Recruiting: A Special Blend of Qualities

People Science Reimagining Talent Acquisition

What does it take to be a recruiter?

Someone once told me that recruiting is a lot like cooking. There is no one right way to do it and everyone has their own style. At the time, I had no idea just how true a statement that is. However, every single day that I spend in Talent Acquisition I see this is quite the case. Even though everyone has their own style, here are some constants I see from working with those that trained me and all my colleagues.

Creativity. Sometimes having a string of seemingly clever Boolean search terms isn’t enough. Looking through resumes, calling and emailing qualified candidates isn’t enough. Posting a position on a job board, even an industry specific job board, isn’t enough. We may not like it, but when it comes to filling certain positions, this is the situation. When trying to obtain candidates, think about what the most appealing aspects about the position are and make the most of those selling points. Never leave a stone unturned when there are any available opportunities to network within the industry. When the going gets tough, good recruiters get creative.

Completion. Depending on your role as the recruiter, you responsibilities can end once the interviews are set. Other times you play a part in the onboarding and new hire paperwork. Whatever your role, you need to see that it is done to completion. Being thorough in your work is the only way to be.

Resiliency. Every recruiter has hit a wall at one point or another. It could be not being able to get in touch with any candidates despite your best efforts. It could be that fabulous candidate who falls off the face of the planet after their interview. It could be that Hiring Manager who has such limited availability, it is nearly impossible to schedule interviews for them. It could also be that client who changes their standards for a position on an almost daily basis. What seems to be an underlying quality of good recruiters is to take all of that in stride. We don’t let these things get to us because we can’t. We take it all in, we adapt however we need to and then we continue to move forward. It’s what we do.

By JoAnna Tumminello | People Science Talent Advisor

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