Looking to enter a career in recruitment? Or perhaps you’d just like to get better at your job?
From finding it easy to chat with people, to the gift of the gab, there are a few attributes that a recruiter should have to succeed in the industry.
Here are a handful of the top qualities that make a great recruiter. Do you tick the boxes?
1) Confidence
There’s a reason that the industry tends to attract extroverts. Working as a recruiter involves a lot of networking and interacting with a large number of people, so confidence is definitely beneficial. It’s not only important for the recruiter to have confidence in themselves, but also in the skills that they can offer a client and candidates.
2) Good communication skills
Recruitment relies heavily on effective communication, so it’s important for the recruiter to be good at communicating both face to face, as well as via phone/email. The client and candidate expect to be kept in the loop throughout the recruitment process, so it’s essential that the recruiter provides them with frequent updates and works as a middleman between the two.
3) Approachable demeanor
It’s essential for future business that recruiters are able to build positive professional relationships with their clients and candidates and are likable. If they don’t come across as particularly personable, it can make the client/candidate feel uncomfortable. By creating a good rapport with everyone you work with, a level of trust is then built between you. These professional relationships will, in turn, make future business a lot easier, as they are more likely to want to work with you in the future or to recommend you to others.
4) Good listener
Recruiters have got a bit of reputation for being able to talk the ears off of you, but they must also be a good listener! Though the temptation may be to launch into a conversation by shouting about how great they are, it’s important to sit back and listen to the client or candidates needs and requirements first. It will be much easier to fill roles if you take the time to get to know what each party is looking for.
5) Strong sales skills
Recruitment is basically sales. First, the recruiter sells their service to the client and then they must sell the job to the candidate, explaining why it would be such a great opportunity for them to take. If you lack this flare for sales, it will probably be tough to get any clients on board and no clients means no business.
6) Target driven
Recruitment is an incredibly competitive industry, so it’s crucial that the recruiter is driven and can work well under pressure. Recruiters often work on a commission or bonus basis, according to their performance, so this works as an incentive to hit their targets. If you are not willing to put the effort in to meet these targets, then your earning potential will drop significantly.
7) Good at multi-tasking
Recruiters will often be working on a number of jobs at the same time, from a series of different clients, so they need to be able to juggle the different projects alongside each other. Sometimes certain roles may need to be prioritized due to a higher level of urgency to fill the position, so they must also be good at managing their time effectively.
8) Patience
Things don’t often go to plan and the recruiter must be patient if interviews need to be rescheduled, or they don’t find the right person in the first round. Though this can sometimes be frustrating, it’s important to keep your cool and be professional about it.
