What Improv Comedy can teach us about recruiting
We did an exercise when I first started with Hunter Crown where we had to have a normal conversation and the participants had to sneak in odd phrases and words such as: Never trust a sax player in a trenchcoat. We had to try and lead the conversation and find natural ways to insert these sentences and keep the conversation going. It is not an easy addition to a conversation, especially one about wastewater!
Recruiting, like improv, is all about thinking on your feet. You never know what is coming next in this industry. Whether it is a curveball question from a client or sudden change in hiring priorities, or an unexpected concern from a candidate in the eleventh hour of the offer process. Just like on the improv stage, success often depends on how well you can listen, adapt and keep the conversation going.
At Hunter Crown, specialising in connecting talent in the water and wastewater industry, where tech expertise, culture fit, and communication all matter, is a lot. I’ve found the same principles that make a good improv player also make a great recruiter.
Yes, and…
The golden rule is “Yes,and...” In improv you accept what your partner gives you no matter what and build on it to move the scene forward. In recruiting, that same exact approach keeps conversations productive. When a candidate shares a career concern or a client has a hiring challenge, it is easy to ask yes or no questions or shut things down with a “no that won't work.” But a yes, and.. Mindset lets you acknowledge perspectives, validate it and build toward solutions together. It turns potential dead ends into collaboration
Thinking on your feet
No two conversations in recruiting are ever the same. Priorities shift, or hiring managers may change the role completely, mid search. This is where improvisational thinking becomes invaluable. Being able to pivot while still maintaining confidence and control, keeps the relationships strong. This trains you to react quickly, stay present and keep your cool in client calls, interviews and negotiations.
Listening is the real key
The best improv players are not necessarily the funniest, they are the ones who are the best listeners. They can pick up on tone, timing and the subtle cues to respond authentically. In recruiting, the same skill separates a good recruiter from a great one. Active listening helps learn what a candidate truly values or what a client really needs beyond what is on a job description. When you can fully tune in, you can ask better questions and make stronger connections.
Keep the words Flowing
Awkward pauses happen….
On the stage and in interviews. Learning how to bridge conversational gaps without forcing it is a recruiters superpower. Candidates aren’t always trained interviewers or “performers” and one word answers happen constantly. The trick isn’t to just fill the silence, but to stay engaged and ask thoughtful follow up questions to keep the energy moving forward. This is how you turn a stuck conversation into a real dialogue.
Confidence through Uncertainty
You can write the best call script in the world and a conversation can go so far off in a different direction that you never use a single word of it. No search goes exactly as expected. With preparation, adaptability and a sense of humor, you can approach every situation with composure and creativity. Improv comedy and recruiting may seem like opposite sides of the planet but they share a common goal, building connections in real time. Whether you are on a stage or on a call, the ability to think on your feet, listen, and respond authentically is what keeps things moving and making all the difference.
At Hunter Crown, we bring that same mindset to our searches. In the world of Water and Wastewater, great recruiting isn’t scripted, it’s collaborative, adaptive, and human.
Written by: Kurt Norval, Senior Search Consultant at Hunter Crown, LLC
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