So, What Do Recruiters Do?

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Updated October 18th 2022

Oftentimes when people ask what is the job of a recruiter? they find themselves with a plain answer or a generic recruiter job description like “recruiters are in charge of getting companies in touch with candidates.” 

“It’s all about connecting, listening, and matchmaking.”

Darrin TeBeest, Coach at gpac

While it’s true that recruiters are responsible for matchmaking the workforce with their ideal jobs, that is just the gist. Since this is a people business, it takes a lot of training, effort, and activity to accomplish a good and long-lasting match. Just like gpac’s expert recruiter, Vanessa Wergin, says:

“This job takes drive, discipline, and motivation.”

How do recruiters work?

That is a great question because it allows us to dig deeper into the recruiter’s responsibilities and tasks behind the scenes that are mistakenly underrated or overlooked. But, before getting into that, it’s important to clarify that not all recruiters work the same way. Though recruiter positions are a dime a dozen, there is a difference between independent search consultants and recruitment agencies.

Not everyone is aware that there are different types of recruiters, but here are the main two: 

• In-house/Corporate recruiters: those that work for a company as part of their team.
• Third-party recruiters: those who work at recruitment/staffing agencies and are hired by companies to fill job positions. 

Though a recruiter’s job description and tasks may vary from one to the other, the goal is the same: to place top talent with a company. However, since in-house recruiters work for a specific company, their responsibilities will likely merge with HR tasks. Usually, it’s large or growing companies that’ll require a more hands-on recruiter. 

So, if job seekers want to go beyond surfing job boards and have someone help with a targeted and confidential search, then they’ll want to look for a recruiter that works for a staffing agency. This third-party approach presents the ideal mediators for making not only a placement but the right match.

Here’s a list that includes some of the daily activities all-hands-in recruiters perform to place the right candidate in their ideal job.

5 things recruiters do on a daily basis

Source candidates

Recruiters go out of their way to find the best talent at any level in an industry. That means going through a myriad of profiles of both active and passive candidates, screening their resumes, vetting and qualifying them, but mostly listening and going deep into what the candidate needs for a fulfilling and successful match

There’s this misconception that headhunters are out there to “talk people out of their jobs,” which is not true. Good recruiters will only start a search for a candidate or try to match them with a new job offer once they are sure that the candidate has a need and is ready to make a change.

Look for job offers

Recruitment is a two-way street, sometimes recruiters are on a search for candidates to fill a job offer, but it can also be the other way around. So, recruiters also scout job boards, build strong alliances and networks, research the industry players, contact companies, and once more, talk to hiring authorities to really understand their needs and requirements for open positions.

The truth is that not all positions are advertised on job boards. Some companies prefer to keep a targeted and confidential search to avoid discarding thousands of applicants that are not a match. That’s one of the reasons why they hire recruiters: to save time and money on their search process.

We are an extra set of “eyes and ears” in your industry to make sure you are aware of the types of opportunities that fit what you are looking for.”

gpac

Set up the interviews

Once the recruiter has found a potential match between a candidate and a company and confirmed that both parties are interested, they ease the interview process by scheduling the meeting and making sure that both parties have all the information they need for a successful outcome. 

In some cases, it could also be beneficial for candidates to receive practice interview questions for their preparation. Helping encourage confidence in this essential step of the hiring process could give job seekers a leg up on their competition.

Give feedback and follow-up

Sometimes the interview process is just about that one meeting, but depending on each company’s policy, the right mediation can go a long way. Upon request, recruiters accompany both parties all the way through, acting as mediators in their interests, providing feedback, and following up all the way until the hire has been made and the candidate has gone through their first month at the company.

Recruiters know leaving and starting a new job isn’t so simple. This is why some take the time to follow up with smaller, though by no means less significant, tasks, such as advising candidates to turn in their 2-weeks notice, bringing up corporate perks, or letting either the company or candidate know if the other party decided to go a different direction. If that’s the case, good recruiters keep the process going until they find the right match.

Stay updated

While you can become a recruiter without experience (meaning you don’t need to have a specific background), once you are in the game, it’s all about staying front and center of your industry. Recruiters are on a constant journey to polish their skills, expand their knowledge, and stay in the know of the latest industry and workforce trends.

Recruitment is a giving industry, so recruiters know that dedication, effort, training, and constant updating, will benefit their clients and candidates, which in turn also benefits them. So between matchmaking, you’ll also find great recruiters taking courses, being mentored, reading about their industry, and learning about the latest tools to provide a high-quality service.

What it takes to be a recruiter

Well, these are only some of the activities that recruiters perform daily, but they are easier said than done. So, to get through all of that and make successful placements, recruiters need to have a strong mindset, the right attitude, and the best intentions to make sure that every step they take gets everyone closer to a win-win situation. 

Are you curious about the benefits of working with a recruiter or want to learn more about gpac? Click on the tiles below to learn more about us.

Contributed by Monica Martín del Campo and Mary Dominguez