While it might seem straightforward, being a job recruiter is a massive field. There are various tasks that a job recruiter will take on throughout their day to help support the company and clients they work for, such as finding talented workers, interviewing prospects, or preparing a candidate for their final interview.
A job recruiter is a person who works for a company or organization to find and place people in jobs. Job recruiters may work at the company they are recruiting for. However, they might operate as independent contractors who assist clients in finding the right workers for their business. Job recruiters often have connections with talented candidates and well-known companies to match the needs of their clients.
As you can imagine, this takes a lot of time and research! In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about the field of job recruiting. This includes what does a job recruiter do every day on the job and how to become a job recruiter yourself.
What Is A Job Recruiter?
You might be wondering, “What does a Job recruiter do?”. However, the more important question is what a job recruiter will not do. Many people may sometimes confuse this position with that of a human resources manager. However, there are some critical differences between the two jobs. HR managers usually oversee all aspects of an organization’s employee workforce and work closely with upper management in order to make decisions about rules, regulations, and benefits. Their typical workday includes orientations, coaching employees, conducting performance evaluations, mediating conflicts, and more.
On the other hand, a job recruiter’s primary role is to find the right employee for a company or organization through various recruitment techniques.
Job recruiter duties vary depending on whether they work inside of an organization or as an independent contractor. However, they are absolutely essential to a business since 76% of companies find it challenging to find talented employees.
People who work in-house may be responsible for:
- searching through resumes and applications
- scheduling interviews with potential employees
- conducting phone interviews to narrow down the best candidates
- coordinating job offers with a company’s management team
Meanwhile, an independent contractor’s duties might include working closely with headhunters or employment agencies to help find the right clients. You might also be responsible for:
- researching the companies that need to hire more employees and finding suitable candidates
- scheduling interviews with interested parties
- conducting phone screenings to narrow down potential hires
- coordinating job offers after a successful interview
Do Recruiters Find Good Candidates?
Job recruiters must learn how to find the right kind of candidate for each position. Not only do they need to be able to sift through resumes and applications, but also they should know what kinds of skills are necessary in order to succeed in a job. They may even ask questions during interviews with potential employees so that they can make an informed decision about who to place or help them prep for situations such as group interviews.
While an average job posting will take 27 days to fill, it will take companies without job recruiters even longer because they don’t have the same tools to find success. A job recruiter’s success depends on being able to find people who are the right fit for a company. This means that recruiters must be well-versed in their clients’ needs and demands, which is why it takes so long to become an effective recruiter!
Depending on how much experience a specific recruiter has in the industry, it may take some time before they are able to find suitable candidates consistently. However, it becomes a lot easier for recruiters to find the right fit for every open position with some dedication and time.
What Is The Job Recruiting Process?
Recruiters will use various methods to find suitable candidates for their roles. While 77% use LinkedIn to source their connections, many recruiters use various job boards, in-person events, and networking to help find job seekers for an open role. When a recruiter comes across an exciting candidate, they typically send the resume to their client along with a cover letter.
This information will provide their clients with valuable information about what kind of person they are looking for and why that individual is qualified. After narrowing down potential hires, recruiters schedule a phone or in-person interviews to find out more about each applicant’s skills and personality as well as how they fit within the organization.
While the daily tasks may change slightly, every recruiter will follow specific duties or processes. The typical day-to-day of a job recruiter may look a little like this:
Client Calls About Open Position
When a client calls about an open position, the recruiter must find out more information. This will help to determine whether or not they have someone suitable for their needs. For example, what kind of company is it? What are some qualifications that would make a candidate successful in this role? What does management look like at this organization, and what do employees enjoy most about working there? Understanding the open position will help the recruiter write a proper job posting. It will also ensure they know the client’s idea of a perfect candidate for this type of role.
Recruiter Collects Information About The Job Opening
After talking to the client on the phone, a job recruiter will use what they have learned about their organization’s needs, expectations, and who they are looking for to find potential candidates. Potential hires could range depending on what the client is seeking. For example, they might need experienced professionals with years of experience, or the role might be entry-level and require individuals with no corporate experience.
Recruiter Posts Job On Appropriate Channels
After narrowing down what the client is looking for, a recruiter will typically post job descriptions to their own company’s website as well as on external websites like LinkedIn and Indeed. In addition to searching through their networks for candidates, they can also work through an agency or with a headhunter to help find people more quickly.
Sorts Through Applications For Ideal Candidates
On average, recruiters will have around 118 candidates apply per job posting. As applications come in, a recruiter will need to filter through them and determine whether or not each candidate is qualified.
Typically they’ll review each candidate and ask the following questions:
- What are the minimum requirements for this position?
- What would make someone stand out from other candidates who also meet those qualifications?
- Are there any deal-breakers that disqualify people before they even have an interview?
Discuss Potential Candidates With Clients
A recruiter will need to speak with their client about which potential employees they are most interested in from the pool of applicants. These conversations will typically discuss the personality, skills, and experience these individuals possess that make them suitable for the job.
Employers will either move forward to the interview page or choose to pass on that specific candidate.
Interview Stage
After narrowing down potential candidates, the client will typically schedule interviews with those they find most interesting. Then, they’ll use the interview process to ask questions that will help determine if the candidate is a good fit for the open role by assessing the skills and personality of the individual vs. the companies goals.
Job Offer
If a candidate is chosen, they will receive an offer. This offer will typically include all essential details of the job, including the position’s title, the compensation included with the position, the start date, the location, and any other perks with the job such as healthcare, paid vacation, or 401k matching programs.
Is Recruiting A Good Career?
Depending on the organization you work for, recruiting can be a great career. However, it may not offer much advancement. Sometimes advancement for a recruiter can look like a lateral move to another company.
Getting a job as a recruiter is rewarding because it is different from other jobs. Recruiting allows you to:
- Work with talented, driven individuals
- Be the first point of contact for potential job candidates and represent your company’s values
- Get a good sense of what people are really like before they get hired
- Get a better feel for people by reading the personality they display in their initial phone conversation.
What Are The Different Types Of Recruiting?
In-House Recruiters
In-house recruiters work for a specific company and are typically responsible for recruiting candidates within that single organization. They usually have a set salary or can even be paid hourly.
External Recruiters
External recruiters typically work for a different company than the one they are recruiting for. Organizations hire career recruiters to pre-screen and schedule job interviews.
Contingency Recruiter
A contingency recruiter works on a commission basis and is paid upon successfully finding the right candidate for an open position. They also receive a higher salary from companies once their employees stay for more extended periods of time.
Staffing Agency (Temp/Contract)
Recruiters working with a staffing agency are typically paid hourly and work for companies that temporarily need their services. They are contract-based and move on once the contract is finished.
Headhunters
Headhunters are sometimes considered the same as recruiters, although they typically work for a single client and focus on only one industry. They are also very good at “poaching” employees that are working successfully at other companies, not necessarily someone actively looking for a new position.
Find An Expert Recruiter Today To Level Up Your Career
If you are looking for a career change, becoming a job recruiter might be the perfect move. Job recruiters can work in different capacities depending on their employer and what they specialize in. Plus, you’ll be able to connect talented employees with the jobs of their dreams.
It is important to note that being a good candidate as well as knowing how to market yourself effectively is just as important when it comes to landing your dream job! Here at Dallas Sales Recruiter, we hope we were able to shed some light on this profession by discussing what these professionals do on the job, who they work with, and why someone would want to become one themselves.
If you’re ready to find the job of your dreams, take the time to submit your resume or browse through our open positions today!