How to Get a Job as a Recruiter
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We’ve all had that dream job that eludes us: an excellent work-life balance, a salary that matches your effort, a nicely paced variety of activities to avoid boredom. If this all sounds like something you want as part of your career path, you might want to consider recruiting.
But how does one start on this path?
It can be a little daunting when finding out how to get into the headhunting profession, a career that mainly involves gently guiding people toward professional growth. But don’t worry, here’s how you can make it your own.
The basics of recruiting
Recruiting is a match-making career focused on finding the best candidates for companies, saving them money, time, and resources; all while supporting job seekers through their career change. It is a highly people-oriented profession, where the ability to talk on the phone, reach out, and find balance to succeed is vital.
This job thrives on drive, discipline, determination, and people skills. Perseverance will be key during the first months as you put yourself out there to make a name for yourself.
Step 1: Find what does a recruiter do
Okay, so you might know what a recruiter is, but what do they do all day long?
“It’s all about connecting, listening, and matchmaking. That’s all we do.”
Darrin TeBeest, Coach at gpac
Wanna learn more about what do recruiters do?
Recruiting is a fast-paced industry, where you will be spending a lot of your time planning and executing your next move, whether it is finding the right candidate to fill a job order, marketing them to companies, or closing deals. It is a client-facing job where you will have to talk to different people to make the perfect match. It is all about time management, listening skills, and thinking on your feet all day long.
To succeed as a recruiter, you’ll have to learn how to learn from the best in the industry and build a routine along with the skill set to talk to others.
Step 2: Education is a plus
There is no need for a bachelor’s degree in the recruiting world. The main thing you will need, though, are people skills and the willingness to hone them constantly. Abilities such as active listening, negotiation skills, an eye for talent, and the drive to keep doing it can get you just as far as a degree.
Recruiting can be an entry-level position for anyone who just got out of high school, college, or even those who are looking for a more fulfilling career opportunity.
If you want to go to college, go for it! Degrees in Psychology, Communications, Human Resources, and Business Administration are not uncommon for recruiting jobs. Still, when it comes to recruitment anyone can make their own path, whether they chose to pursue higher education or not.
Step 3: Recruiting vs. HR
A common misconception about the job can be that it’s just HR. And, oh boy, is that farthest from the truth. Recruiters work closely with HR managers, commonly known in the recruitment process as hiring managers. Recruiters network with them constantly, take job orders, and market potential hires to fit their company needs.
Recruiters can work in-house for a company, but their job doesn’t necessarily resemble the typical HR functions.
As a recruiter, you’ll have to source open job opportunities, master the industry you work in, keep tabs on top talent, and market them to arrange meetings with your clients. Building your network with candidates and clients will allow you to find the best prospects to match the needs and expectations of both parties.
Unlike HR, you won’t have to work with employees already settled within the company, only keep tabs on those that you place. Instead, you’re opening the doors to candidates and businesses to meet, understand each other’s goals, and potentially grow together.
Step 4: Honing your skills
Yes, recruiting is match-making, but you’ll need to have more than just people skills. As a bridge between the candidate and the company, you’ll help them communicate through the process, find common ground, and set up for a good relationship even before they have their first meeting. But don’t worry, you can master the craft of recruiting with on-the-job training.
Recruiters are needed in every industry. Highly sought transferrable skills and insider knowledge of their chosen field can be an advantage, but the truth is that, at the heart of the game, communication skills are the skeleton key. You don’t need any specific background to make your way into this rewarding career.
An excellent way to ensure that you’re always moving forward is to keep up to date with your industry and continue your education with different courses, certifications, and methodologies constantly developing in the recruitment industry.
Step 5: Joining a staffing agency or going solo?
Once you’ve made sure that this is the career for you, one decision is left: should you freelance or join a team?
Maybe you work better on your own and would like to reap the rewards of your work. Working on a commission rate as a freelancer can bring you as much as you put into it if you identify as a high performer. Then, to get a job as a recruiter, you’ll need grit and hustle to get your name out there and begin making connections through insider knowledge.
However, maybe you feel like freelancing is not for you. Recruitment is a competitive industry, but that doesn’t have to mean that you’re on your own. By joining a recruitment agency or working in-house, you can build a network with people who have similar goals, broaden your knowledge, and take advantage of the many resources available to your organization, all while having a fixed salary or enjoying a commission based on your efforts, depending on the type of agency you join. It’s all up to you.
So, now that you know more about getting a job as a recruiter, the only question left is: Are you ready to accept the challenge?
