From Order Takers to Trusted Talent Advisors: Elevating the Role of Campus Recruiters

5-minute read

When campus recruiters are seen as administrative support, the value of early talent programs gets lost in the noise of requisition requests and event logistics. But when recruiters are recognized as strategic partners, the entire talent ecosystem benefits — from stronger hiring outcomes to better business alignment.

This was the focus of the recent Brainstorm webinar, “Becoming a Trusted Talent Advisor,” featuring:

• Michelle Kelley, National Campus Talent Acquisition Manager, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services (U.S.)
• Jennifer Husband, Director, Early Talent, QuadReal (Canada)
• Amy Ferreira, Early Talent Acquisition Manager, Liberty Mutual Insurance (U.S.)
• Laura Victoria, National Leader, Early Talent, Deloitte (Canada)

Moving Beyond “Order Taking”

For many recruiters, the starting point is reactive: filling requests, organizing events, pushing job postings. But as Laura Victoria noted, “Being a trusted advisor means moving beyond execution to true partnership with the business — being there when decisions are being made, not after.”

Building that trust often starts with inviting yourself to the right meetings, showing up with insights, and framing conversations around business outcomes rather than transactions.

“Invite yourself to some meetings. Show up with insights and data. Add value, and they’ll keep inviting you back.” — Laura Victoria, Deloitte

Data as a Seat at the Table

A clear theme throughout the conversation: data builds credibility.

Recruiters who bring both internal and external benchmarks can shift conversations from “here’s what we did” to “here’s what’s happening in the market — and here’s how we respond strategically.”

As Amy Ferreira shared, it’s about telling a story with the data, not just presenting numbers. Insights become influence when tied to organizational goals.

Relationships Are Strategy

For Jennifer Husband, transforming early talent at QuadReal started with relationship building. What began as a small, informal program grew into a structured, global pipeline because she invested in trust across the organization.

“It took time, building relationships and knocking down the preconceived notion that early talent is just events and interviews.” — Jennifer Husband, QuadReal

Michelle Kelley emphasized the power of knowing your internal “clients” deeply — from their hiring priorities to how and when they prefer to communicate. Strategic partnerships are built one conversation at a time.

Reframing the Conversation

One of the most actionable takeaways came at the end of the session:

“Start with curiosity. Ask: ‘What business outcome are you trying to achieve?’ not just ‘How many hires do you need?’” — Laura Victoria, Deloitte

“Even if you have to start small — a 1:1 conversation with a manager — those meetings can grow into a seat at the table.” — Amy Ferreira, Liberty Mutual

Becoming a trusted talent advisor doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through insight, relationships, and consistency.

Final Takeaways

• Strategic positioning matters: Get in the room where decisions happen.
• Data earns trust: Use external insights and internal metrics to tell a story.
• Relationships fuel influence: Know your stakeholders as well as your pipelines.
• Ask better questions: Reframe from “how many” to “why and how.”

As Jennifer Husband reminded the group, “We’re not just filling roles. We’re building the future of the team.”