Recruitment: Is it a Job, Career, or a Vocation?

08 August 2010

Is there a difference among job, career, and vocation? The answer is yes. In fact, the difference is overwhelming it can be used to determine how long you are going to last in your current work as a recruitment officer.

Loosely defined, a JOB is anything that is paid whether by the hour or by the day. If you view recruitment as work, then you will surely lose the interest once the motivating factor, which is money, is removed from the equation.

You should consider it as a CAREER if you want or are currently experiencing growth as a recruiter. Usually, the motivation for seeking development is not limited to salary. It only means that you are looking for more, such as security of tenure or long-term employment, as well as more fringe benefits.

Those who are usually promoted are those who exhibit high level of leadership skills. This means your goal is to share whatever knowledge you have gained to your subordinates. This practice communicates that you want to take care of the organization more effectively. However, you are still bound by your own limitations. You cannot demand more of yourself because your leadership skills are derived from the motivating factors that are associated with your current position.

A job or career becomes a VOCATION when you are willing to do more. Even if majority of these motivating factors are removed, your skill and drive to work don’t change. You are keen to go extra miles to perform your job well regardless if you receive recognition or not. You have the passion, and doing the job becomes the source of it.

Those who consider their work as a vocation last the longest. They are also the ones who achieve the greatest sense of fulfillment. Recruitment can be a demanding profession. If you don’t go beyond the job description, you cannot expect yourself to last long.

To help you out, you may consider the following tips:

1. Evaluate the path you want to take.
Do you see yourself working on the same job for many years? If you do not, then there is a huge chance you see recruitment as a job only. However, this does not mean you have to bail out early. By evaluating, you can determine for yourself if you need to work out on your mentality and change your attitude toward it to make it a vocation.

2. Work with highly dedicated individuals.
There are several recruitment employees who are very much dedicated to their line of work, treating everything they do as their passion. Working alongside them will help you see how they motivate themselves on a much higher level. You will also be more inspired to treat recruitment as a calling.

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