She might not have a degree from a prestigious university or a resume padded with Fortune 500 companies, but Linda Le has something every employer wants, even if they don’t know it.
She has grit.
A recruiter at Maryland-based staffing firm Aerotek, Linda took to her LinkedIn feed recently to celebrate a year on the job and to remind us all that there’s more than one pathway to professional success.
After being rejected five times by Aerotek’s hiring managers for lack of experience, Linda said that her recruiter stepped in to advocate for her. “She spoke up for me” and said “that I was very persistent and that I had grit.”
This opened the door just a crack, enough for Linda to land an interview and, eventually, a job. “Last Week I made the Top 10 Leaders Board of Recruiters in the West Region and my team cheered me on,” she beamed. “Just one year ago, I was someone who was looking for a chance.”
Here’s how you can find your own Linda — and why it’s important
Persistence, perseverance, passion, personality — put it all in one soft skills bundle and you’ve got grit, a trait that talent acquisition professionals are quickly realizing can be a game-changer in the workplace.
“The big shift in recruiting is a focus on ‘fit’ not ‘pedigree,’” says HR analyst Josh Bersin. “In other words, it doesn’t matter what school you went to or what jobs you’ve had.” The more important question, he says, is whether a candidate possesses “the skills, ambition, interest, and personality to match with the team? These latter ‘non-pedigree’ factors are the ones that drive success.”
Bersin uses the analogy of baseball and basketball teams that often bring top talent onboard before deciding which position they will play.
Which sounds great if you’re a sought-after professional athlete. But what if you’re just starting your career, or transitioning into a new one, and your experience doesn’t square with the job description — how do you break into the game?
Linda was fortunate to have a recruiter who recognized her potential and lobbied on her behalf, a detail that didn’t go unnoticed by the thousands of people who liked and commented on her post.
“We hope there are more cheerleaders in the world who can see actual talent and will power,” wrote Aparna Gundapuneedi, an IT manager in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “Personality and character might not always reflect in a two-page document, some people just need a chance to make a difference.”
Bernadette Pawlik, a recruiter with 25 years of experience, had a slightly different perspective. “I would like to suggest they didn't take a chance on you . . . you had the fundamental qualifications,” she wrote. She identifies grit as being a key competency for successful recruiters. “Being a great recruiter is a combination of [having a] ‘sense’ about candidates,” Bernadette commented, “and the grit and determination to find that hire no matter what.”
Indeed, many were so inspired by Linda’s story that they used the comments section of her post to thank the mentors, managers, and recruiters who once went to bat for them. The outpouring of emotion reads like a synchronized group hug.
“Thank you for taking a chance on me,” wrote a VP of a bank in Maryland.
“My forever cheerleader . . . it made all the difference in my life,” chimed a marketing lead in Amman, Jordan.
“You guys did the same for me ❤️ Thank you,” said a software engineer in Berlin, to which the person being thanked responded, “You thoroughly deserved it!”
But perhaps the most encouraging words come from Linda herself: “When you give someone a chance that no one has ever given them, they will be the most dedicated and hard-working employee. I promise you.”
You’d be a fool not to believe her.
*Photo by Jeremy Lapak on Unsplash
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