Corporate recruiter turns to matchmaking

The best recruiters have a knack for reading people, and one such recruiter is turning these skills to matchmaking

The best recruiters seem to have a knack for reading people, and one such recruiter in America is turning these skills from the recruiting world to the matchmaking one.

Traci Porterfield has working as a recruiter and human resources director in the corporate world for more than 20 years, but after going back into the dating pool 10 years ago she found a new way to use her networking and people matching skills.

Talking to the San Diego Union Tribune, Traci says she found a new wife for her ex-husband, then a girlfriend for her dad. Now she owns a concierge-style matchmaking agency, Love By Design, with clients across the USA.

Your competitors are joining the Institute of Recruiters (IOR) - Join us

Attention Recruiters
See Live Jobs on SplitFee.org – Don’t Miss Out
It’s FREE if you Join No

For the past few years Porterfield has helped several hundred people find love through her private coaching and matchmaking services. In the coming months, Porterfield is launching an online course that will combine reflective exercises, meditation and self improvement techniques to transform clients’ love lives.

She admits the decision to walk away from the recruiting world was a hard one, but thinks she’s finally reached the destination she’s bound for all her life.

“When you believe you’re on the right path, it unfolds in front of you. Everyone deserves to find love and if they open themselves up, they can be happy,” said Porterfield.

One of her first jobs was as a recruiter for an employment agency. It was from there that Porterfield learned how to read people’s personality traits and skills to create a good match for an employer. Later in her career she worked as a human resources director before becoming vice president of human resources for life coach Tony Robbins, who inspired her with his philosophy.

“Working there I learned the questions to ask myself,” she said. “I asked myself ‘what do I want to do? What am I passionate about?’ ” And he always said to embrace my fears to create the kind of life I want.”

She started the matchmaking business after her own experiences with matchmaking experiences, after signing up and spending several thousand dollars. During the experience, the staff rushed her through interviews, took one photo and sent a letter in the mail of a potential match. After 3 terrible dates she felt she’d been conned.

“I realized pretty quick that it was all a numbers game for them and I knew I could do better,” she told the San Diego Tribune. “I felt there was a need for a (matchmaker) who came from a spot of integrity.”

In 2009 Porterfield started with just one client, and with only word of mouth marketing the business become so strong that before long she had a waiting list – as she only takes 10 clients at a time.

Porterfield said coaching is key to getting people dating-ready. She won’t take clients unless she can read their energy and assess if they’re in the right emotional space to learn and better themselves.

“It’s about helping people figure themselves out. Who are you? What do you own from your past mistakes? How are you showing up? You need to get clear on what you’re looking for.”

Here’s the COMPLETE set of Accredited Recruitment & HR courses

Accredited Recruitment & HR courses and qualification

Recruiters & HR professionals choose these accredited courses – take a look!

Recruitment News

Comment on this story

The British Institute of Recruiters is the Professional Body operating The Recruitment Certification Scheme

Send this to a friend