If you're becoming a Recruiter what qualities do you need to succeed?
What's needed is a consistent work ethic, (4 - 6 hours a day is great) the ability to follow a method, a professional demeanor, honesty, integrity, and enthusiasm. A recruiter should do a lot of listening to be effective vs. a lot of talking. They'll need to become an expert in asking questions as well. A Recruiter is a leader who comes across to others in the process as a partner.
Developing good listening skills can be learned and is one key ingredient to making more placements. If you're an extrovert, even slightly, your ability to approach people and establish rapport will give you an edge over introverts. If you're a talkative extrovert, your challenge will be to develop your listening skills.
There's a myth that recruiters must be great salespeople. That's not true. While solid sales skills can always enhance ones' performance it's not essential to be a successful recruiter. Recruiting is about process not personality. What's surprising is once you master the process you'll be credited with a 'great' personality! (What you'll actually have though is the credibility that comes with being effective.)
There are about 25 steps in making a placement. That may sound like a lot, but when you become familiar with the whole process you'll be able to jump into an ongoing search, ask a few questions, understand exactly what the status of that placement is and what to do next.
Remember when you first learned to drive? Every task from adjusting the rear view mirror to putting the car into reverse to back out of the driveway required focus and conscious thought. With practice, those steps become efficient and so automatic we don't even seem to notice; our driving becomes flawless and smooth. (In most cases!)
A Recruiter is an expert at making placements. She/he is a Consultant with great power once she understands her role and responsibility in the process. Recruiters are responsible for managing every step of the placement process. Once they appreciate their role they can easily spot if there's trouble brewing which could jeopardize an offer/acceptance and take the needed action to put the process back on track.
How do they 'fix' a search in crisis? Recruiters start with asking questions. When a client or candidate asks a question, seasoned Recruiters answer the question directly and then ask another question to maintain control. I kind of cringe at the word 'control' but as a Recruiter, all parties involved have a stake in the outcome and although it's never voiced, the Recruiter is the Captain of the ship; Guiding it safely into port or standing by as it dashes against the rocks!
As a Recruiter learns the art of asking questions, and listening carefully to the answers, he becomes a better Recruiter. A Recruiter is a collaborative partner throughout the placement process. Hiring the right person helps companies to succeed. Hiring managers soon develop a keen eye for that 'great fit'.
Candidates can be squeemish about the whole process. Changing jobs means changing their life. It's not something they do everyday. They need the guidance, attention, understanding, hand holding at times, maybe even a push from an expert who knows the process inside and out. This Expert understands their needs and is assisting them with a boost in their career.
If the steps in the process are followed by using methods that work, a good Recruiter will be rewarded with candidate referrals, more job orders, a substantial income, and abundant self respect. They'll also have to admit they're having a really good time.
In becoming a Recruiter, the first most important step is to invest a few dollars in yourself in the form of training. Get to know the process, keep improving your skills and you'll be giving yourself a blank check.
Author Resource:-
Kimberly Schenk has over 25 years experience in business. For 17 of those years she has been an Executive Recruiter and Trainer. She shares her production secrets with Recruiters in her eBook, Top Recruiter Secrets
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