Just as a business holds its current employees to certain standards, potential employees should be no different. A good recruiter creates a streamlined recruitment strategy for bringing qualified top talent into the organization. But what makes a good recruiter?
There are two things every good recruiter needs:
- Knowledge: Recruiters need to know where to recruit the best candidates, what to look for in a resume, and what to ask candidates to land brilliant and competent employees. Having industry-specific or position-specific knowledge can also be beneficial as it allows recruiters to better determine whether a candidate will be a good fit for the job based on the job requirements.
- Goals: A recruiter will always have goals to achieve. These goals may be weekly, monthly, or yearly targets. The goals must be achieved on time since a company's success and growth depend on its workforce quality. In addition, the pay for some recruiters depends on the timely achievement of the set goals. This means recruiters have to be fully focused and goal-oriented to hit their performance targets and earn more pay.
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Some of the most important HR recruiter qualities include:
- Good communication skills: The recruiter is the key link between a company and a candidate. Recruiters must have good speaking, writing, listening and reading skills. This will help them understand what hiring managers need, communicate with potential candidates in a friendly and respective manner, and provide valuable feedback to both companies and candidates,
- Experience: Recruiters who have experience with the recruitment process know where and how to advertise positions. They also know the right questions to ask both hiring managers and candidates so that the right fit can be achieved with the first hire.
- Relationship-building skills: Great recruiters are able to quickly establish positive relationships with the candidates. Once a relationship is established, the candidates are more likely to be open and honest, enabling the recruiter to gauge whether or not they will be a good fit in the organization.
- Empathy: Through empathy, a recruiter will be able to easily connect with a candidate. This is because they will be able to better understand the candidate's feelings, motivation, experinece, and background from the candidate's point of view.
Strengths of a Recruiter
Having the qualifications and experience required to become a recruiter is not enough. A recruiter should have several key strengths that help mask their weaknesses and makes them stand out. Some of the strengths of a recruiter include:
- Confidence: A recruiter needs to have confidence in themselves and the skills they can offer clients and candidates. A confident recruiter attracts top talents and can convince a potential hire that the job on offer is what they have been waiting for.
- Online savvy: Technology has changed the recruiting process in the last few decades. Recruiters must embrace the changing technology as using the right technology could speed up the hiring process. This may involve using social media, conducting video interviews, and using systems such as an applicant tracking system.
- Enthusiasm: An enthusiastic recruiter will approach candidates proactively and offer assistance where possible. This positive attitude helps recruiters go above and beyond to get along with candidates of all types. In essence, enthusiasm can rub off on potential job candidates, making them excited about working for the company. Additionally, when candidates are around a recruiter who is passionate about their work, their enthusiasm will spread to them. A candidate with enthusiasm will therefore come across as someone who wants to work and is willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
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A recruiter is a professional who fills open job positions at organizations and companies by assessing the qualifications of potential candidates. Recruiters help to ensure that there is no labor shortage within an organization. A recruiter should be knowledgeable and goal-oriented to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the recruitment process. Being knowledgeable helps recruiters identify whether a candidate is a good fit for a job opening. Recruiters should be goal-oriented for many reasons, but this is especially true if they are paid on commissions since they must meet certain parameters and targets to earn pay.
Recruiters must also have patience. This quality helps to ensure that the right candidate is selected from many alternatives. Without patience, the likelihood of hiring the wrong candidate or messing up with the recruitment process is high. Recruiters should also possess good communication skills, curiosity, and listening skills to interact with others effectively. Recruiters must show enthusiasm, which can positively 'rub off' potential candidates. Candidates will be more likely to relax and adopt the recruiter's enthusiasm and excitement about working in that firm. Recruiters should be online savvy as well. This helps them find and navigate online job boards and sites they can use to get the best candidate.
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Additional Info
Do You Have What It Takes?
Toni has just graduated from college and is considering accepting a position as a recruiter. What that means is that she would spend her day scouring resumes and online profiles for the best talent, screening and interviewing potential candidates to see if they would be a good fit for her clients, and then presenting a list of possibilities to employers looking for workers.
