Rockstar Recruiter Series: Venterra Realty|Rockstar Recruiter Series: Venterra Realty
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Rockstar Recruiter Series: Venterra Realty

I’m impressed when a candidate:

Shows some humility, which is one of Venterra’s Core Values. Interviews are a great time to brag about your qualities, but the best candidates recognize their own room for growth. When it’s clear that I’m talking to someone who’s always on the hunt for knowledge and they’re open to a discussion about where they improve their skills, I know I’ve found someone with real potential.

I’m impressed when a recruiter:

Thinks outside the box and will do whatever it takes to find the right candidate. Utilizing direct recruiting, tying in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies to attract candidates, and using video Skype interviewing methods are techniques that we’ve adopted to keep innovative. A recruiter should be an ambassador for the organization and passionate about what they do; this passion will reflect the quality of people they attract.

I’ve been in the recruiting industry for:

10 years. I started in staffing and transitioned into corporate recruiting. I wanted to focus my efforts on bringing in talent for a company that I truly believed in. I wanted to make a difference and I love that I get to work with and recruit others that feel the same way.

I know I’ve done a great job hiring when:

The candidate is a good culture fit for us and them. I get excited seeing our promotion rates and hiring success (the percentage of new employees that are with Venterra for at least six months) increase every month. I want to wow our candidates by delivering a great experience during the recruiting and interviewing process up until their first day. Today’s candidate wants to know what’s going on in real time so we are working through improving our process to help them stay in the know.

The biggest challenge recruiting candidates today:

Finding the most qualified candidates that meet Venterra’s expectations. I want the best talent, those who are a true fit for our organization.  As our CEO, John Foresi stated, “Our Seven Core Values are our long term differentiators, our mission, and our vision. It’s okay if you don’t live these values, you just can’t work here”. Being in the multifamily housing industry is also a challenge as some of our positions are very niche, which decreases the candidate pool even more.

I stay cutting edge by:

Research! I’m constantly viewing our competitors’ websites, analyzing companies similar to our size known for their outstanding culture (I use Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work winners for a good company list), looking into upcoming recruiting trends, and speaking with new recruiting and branding companies about their products/services. Currently, I’m learning a lot about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how it is beneficial for recruiting. Marketing Grader shows how your website is ranked with SEO and steps to help improve your website’s ranking.

In 2015, I’ll invest more efforts in:

Growing our talent pool to decrease the time that a position is open. I’ll also be focusing on recruiting maintenance professionals as it is very challenging to find qualified skilled-trade workers in our industry. I want to create a better recruiting and interviewing experience for all candidates, whether they received an offer or not.

Executives see employer branding and recruiting as:

Critical to the success of the company. We’re fortunate enough to have an Executive Team who understands that it is imperative to have a team of highly engaged individuals. In our never ending pursuit of excellence, they recognize that it is our people that make the difference and our culture that sets us apart.

I use Glassdoor because:

It allows our candidates to see us as we really are. As a company with a list of Core Values that includes candor and openness, transparency is extremely important at Venterra. Glassdoor lets us exhibit this value to our candidates by painting a clear picture of our Company’s culture.  Glassdoor allows us to display the employee's experience with Venterra which gives candidates an insight from “real” people, not just a recruiter. And finally, Glassdoor is helping Venterra find the right people that can make a difference in our organization!

My success is most closely tied to:

Being passionate about Venterra Realty! I love the Company, its story, and what it stands for. I love sharing who we are and where we’re going. I have the ability to help people find their passion. People don’t just want a job; they want to make a difference. And I know they can here at Venterra. We encourage it through our wow culture where our teams are inspired to make a difference in the lives of our customers.

I could improve my reputation as a recruiter if I did this:

My advice: learn as much as you can! Stay abreast on what is going on with recruiting by attending conferences annually (I enjoyed the Recruiting Trends Conference), becoming a member of SHRM, and participating in events specific to your industry (I am attending the Houston Apartment Association Career Fair Night this Fall).

Not every recruiting strategy will work for every company. Get outside of your comfort zone and try new ways of recruiting knowing that this field is constantly changing. Also, make sure you are very active in networking. A recruiter should be a people person, so use your talent to the fullest!