Ask a Recruiter: Interview with Valentine Kapture

In our latest edition of the Ask a Recruiter series, we had the privilege to sit down with Valentine Kapture, a seasoned Performance Strategist for LHH Recruitment Solutions. With over a decade's worth of experience, Valentine has been the driving force behind many successful recruitments within the realms of human resources, financial services, and accounting. In this candid interview, he shares his insight on a variety of topics including: the impact of temporary work, the benefits of working with staffing firms, the elements of an impressive resume, and the journey to becoming a recruiter. His thoughts and advice are invaluable for job seekers, future recruiters, and anyone interested in the complex dynamics of the staffing industry.

Q: Can you tell me a bit about yourself, your experience in recruiting, and the industries you work in?

I've been recruiting for a little over 12 years, working with several major firms in the US staffing industry. My specialization has typically been in human resources, though I've also worked a bit in financial services and accounting. But typically, when I'm speaking the recruitment language, it is in that human resources space. I love what I do, which is why I continue to do it!

Q: Can you discuss the impact of temporary work on a candidate's resume?

Temporary work, when positioned correctly, can show flexibility and adaptability. It indicates that you're able to pick up on systems quickly and that you're a desirable candidate to many clients. Like any other resume, focusing on how the experience has helped you progress and positioned you as a better asset for a company is important.

Q: Can you give an overview of what it's like working with a staffing firm? Can a candidate work with more than one at the same time?

It's completely free for a candidate to be represented by a staffing firm. In fact, it might even be illegal in most states to charge to be represented. I would suggest candidates work with a couple of different staffing firms to maximize opportunities. However, going beyond two or three could make it difficult to maintain strong relationships with your recruiters. When choosing a staffing firm, make sure they specialize in your area, have a large network for more opportunities, and that you have a good rapport with the recruiter.

Q: Can a candidate maintain relationships with multiple staffing firms even after they have gone on an assignment?

Absolutely. As an advocate for the individuals that I represent, I would encourage them to continue to grow their network outside of myself and our staffing firm. At the end of the day, what matters most is their personal and professional growth.

Q: What does an excellent resume look like?

A good resume supports your objective, it shows results driven and displays consistent growth. Your experience should support your objective, and the objective should be clear at the top of the resume. Recruiters and hiring managers should easily be able to see the progression of your roles and responsibilities, and how your past roles align with your future goals.

Q: Is it okay for candidates to use resources like ChatGPT to help them update their resume and cover letter?

Yes, I believe these resources have been around for a long time and have been utilized by many to put together resumes they're proud of. If ChatGPT is another tool that can help candidates feel excited about the resumes they're creating, then I'd absolutely recommend leveraging it.

Q: For those who may be interested in becoming a recruiter themselves, what does it take to become a recruiter, and what experience do you need?

You have to really like people. You have to be their advocate during one of the most important times in their lives. Other attributes a good recruiter should have are tenacity, resilience, and excellent follow-up skills. This is a people business, and sometimes people do unpredictable things. Being able to handle that and not let it get to you is what makes a strong recruiter.

Q: What does the work-life balance look like for a recruiter? What are the hours and the pay like?

As a staffing industry recruiter, which is a commission-based role, you might put in a lot of hours at the beginning of your career. However, once your book of business is established and you start receiving a lot of referrals, your work-life balance becomes much better. A six-figure income should absolutely be expected going into year two, year three.

Q: Once established as a staffing recruiter, what are the possibilities for career progression?

The possibilities are almost endless. You can go into recruiting, sales, or project management. You could run your own recruiting team, become the head of talent acquisitions for a company, or go into sales and eventually become a VP of Sales. There's so much to the job that it opens a lot of doors.

Q: Do recruiters need to have experience in the industry they're recruiting for?

Absolutely not. What you do need to be able to do is ask really good questions, be an investigator as you're interviewing, because at the end of the day the way you're going to learn this job is to interview candidates, ask a ton of questions, and learn through their experiences. You don't have to have the industry experience or the experience doing the role; you just have to be really good at asking questions, probing, and learning from the people that have done it as you're interviewing them.

If you found this interview with Valentine insightful and want to stay connected, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. Learn more about LHH Recruitment Solutions or apply for a position!