Conversation with Cydney Bain, Senior Recruiter

Looking for a job can be daunting. There are so many ‘unknowns’. Cydney Bain is a recent graduate of Rutgers University where she obtained a degree in Psychology and Human Resources. After only a year out of college, Cydney was recently promoted to Senior Recruiter at Open Systems Healthcare, a home healthcare staffing firm. I spoke with Cydney recently, about her experience of looking for a job after graduating and what she now looks for in candidates.

Ali: Hi, Cydney! Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

Cydney: Thank you for having me!

A: So I’ll start with a simple question; tell me a bit about your experience of looking for a job after graduation.

C: I thought it would be a lot easier than it turned out to be. It was a lot of searching through career sites such as Careerbuilder and Monster. Anything that warranted a ‘Click to Apply,’ I automatically applied. I would end up getting called. I think the calls came in because I had a fairly decent resume. Eventually, I received a call from my current company. They just called me off of a Careerbuilder post. Ironically, I don’t even remember applying.

A: And is there any advice you could give to those who are looking for a job and recently out of college?

C: I think it is incredibly important to have multiple people review your resume. Advisors, friends, family, and most importantly, find a recruiter in your field and in your area. Compile their input and create your own style. Your resume is the first look at who you are as an employee to a potential employer.

A: I think that is really sound advice. Now that you work on the flip side, as a recruiter, what do you now know that you wish you knew while you were job-seeking?

C: I wish I knew how vital it is to have phone interview skills, a solid resume, along with attention to detail and a follow-up email. A good follow-up email will work in a candidate’s favor every time. There is always an initial phone interview and if it’s not on time and done well, then the candidate is automatically ruled out.

A: And if all of that is done right, what makes a candidate stand out to you?    

    

C: For me, what matters most in a candidate is creativity, dependability, adaptability, and most importantly, confidence. Also, a candidate has to really want the job. I can tell when someone has passion and drive for what they are doing. Passion and drive will always help a candidate succeed.

A: I think that’s all we have time for today. Thank you, Cydney! I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.

C: Not a problem! I wish you the best of luck with your blog and all your future endeavors.