Hey Reader!
It's Friday! We made it. If I had to summarize this week in one word, I would say: eventful! I'll spare you the details, but let's just say you won't catch me outdoors without mosquito repellent and my EpiPen ever again.
Hope your week was way less eventful than mine!
Now, on to this week's TL;DL (Too long; didn't listen).
(As always, If you don't want to get the weekly TL;DL,
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click here. You'll stay on my email list and will get the weekly newsletter, but I won't send you the TL;DL. No hard feelings.)
This week I spoke to Joel Lalgee. Even if you don't know his name, you've likely seen one of his videos.
Joel is a recruiter and content creator with a huge following on LinkedIn and TikTok (and pretty much all other social media platforms). In the past few years, he's created over 6,000 short-form videos about the job search and shares some of the funniest memes about the hiring process.
He's well respected by jobseekers, recruiters, and hiring managers. I was so excited when he agreed to chat with me about his content creation process.
In only 381 words, Joel shares:
- His approach to creating recruiting content and how he comes up with content ideas
- His thoughts on what makes great recruiting content
- How to balance content creation with a full requisition load
And much more…
Enjoy!
What inspired you to start creating content alongside your recruiting work?
When LinkedIn introduced video in 2017, I jumped on it. I saw that by creating engaging content, I could attract people to me instead of doing cold outreach, which often leads to rejection. It was a game-changer.
How do you find the topics for your videos?
I tend to stick to a few broad topics and hit them repeatedly, just in different ways. A lot of successful content creators do this because, honestly, most of the audience doesn't remember everything you've already put out. Repetition works.
What makes great recruiting content?
At first, I was really meticulous about planning my content, but now I go with the flow and react to what's trending. I've learned to repurpose content across different platforms, which helps to get the most out of each piece.
How do you engage and build trust with your audience?
You've got to understand who you're talking to. For me, it's hiring managers and candidates. Building trust takes time. It's all about being consistent and authentic—people can tell when you're genuine, and that's what keeps them coming back.
Have you ever created something that almost got you canceled?
I've definitely had some close calls. The key is to stay in your lane, be prepared to back up what you say, and handle criticism with grace. Sometimes, you've just got to ignore the trolls or delete harmful comments.
How do you balance content creation with your recruiting work?
I try to weave content creation into my day-to-day recruiting tasks. It's about showing leadership that content has real value and can actually help in recruiting efforts. Once they see that, it's easier to justify spending time on it.
How does content help in building trust within your network?
Content is a great way to build trust, especially with hiring managers and executives. When you share valuable insights, people start to see you as an expert. That trust is key in this industry.
What advice do you have for recruiters looking to start creating content?
Just start sharing what you know. Don't overthink it. You have to believe in the value you bring to the table. Content is a powerful tool for building relationships and establishing trust in the recruiting world.
Listen to the full episode: #15: How to Create Great Recruiting Content - with Joel Lalgee​
​Watch on YouTube​
Talk to you next week!