How do you, as a recruiter, define "thinking outside the box" in the recruiting realm? In my recent rounds of interviews, most of the questions were pretty stock and I could answer many of them "in my sleep", as it were.

Tell me about your most difficult hire. Tell me about the worst hiring manager you have had; why was s/he the worst and what did you do about it? Whiteboard diagram for me: how you would source for xyz position; the recruiting lifecycle; a search string for abc position. What ATS have you used? Tell me about a time you forged a particularly good relationship with a hiring manager? Why do you like recruiting? What's the most creative sourcing strategy you have ever implemented, and what were the results? What is your hire:requisition ratio?

Just once I'd like to see corporate hiring recruiters show *me* that they are on top of the industy. I'd like to see questions like: What is your opinion on video resumes? Have you used Facebook or SecondLife for recruiting, and what were the results? Have you thought about using SMS/cell technology to tap into the Y generation?

I recently attended a symposium called "Hire America's Heroes". It was aimed at corporate recruiters, trying to educate them on the value veterans can bring to the corporate world, and ways to overcome stereotypes. I was a "Table Captain", which meant facilitating conversation between the attendees seated at our table. I was sitting next to a young army professional who is in a platoon that helps "wounded warriors", those that have been wounded  in combat and are transitioning back to civilian life. Part of this process involves a lengthy medical evaluation (both physical and mental), and there are specific active duty soldiers that help with the process. I asked him his title and what he does. He rattled off some military title designation, then proceeded to tell me that he is the liaison for the various stakeholders (care providers, the soldier in transition and his family, administrative personnel, etc). I looked at him and said, "Oh, a lot of project management and coordination? Getting all the various pieces of the process to work together and then being accountable for getting it back on track if it isn't working?" He was a bit flabbergasted. "Yes, is that how I would message it for the civilian world?" This brief interaction was one of the key reasons for the entire event, trying to bridge the gap for both parties.

The symposium got me thinking about a lot of things, not just recruiting veterans. The presenters were all very interesting and had a lot of expertise to bring to the table in various ways. Too soon to tell if it's outside the "box" but maybe I can translate my ideas that way.