Love at First Play

What I Learned About Being a Recruiter From Playing Bass Guitar

I fell in love with the bass guitar the first time I really played one. It was love at first play.

Funny thing is, loving it and actually being good at it were two completely different things.

In the beginning, I really sucked. My fingers hurt, my timing was questionable, and I had a lot more enthusiasm than talent. But I kept playing. I practiced. I listened to better players. I learned songs. And eventually, I started putting myself out there and joining bands.

That’s when I realized something: being a bass player and being a recruiter have a lot more in common than I ever expected.

Loving It and Being Good at It Are Not the Same Thing

As a recruiter, I fell in love with the job from Day 1. But loving the job didn’t automatically make me good at it. Just like learning bass, recruiting required repetition, mistakes, rejection, creativity, and a willingness to keep showing up. Getting better at the craft itself is the whole idea behind The Tool That’s Helping Me Become a Better Recruiter (And It’s Not What You Think)

Putting Yourself Out There

And then there’s the whole idea of putting yourself out there.

As a bass player, you don’t get a gig sitting in your bedroom waiting for someone to discover you. You have to go to auditions, meet musicians, network, and sometimes hear, “We’re going in another direction.”

Sound familiar?

Recruiting is much the same. You have to make calls, send messages, build relationships, pitch opportunities, meet hiring managers, and occasionally hear, “No thanks.”

Getting the Gig Is Not the Same as Keeping It

Getting the gig as a bass player feels great. But there’s always another bass player waiting in the wings who would love to take your spot.

Recruiting isn’t much different. Getting the job is one thing. Staying relevant and continuing to earn your place is another. That ongoing value is exactly what’s covered in Most Recruiters Will Not Tell You This. I Will.

What the Best Have in Common

The best bass players don’t just play the notes. They listen. They adjust. They create. They understand when to hold back and when to step forward.

The best recruiters do the same.

Both require creative thinking, hard work, persistence, humility, and sacrifice. Neither rewards people who are looking for the easy button.

You Become Great After You Get the Gig, Not Before

And maybe that’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned:

You don’t become great by getting the gig. You become great by continuing to work at your craft after you get it. This same shift toward craft over transaction is explored further in Recruiting Reimagined: A Reflection on Innovation in a Mature Industry

Whether you’re holding a bass guitar or holding a phone trying to convince a great candidate to take a call, success comes down to the same thing:

Love what you do. Put yourself out there. Keep getting better. And never forget that there’s always another player ready to step up.