Should You Pursue a Career in Recruiting?

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• March 6, 2013
• By Denielle Fisher
• 2 Comments

If you’ve spent a lot of time on the job market, you’ve probably come across recruiters and perhaps even thought, “Gee, must be nice to be the one who looks for job candidates instead of being the one trying to get a job.”

But even recruiters did, of course, look for a job at one point—and perhaps being a recruiter is the right career move for you, too. Shifts in the job market, including changes in employment laws, hiring processes and locating the most qualified applicants, mean more employers are looking to recruiters to fill their open positions.  

So, what’s the nitty-gritty of a recruiter job? Do you have the right personality and skills to become one yourself? Read on to find out.

What recruiters do

Through sourcing and networking, recruiters create a talent pool of applicants that meet the requirements, skill base and specifics of an open position.

This means recruiters can be the first impression of a company in applicants’ eyes. What happens next makes recruiters part salespeople and part matchmaker. Recruiters assess the job responsibilities of the open position, learn about the company’s culture and whet potential applicants’ appetite for the right job.

As a recruiter, you may be working in-house as part of a large company’s division of human resources or for an independent staffing agency hired by a company.

Two key things a successful recruiter needs

1. Great communication skills and discretion

Remember, a recruiter is working on behalf of a company, but he or she also needs to tactfully juggle the needs of both the hiring managers and the applicants. So brush up on your communication skills—that includes being a great listener.

Top-notch people skills and communication skills are the backbone behind building rapport. When you’re able to establish rapport with hiring managers, it builds confidence in your abilities, and they will be more likely use you again. Establishing rapport with applicants can be beneficial as applicants can refer other qualified job seekers to you.

2. Consider pursuing a graduate degree in HR

More people are pursuing a master’s degree in human resources development to give them a competitive edge in the recruiting field. Gaining graduate-level know-how in business operations, employment law and management will make you stand out from the crowd. The training and curriculum within this type of degree program will equip you with the skills to fulfill any division of human resources.

Denielle Fisher is an office manager who is also responsible for maintaining financial records at her company. She does freelance writing/blogging on the side and enjoys ghost writing as well.

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