Sourcing Guru Interview: Susanna Frazier

Recently we interviewed Susanna Frazier who won the SourceCon Hackathon twice! Let’s hear her secrets of success.

Enjoy!

At the beginning of your career, you worked as an English teacher in Thailand. Was it a gap year? Tell us a little bit about this experience. And speaking about career aspirations, as a kid, whom did you want to be?

I actually worked as an IT Recruiter fresh out of college for about a year. Then I hopped over to Thailand in pursuit of some wanderlust and also to teach English. When I moved back to the States I recruited during the day and went to the grad school for education at night.

As a kid, when asked who I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d wholeheartedly respond that I wasn’t growing up. People usually like what they’re good at, but I tend to get bored with things I’m good at. So, I’ve never been set on a single path – I guess you could say my career aspirations have always been pretty open-ended… I wanted “to be challenged.”

How did you start recruiting? Why are you still here?

My hairdresser was actually the one that recommended IT recruiting. She knew my college journey and thought I’d be able to “talk the talk” (education background in both engineering and business) and “walk the walk” (extracurricular activities spanned sorority life and sports, lacrosse). I’m still involved in recruiting because space has continued to challenge.

You have a really strong personal brand. How does it help/hinder in life and business? Who are the thought leaders in HR tech that you follow?

Ha. Thanks! I suppose personal branding has made me more approachable. This has helped to form an inbound recruiting and networking standpoint but hindering from a time-management standpoint.

Some of the HR Tech Leaders that I love to follow are as curious as I am and share a #sharingiscaring mentality – like Jan Tegze, Mark Lundgren, Aaron Lintz, Greg Hawkes, and Sarah Goldberg.

How did you come up with the “Sourcers who code” group? What is the mission behind it?

Sourcers Who Code was the result of a conversation Maisha Cannon, Sarah Goldberg, and I had after an Anonymous track session during Spring 2017 SourceCon. We wanted a way to level up our sourcing game and felt learning to code was the best way to do that.

Sourcers Who Code’s official goal is “To improve recruitment processes by strengthening our ability to talk both Talent & Tech − a tremendous value-add!”

You have won SourceCon Royale Hackathon. Looks like hackathons are your passion. What is your sourcing superpower?

My sourcing superpower capitalizes on a delightful blend of OCD and ADHD – creating clarity out of chaos.

What makes a person a good recruiter?

A good recruiter is someone who realizes their impact on other people’s lives and families. They don’t get caught up in the highs and lows. They think proactively, nurturing relationships, and taking initiative. And, they stay curious.

Tell us about your hobbies. You are working in Universal Music Group. You seem to be a music fan. Who is your favorite musician?

My all-time favorite band is probably the Beatles. I grew up with mad respect for oldies and Motown and now gravitate toward jam bands, Christian rock, and pretty much anything with a good funk groove. Outside of work I enjoy pursuing wanderlust (traveling, adventuring, learning) and cheering on the Kentucky Wildcats with my family.