Enlisting Talent During Wartime: A Recruiter’s Perspective

What’s it like to be a recruiter in a thriving startup during a war?

Every time there’s an announcement of a fallen soldier or reservist, I find myself instinctively checking my LinkedIn connections.

So many of our active Miluimnikim are also family men and women, high-tech workers, talented developers—people I’ve likely reached out to, interviewed, or even worked alongside. It’s amazing how interconnected our professional and personal networks become in moments like these, and how deeply it affects us all.

I’ve been in the field of Talent Acquisition for a few years now, and I love what I do—the mix of humanity and compassion vs impact and business needs, all while meeting KPIs and deadlines. But since the war began, the “human” aspect of my work has taken on a whole new meaning.

As HR professionals, we are often the first face of the company a candidate encounters—their first glimpse of who we are, what we value, and how we treat people. This responsibility has never felt more significant than it does now.

Over the past 450 days, I’ve lost count of how many candidates have told me they need to postpone an interview or delay completing a task because they were called up for reserve duty. They often sound nervous, apologetic, as if sharing this will somehow harm their chances.

It won’t.

I always give more time, more space. It’s my small way of contributing—keeping the day to day moving, continuing to work and supporting those who need it. Really seeing people, and helping them feel valued, even in the toughest of times.

This is what I can do for my country, for my candidates, and for the people behind the résumés. And maybe that’s what we all need right now—a little more humanity, a little more understanding, and the strength to keep moving forward.