By: Cristal Nobles

Wondering if being a recruiter is the right job for you?

Maybe you’ve done some basic phone interviews in previous roles or a recruiter helped land your current position. You’re intrigued and want to start working in recruitment. Before leaping in and being a recruiter, here are some of my experiences as a recruiter for a leading talent acquisition partner that may not be obvious.

1. Non-recruiters won't understand what working in recruitment is really like

My husband still thinks my job is like Mila Kunis’ in "Friends with Benefits," where she acts as a headhunter and recruits Justin Timberlake for a job in NYC. If only. Don’t bother explaining the basics of sourcing and the importance of following compliance to family members or other outsiders.

Most people assume recruiters are one of two things: moving active applicants through an online database or selling a role like a timeshare agent in Florida.

Solid recruiters won’t let thoughts or judgments bring them down. Proud of your deep web searching that uncovered a top candidate? Do yourself a favor and pat yourself on the back for being a recruiter that can illuminate talent wherever they are.

2. Being a recruiter is about the experience, not the numbers

Numbers aren't the end-all-be-all. Referrals and building your professional network are your key to success. Just like candidates don’t care how many scheduled screens you have that week, hiring managers don’t want to hear about how many fills you had last month.

Recruiters sometimes get so caught up in the process that we fail to remember they're human. While the end results are important, what matters most to those on the other side is the experience and their interaction with you. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by the great Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people won’t remember what you said, and people won’t remember what you did; people will only remember how you made them feel.”

3. You'll feel like a therapist most days

There's no arguing that changing jobs is one of the most stressful life events, along with divorce and the death of a loved one. Recruiters have the responsibility to guide prospects through every step of the job hunt. Act as a viable resource. Educate them on interview tips, resume edits, and even share networking opportunities. Show genuine concern and act as their advocate. This will present you as an incredibly talented professional and make you feel like a good-hearted human along the way.

4. Passion is just as important as sourcing skills

Do you pride yourself on knowing the ins and outs of your applicant tracking system? Are you a LinkedIn guru? Even if you said yes to those, it doesn't make you a good recruiter. Sure, those things are incredibly helpful, but passion is the key ingredient to being a recruiter that shines.

A passion for working in recruitment will:

  • Keep your desk organized when your requisition load's piled high
  • Motivate you to work during stressful times
  • Empower you to think outside of the box to fill seemingly impossible positions
  • Help you keep your cool in challenging situations
  • Give you strength and the right words when informing your favorite prospect that they haven't been selected

5. Sourcing skills make you a bit of a creeper

Being a recruiter means continuously staying educated on the latest and greatest searching techniques. You must know all the different ways to not only find people but find out what you need to know about them to see if they’re a good candidate. Most recruiters are happy to share their search skills with others who are willing to learn. 

The two most important steps to being a recruiter are:

  • Knowing which tools to use for your specific market
  • Catering your engagement with them and demonstrating confidence all the while

Pepper in that secret sauce (aka passion) and you'll be in solid shape.

Hopefully, this has shed some light on a few things you might not have expected to learn about being a recruiter. If it still sounds like something you'd enjoy, then make that leap and start working in recruitment

About the expert

Cristal Nobles

Former Recruiter, Cielo