calls, and secretly was flattered by it, but I didn’t know how to communicate with them in a more frictionless way.

I determined from the beginning that I wanted to be more open about my intentions, and I wanted to actually get to know people for the sake of getting to know them, not simply for the sake of recruiting them, and surely not just to make a commission from them.

I’ve been lucky along the way to really meet some good people trying to do good things with their lives and careers, and that’s been an incredible blessing to me.

Last week I was working along side a new Account Manager, Jason Harwood, who is working out of our SOS Technical Boise, Idaho branch. At the Corporate Alliance Jumpstart we attended that day, he asked me an interesting question about Networking as a busines development tool.

After a bit of thought, I replied to him that while I am very open about adding people to my network, I build my network very carefully and treat it not as a means to an end, but as a thing in-and-of itself, to be developed, cultivated and nourished for the value it inherently has.

“These are people,” I told him, “with hopes and dreams and passions. If you can tap into that, without violating some simple rules of relationships, you will have an inexhaustible supply of resources at your disposal.”

Those rules of relationships?

• GIVE 10x to your network before you ever ask.
• SEEK to become known as a Super Connector — the one people go to when they need to know people.
• ENRICH the experience of those you are in contact with.
• CLEARLY INFORM people in your network that you’re asking for something when you do. Sneaking a favor into a conversation is hardly the way to go. Being shy about it doesn’t work either. Call or connect with them, tell them you need help, and ask them precisely for what you need, and then LISTEN and DO what they recommend.
• THANK them gratuitously for their help.

I’m lucky to be known in some circles as someone people can trust, someone people can ask for help, and someone who can provide valuable services where appropriate.

Also, somewhere along the way, someone nicknamed me ROBDOR the RECRUiTiNATOR relating to the very mean and very powerful dragon of the similar name: “TROGDOR the BURNiNATOR!“. (A less dramatic, though equally informative illustration of the historical nature of the mystical TROGDOR may be found at the Homestar Runner Wiki. )

While I don’t think I am really that mean, I do like recruiting… and I can’t stop laughing at the song…. TROG DOOOOOOR!