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She's not sure, though, if the role of a recruiter is right for her. She doesn't know anyone who has worked as a recruiter and she's not sure if she has what it takes to be successful in this role. She decides to head to the library to see if she can read more about some of the most important characteristics of effective recruiters to determine if the job would be a good fit for her.
Characteristics of Effective Recruiters
Being an effective recruiter is a balance of strong interpersonal skills and workplace savvy. Here are a few of the most important characteristics:
1. Knowledgeable: You can't know if a person is a good fit for a business (or even a specific job), if you don't understand what the position and the business are all about. Understanding the product is crucial to effectively recruiting.
2. Good communicator: It's probably not surprising that being able to communicate clearly with candidates in person, on the phone, and through email is important, but it's equally significant to be an effective listener. Getting to know someone, such as through asking questions, requires using active listening, a state of listening where you are fully engaged, to better understand them. You also need to be able to listen to know what your clients want from a potential employee!
3. Multi-tasker: Recruiters wear many hats and sometimes more than one at a time! Being able to field inquiries, plan interviews, network, search job listings, review resumes, as well as keep clients up-to-date requires a person who can juggle many responsibilities simultaneously.
4. Relationship-builder: Part of recruiting is building relationships with people over many years and from many different walks of life. Why? Because they may be your greatest source of referrals! Being a strong networker and following up with people next week or next year may net you your next great client.
5. Confidence: As a recruiter, you'll spend a good portion of your work day dealing with total strangers. Having the confidence to strike up engaging conversations and being able to confidently convey your abilities to businesses will make a big impact on your success.
6. Patience: If you've ever interviewed for a job, you know that the process can sometimes take two, three, or even more rounds from start to completion. Recruiters find themselves in the midst of that cycle all day long. It can take a while to find the right person, find times and dates that work for everyone, and get them through the process to the finish line.
7. Online savvy: Gone are the days when recruiters deal solely with paper resumes and job boards. Today's best recruiters have a firm grasp of all the online tools available (social media and online job boards, for starters) to them to find the best candidates. A recruiter with online savvy will know the right way to advertise an opening on social media, for example, to reach the right audience.
8. Enthusiastic: Recruiters need to be able to convey their enthusiasm about a company or the opportunities it presents. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious, and it will instill a sense of excitement and confidence in the recruiter's work.
9. Goal-oriented: The competitiveness of the recruiting industry combined with the pay structure (sometimes only based on commissions or bonuses) requires a recruiter to keep their eyes on the prize and thrive in a high-pressure environment. It can ultimately impact how much you earn. For example, if a recruiter meets a deadline to hire two capable candidates within a three-month window, they will be rewarded with greater financial incentive.
10. Friendly: This one may seem like a no-brainer, but keeping a demeanor that makes you approachable and helps others be comfortable around you is a big part of your success as a recruiter. Being warm and friendly can help facilitate trust and relationships, which can result in more business.
11. Flexibility: When you're trying to match a candidate and an employer, things will sometimes go wrong. A candidate will accept another job. Interviews times will need to be changed. The company may find another candidate or close the opening. Being able to ''adjust your sails'' and continue on with your work will be a critical trait.
12. Problem-solver: Being a good problem-solver can come to your aid in numerous situations. For example, what would you do if a candidate didn't show up for a interview? What if the search is going on for a long time with no viable options? By being able to approach situations from different angles and think creatively, you can work your way out of challenging circ*mstances.
Lesson Summary
To work effectively as a recruiter requires a mix of characteristics ranging from good interpersonal skills to workplace savvy. Recruiters should be knowledgeable about the position and the company they are recruiting for. They should be good communicators, both in speaking and writing, but as active listeners as well. Being able to multi-task and build relationships over the long haul are also important traits. Patience, confidence, and enthusiasm can help facilitate better interactions with others. Being savvy about online tools used for recruiting helps ensure recruiters can find the best candidates. Keeping your eyes focused on your goals and being friendly and flexible will also benefit someone in the recruiter role. Finally, having an ability to problem-solve, in the event that no viable candidates are available, for example, can help make the life of a recruiter much easier.
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