Recruiting on the Edge
Why the best hires rarely come from playing it safe.
Someone told me recently that I’m “edgy.”
It wasn’t meant as a compliment.
But I actually like the word.
In recruiting, being edgy means you’re willing to push past the comfortable stuff. The safe candidate. The obvious resume. The hire that checks all the boxes but changes nothing.
Real recruiting lives on the edge.
It’s the conversation others avoid.
It’s pitching a candidate that doesn’t look perfect on paper but you know has it.
It’s challenging a hiring manager who is playing it too safe.
Some days you realize you’re not as good as you thought when you see other recruiters operating at a higher level.
But compared to yesterday?
A little sharper.
A little braver.
A little better at seeing talent others miss.
That’s the edge.
Not perfection.
Progress.
The real question for recruiters and hiring leaders is simple:
Did you push the edge today… or did you play it safe?
Spot on that taking calculated risks are “edgy.”