Kiki Tyler, Account Executive on the Professional Support team at Green Key, is more than just a recruiter. She’s also an experienced Zumba instructor, who’s been offering FUN classes to students all over the DMV since 2006. Zumba® is the class that started the dance-fitness revolution and changed the way we look at a “workout” forever. It’s fun, effective and best of all? Made for everyone! Oddly enough, in Kiki’s experience, the world of Zumba® is pretty similar to that of recruiting.
“There’s three main parts to Zumba®,” Kiki explains. “The warm up, the dance party, and the cool down. It’s similar to the recruiting process: the interview prep, the main interview, and finally an offer.”
Kiki explains that the preparation she handles for Zumba® follows the same pattern as recruiting. Zumba® class prep includes music choice, location, and dance research, all to educate and prepare her students for class. Recruiting, on the other hand, preps candidates for interviews.
“I’ll always send a written, detailed confirmation to candidates,” says Nicole Rusnak, Executive Director on Professional Support. “And then I’ll hop on a call with them to answer any of their questions. We want them to know as much as possible about a company before talking to the hiring manager.”
“We have prep documents for them too,” adds Emily Gelman, Senior Recruiter on Professional Support. “This really helps to prepare them for the interview and give them something to follow.”
In addition to this, both Nicole and Emily schedule intake calls with hiring managers in order to get to know their personality. This helps to calm the candidates’ nerves and prepare them for the eventual interview. Kiki explains that many of her Zumba® students get “nerve-cited.” Like recruiting, she works to build a relationship with them, boost their confidence, and make the process as smooth as possible.
“It also takes a lot of networking,” she tells us. “I interact with my students on LinkedIn and Facebook. When the pandemic hit and everything went virtual, I communicated even more with my students to encourage them to join class over Zoom. I always check in with students at the end of each class to ensure they had a good time. It is a great way for us to build community and stay connected.”
This is no different than building networks in the world of recruiting. “Referrals are a huge thing,” says Nicole. “Even if we don’t place a candidate, they still know who we are and what we do. A lot of them end up reaching out in the future.”
“In our division, its extra important to network, especially for those who work in Human Resources,” says Emily. “Staying in communication is crucial.”
Kiki is excited to continue her business in Zumba®, while also aligning those skills in her recruiting career. She emphasizes that many outside activities can compare to recruiting if you look closely enough. If you’re interested in Zumba® or advancing your Professional Support career, you can connect with her on LinkedIn and get the dance party (or interviews) started.
