There are good recruiters – and there are great ones. Where do you stand?
If the first category suits you, then okay. You can stop reading now. But if you want to stand out and be known for finding and landing the best talent, doesn’t it follow that you should be among the best yourself?
Here are some skills to hone and tips to consider as you go from good to great:
Pay attention to detail.
You need to remember the specific strengths, skills, preferences, and expectations of every client you work with: who you’ve talked to, a person’s interest in or willingness to apply for a position, and so much more. Details like these can ruin a person or company’s reputation if you’re reckless about them.
Never stop learning.
If you’ve segued into recruitment from another field, consider getting some HR-specific education. You can go for an additional degree or look at certification options. There’s no excuse not to since almost every opportunity is available … well … virtually. If you’re already in the business, it still pays to be a lifelong learner, as best practices are continually evolving.
Fine-tune your strength when it comes to these skills:
- Marketing: It’s essential to know-how and to whom to sell a company or a position. Being adept at the latest marketing techniques and strategies is key.
- Communications: You are the link between a candidate and an employer. The impression you make and the messages you send can seal a deal or discourage a person from applying or, even worse, tarnish a reputation or brand image.
- Relationship building: It takes many touchpoints to fill a position. You need to build and nurture candidate/employer relationships and act on behalf of both parties. You can be the determining factor in creating a positive experience for everyone involved.
- Multitasking: Develop a knack for juggling lots of tasks and doing them all well: writing and posting job ads, screening applicants, running background checks, conducting initial interviews, consulting with candidates and employers, presenting offers … and the list goes on.
- Time management: With multitasking comes time management. This becomes even more relevant if you’re working across time zones or with companies that have flexible hours. And, of course, key roles often need to be filled “yesterday.”
- IT: Don’t cringe at the thought, but every solid recruiting professional needs a basic understanding of IT skills. On the one hand, this applies to the successful use of recruitment software. On the other, your knowledge of programming, design, and system administration will be a huge help in finding candidates in those areas.
Improve Your Career as a Recruiter
If you’re seeking more ways to improve your career as a recruiter, Search Wizards can help. We represent top recruiting and sourcing talent and will give you access to all our resources, as well as our nationwide client network. Growth and opportunity are right around the corner … and we’ll show you the shortest path to get there. Contact us today to learn more.