And why you can’t teach it
Director of Talent Acquisition @ Innovetive Petcare
As a Director of Recruiting, for going on seven years and counting, I’ve seen firsthand how critical a sense of urgency is to our success as recruiters, especially in the healthcare and veterinary medicine industries where talent is high in demand and short in supply. In today’s competitive hiring landscape, the best candidates are on and off the market in a matter of days, sometimes hours. This means recruiters must act swiftly and decisively at every stage of the hiring process—from sourcing to offer acceptance.
But here’s the thing: you can’t teach a true sense of urgency. Recruiters who have worked with me in the past or present are smirking at that sentence. It is something that I frequently say – that I can teach and develop recruiting skills, but I cannot teach you sense of urgency. It’s an intrinsic quality, a mindset that separates top-performing recruiters from the rest.
Why Urgency Matters
- Top Talent Moves Fast The best candidates often have multiple opportunities lined up. If you’re slow to respond or delay interviews, you risk losing them to competitors. Urgency ensures you stay ahead of the curve.
- Keeps the Momentum Going Recruiting is all about momentum. A sense of urgency helps maintain candidate engagement, avoids unnecessary delays, and keeps the process moving forward.
- Improves Candidate Experience Candidates appreciate timely communication. Being proactive and responsive reflects positively on your company’s brand, leaving a lasting impression—even if they don’t land the role.
- Drives Business Impact Open positions mean lost productivity and potential revenue. Filling roles quickly with the right talent directly impacts the bottom line.
Why You Can’t Teach Urgency
A sense of urgency isn’t just about working fast—it’s about prioritizing, anticipating needs, and recognizing opportunities before they slip away. It is about self-initiative and hunger. It stems from a personal drive to succeed and a deep understanding of the high stakes involved in recruiting.
While you can train someone on the technical aspects of recruiting, urgency comes from within. It’s an inherent trait fueled by:
- Passion: A recruiter who genuinely cares about connecting the right talent with the right opportunity will naturally feel compelled to act quickly.
- Competitiveness: Those with a competitive edge hate losing out, whether it’s to another recruiter or another company.
- Adaptability: Recruiters who thrive in fast-paced environments instinctively know when to pivot and make decisions without hesitation.
My Advice
While you can’t teach urgency, you can foster an environment that values it:
- Set Clear Expectations: Emphasize the importance of timeliness and responsiveness in every stage of the process.
- Celebrate Wins: Recognize and reward team members who demonstrate urgency and close roles efficiently.
- Provide the Tools: Equip your team with technology and resources that streamline workflows, enabling faster decision-making.
- Lead by Example: As a leader, I must model urgency in my own actions, showing my team how it drives results. If you are a leader, you should do the same.
Final Thoughts
In recruiting, speed is often the difference between landing top talent and losing them to the competition. A sense of urgency isn’t a skill that can be taught—it’s a mindset, a core trait that recruiters either have or don’t.
For those of us who understand its value, it’s our job to foster it within our teams and prioritize it in our hiring. After all, in the race for top talent, urgency isn’t just important—it’s everything.