If you ask any long-time recruiter how they got started in the staffing industry, a common answer is, “I fell into it.” Hardly anyone grows up thinking, “I want to be a professional recruiter when I grow up!” Whether planned or not, a career path in recruiting can prove to be both lucrative and personally fulfilling.
As in any role, there are a few things new recruiters can do to help ensure they have a successful recruiting career.
Always Be Selling
Make no mistake. Recruiting is, above all else, a sales job. You’re constantly selling a position, the companies you represent, and your skills as a recruiter to applicants and business owners alike. Making your network confident in your abilities to identify top talent and place them in the ideal role for applicants, as well as your client companies, is imperative to your continued success in this industry. Your reputation as a reliable, responsive, and resourceful recruiting agent is what makes for repeat clients, and applicants.
Self-Starters
Being a self-starter is something a lot of people put on their resumes as they seek to garner attention over their peers, but do they really know what that means? It’s more than just a phrase people use to demonstrate their ability to get themselves off the ground floor. It’s a state of mind where the individual isn’t afraid to embark on the unknown and put themselves in a position to win. Whether that means doing some extra shadowing to learn from the best, crafting talk-tracks, or networking with peers to learn tips and tricks of the trade, the true self-starter gets boots on the ground and seeks to maximize early opportunities.
Self-Educators
Successful recruiters never stop learning. As the employment marketplace is ever-changing and reactionary to many external factors, it is critical to success to become well-versed across a wide array of topics. For example, as a recruiter you may want to stay up to date on in-demand skills, salary rates for a variety of desirable positions, and what companies offer the best benefits packages.
Becoming a subject matter expert is also going to make you feel more confident in your pitches, which will resonate with your clients and colleagues alike. You’ve heard that top-performer in your office with the seemingly effortless pitch that always manages to close the big deals? If you were to ask that person how they attained that level of ease, they would likely tell you that they spend a great deal of time researching the various aspects of the industry in order to confidently pitch salaries, contract options, open positions, applicants, etc., as they directly apply to applicants, client-companies, and the present marketplace.
Communication is Key
Additionally, the successful recruiter is responsive to their clients. Clearly communicating expectations for how frequently you’ll speak, or how swiftly a reply should be made in the instance that a call is missed, is beneficial for your clients, and for you. Much of a recruiter’s time is spent talking to people. While you’re on the phone, you’ll miss calls. You’ll likely end up with a list of people to call back, call for the first time, email, or visit, and the list will continue to grow as you make additional connections. Establishing boundaries and expectations will help clients and applicants respect your time, both work and free, as well as your other clients’ time.
Applicants should be coached to respond quickly to interview requests and job offers, while companies should be advised to review resumes quickly to decide who to interview, and additionally to decide to hire or decline an applicant with efficiency and speed where possible. Losing out on an offer or new hire because of lax communication can be detrimental to your client, your applicant, and your reputation for being capable and communicative.
People Oriented
This is probably the most important key to a successful recruiting career. Staffing is an industry of people. People are unpredictable, and everyone comes with their own unique experience that will bring them to your desk. Either you’re representing a business that is counting on you to locate the ideal applicant for their open position – which entails not only ensuring their skills are a match, but that their personality will thrive and complement the existing ecosystem – or you’re representing an applicant who is searching for a career that will support themselves as well as their families.
A lot of the conversations you’ll have will undoubtedly be positive, but there will be the occasion where a panicked and overwhelmed individual will test your mettle. The successful recruiter will be able to empathize with and respond to a variety of situations with patience, tact, and professionalism.
Rewards Beyond Riches
Ultimately, a career in staffing can be very rewarding. Many recruiting firms offer competitive compensation packages, benefits, and bonuses. Beyond being financially lucrative, the job can have bountiful emotional rewards. Helping someone find a job that makes them feel fulfilled, meets their financial and scheduling needs, and also helps a client continue to be operationally successful feels good. It’s rewarding to hear from a company that a new hire is doing well, and they’re pleased with the caliber of employee you provided. From the unexpected transition, to the very first job-hunt, you’ll have the opportunity to help someone do better. You leave the office at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment and having made a positive impact.
Start Your Recruiting Career with BANKW Staffing
The successful recruiter doesn’t have to be a hidden gem. Many of these winning traits are transferable. Time, dedication, and experience can forge a successful recruiter from someone who has never recruited a day in their life.
If you’ve read this article and thought to yourself, “Hey! That sounds like me!”, then you should consider applying for a job with BANKW Staffing. Visit our Careers page to learn more about our culture, benefits, and to view any open positions.
About The Nagler Group
The Nagler Group is the leading provider of human resources, legal, and administrative staffing and recruiting services across Greater Boston and New Hampshire. Since 2008, The Nagler Group has provided qualified and talented professionals, on a temporary and direct-hire basis, to thousands of organizations throughout the local market.
Learn more and search jobs at https://www.naglergroup.com
About BANKW Staffing
Through its portfolio companies, KBW Financial Staffing & Recruiting, Alexander Technology Group, The Nagler Group, Sales Search Partners, and KNF&T Staffing Resources, BANKW Staffing, LLC is the leading regional provider of temporary and direct-hire staffing services in the areas of finance, accounting, information technology, office and administration, legal, human resources, and sales.
BANKW Staffing companies have received over 100 awards for rapid growth, business excellence, and workplace quality. Recognition includes Inc. 500, Boston Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” and Business NH Magazine’s “Business of the Year”.
Learn More – https://www.bankwstaffing.com
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