Hi, I’m Vadim. And I Don’t Hate You.

I hate recruiters.

Who among us hasn’t heard somebody at some point say that? No surprise that recruiting ranks among the most untrustworthy professions. But is the cliché warranted? Do most recruiters really suck?

I don’t know. But here’s what I do know: There are many, many amazing talent acquisition professionals who are continually pushing themselves, their organizations, and their field forward. If you’re still reading this, then there’s a good chance you’re one of them. So here’s what I want you to know: I don’t hate you.

I love recruiters.

I say this because I’ve had so many awesome experiences with so many talent acquisition people in different capacities. The field is teeming with myriad stories of people doing great things. I want to help tell those stories. I want to help tell your stories.

I mention all this because I’m the new editor of ERE.net. (The devil wears TJ Maxx, y’all!)

Now, at this point, I can bore you with my skills and experience that led me here, but there’s a short bio at the end of this post that does that. My LinkedIn profile will tell you the rest. All of which will explain where I’ve been and what I’ve done, but none of which matters most. Instead, let me tell you about who I am.

You might already be thinking that the guy in the photo (yeah, that’s me) wearing the sequined hat and gloves and gold lamé top looks like the Liberace of HR. No? That’s not what you were thinking? Well now you are. And you’d be right. Like Liberace, I aim to brighten the experiences of people around me. I’m all about provocation, titillation, humor, intellect, fun, contrarianism, and debate. I like to keep things interesting, informative, inspiring, and interactive. Clearly, I also like alliteration.

Above all else, what excites me most about my new role is the ability — which I view as my primary responsibility — to advance the talent acquisition community. I’d love for all of us to support, learn from, challenge, and cheerlead each other. I want ERE to be a prime resource for us to be better at work and at life (as if there’s any difference between the two). Let’s agree to explore ideas new and old together. Then let’s be open to disagreeing about those ideas — because if you aren’t sometimes shaking your head or rolling your eyes at some of what you read here or see at a conference, then I’m doing my job wrong.

I also encourage you to comment on articles, on ERE’s social channels, and in our LinkedIn and Facebook groups. Likewise, if you have a question, comment, concern; want to discuss ’80s music; or feel like sending me some hate mail (the more unhinged, the better), shoot it over to vadim@ere.net. Plus, I’m always on the hunt for great contributors and speakers, so reach out to me if you want to explore speaking at an ERE conference or writing for this site (but please read this first.)

Lastly, I want to recognize and thank my predecessor, Todd Raphael, for all the work he’s done for over a decade in elevating ERE content and conferences. I have a lot to live up to. Thanks, Todd, for leaving ERE in such a great place for me to step in. Thank you also for…well…just plain leaving so that I can have this opportunity in the first place!

Again, I look forward to interacting with and getting to know many of you. It’s going to be an amazing, crazy ride. I’m here for it! And I’m here for you!