AJ Lee has worked in recruiting for more than 16 years. Throughout his career, he’s recruited IT professionals, telecommunications workers and physicians. But he found his passion recruiting nurses. “Nurses have the best attitudes,” AJ says. “They love their jobs—and that makes me love my job!”

AJ joined the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta team after reaching out to a former colleague who immediately knew he’d be a great addition. AJ was excited about joining a top-notch recruiting team. But the biggest draw for him was the Children’s culture. “The enthusiasm here is contagious,” AJ says. “Children’s nurses have such a strong heart for caring for kids—it’s what they feel called to do. It’s truly inspiring.”

A Typical Day: Clinical Recruiter

5:30 a.m. AJ likes to begin his day before anyone else in his house begins to stir. He uses his quiet time to surf social media, check a few personal emails and start his day with a clear head. Soon, his wife and two young daughters are awake and join him in the kitchen. AJ makes the coffee while his wife manages breakfast. Then, he drops the girls off at school before making his way to the Children’s Support Center.

7:30 a.m. Before he has even stepped through the door, AJ hears a friendly “hello” from just inside the Support Center. “That’s what sold me on working here,” AJ laughs. “I couldn’t believe how welcoming everyone was when I interviewed. It felt like home.” He sits down at his desk and dives into a list of potential nursing candidates. What’s he looking for? “My first priority is to make sure they have the skills and experience necessary for the job,” AJ explains. “Next, I want to know why they want to work at Children’s. Their answer is usually a pretty good indicator of whether they’ll be a good cultural fit.”

“I couldn’t believe how welcoming everyone was when I interviewed. It felt like home.”

10:00 a.m. AJ calls a current Children’s employee who recently reached out about an open nursing position she’s interested in. “Sometimes a nurse is looking to gain leadership experience,” AJ explains. “But more often than not, they’re looking to build their skillset.” As they chat, AJ learns the nurse is interested in transferring from her current role at one of our hospitals to an Urgent Care Center closer to home. After determining where she would be a good fit, he shares her information with a hiring manager, who responds with an interview request.

11:00 a.m. It’s time for a talent-sharing meeting, where recruiters collaborate to find the right person for the right job. Recruiters often interview candidates who may be a good fit for Children’s, but not for the exact role they are trying to fill. That’s where the team aspect of recruiting comes in. During the meeting, AJ learns that one of his co-workers recently spoke to a nurse who is looking to return to pediatrics after several years of working in adult care. AJ is immediately interested. He requests the nurse’s contact information and quickly sends an introductory email with potential job openings.

1:00 p.m. AJ heads to Egleston Hospital to meet with several hiring managers in Surgical Services and the Emergency Department. They discuss open jobs, applicant expectations and potential candidates. While they talk, AJ also observes how the nurses in the department move and work around them. “I want to be able to tell my candidates what the workflow feels like and how the team collaborates so they can visualize what a day on the job will look like,” he says.

3:00 p.m. “Hello, this is AJ Lee from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta,” AJ greets a candidate on the phone before launching into what he considers the best part of his job: extending an offer to join the Children’s team. He’s particularly excited about this candidate—a mom who is transitioning from adult care to the Hughes Spalding Emergency Department. “I really like to get to know my candidates and hear personal stories,” AJ says. “This nurse wanted to join Children’s because her own child received exceptional care here. As a dad, I can relate to that.”

4:00 p.m. AJ sends a few final emails before logging off and leaving to pick up his girls from school. They return home and he helps with homework before whipping up a family favorite: spaghetti! Tonight, they’ll head to soccer practice. While AJ admits he’s more of a football fan, watching his girls fall in love with the sport has been exciting. Though he’s known to kick the ball around from time to time, tonight he watches from the sidelines as one proud dad.

8:30 p.m. With the girls in bed, AJ sits down with his wife and relaxes over a glass of wine. They take a moment to catch up on the day before putting on a show.

10:00 p.m. It’s almost time to call it a night when AJ receives a text from a night shift nurse. She’s been referred to AJ by a friend currently working at Scottish Rite Hospital. “Nurses work crazy hours, and I always want to be sympathetic to that,” he explains. “They also like to text.” AJ knows referrals are some of the strongest candidates, so the pair schedule a phone call for later in the week. He ends the day on a high note, excited about the possibility of welcoming another qualified candidate to a System he truly loves.

. . .

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