4 Steps to Becoming an Effective Recruiter

by Peter Smith |

I was recently asked:  “What advice do you wish you had learnt earlier in your recruitment career?” Here is my best shot at answering that, broken down into 4 areas:

Figure Out What You Stand For

Focus on bringing your authentic self to your recruitment activities first. An important mentor once told me that the biggest differentiator and asset you bring to a customer is “you”. Your skillsets will develop over time, but one of the most powerful reasons that compel a client or candidate to work with you is a sense that you are authentic. Be you.

Your skillsets will develop over time, but one of the most powerful reasons that compel a client or candidate to work with you is a sense that you are authentic. Be you.

Figure out what is important to you, how you want to interact with clients and candidates, what you want to specialise in and how you want to be known, etc. Continue developing yourself and express your authentic self through all of your interactions, both external and internal.

I never felt that I was inauthentic, but it took time to really build my confidence and feel comfortable to bring the real “me” to my communication with my customers.

Learn from the Best

Make it a mission to talk to everyone in your organization! And, develop a habit of reading extensively around your area of speciality.

I had the honour of working with, and being trained by, some of the best recruiters in the business. However, outside of your own team, there is a wealth of information available. Access it all and make that a priority.

  • Who are the top billers in each division?
  • Who are the most trusted by their clients?
  • Who struggled in the beginning and is now doing well?
  • Who is the best at BD and is constantly bringing in job leads for other teams?

And, develop a habit of reading extensively around your area of speciality. Commit to deepening your knowledge every day and develop yourself into someone who can confidently have detailed conversations with the senior leaders of your clients.

Network! Network! Network!

Figure out where you want to specialise and meet everyone in your target area. Take the mindset that everyone is a valued customer, and remember that clients will become candidates and candidates will become clients all the time. You never know what a coffee meeting can develop into further down the line.

I wish I had started networking earlier, and I can’t wait for the post-COVID time when we can regularly meet people face to face again.

Some of my top clients today came from casual coffees / lunches I had years ago. Focus on adding value.

  • What are the latest hiring trends you are hearing within their profession?
  • What solutions to common challenges are you hearing from other people in similar positions?
  • In addition to filling their open roles, who could you introduce to them to help them develop their own professional networks?
  • Besides new positions, what other information would they like to be updated on?

It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the daily grind of your day-to-day recruitment activities, but specific and targeted networking has a real impact on all aspects of your business. This is especially true for obtaining referrals.

I wish I had started networking earlier, and I can’t wait for the post-COVID time when we can regularly meet people face to face again.

Develop Your Own Personal Brand

This fourth step ties together the first 3 and is probably one of the most important aspects of recruitment these days. My key piece of advice to my younger self would be to focus on this earlier, and with more urgency.

How am I going above and beyond in my level of service and, just as importantly, how am I conveying this to the market?

Here are some key points to ask yourself:

  • How am I going above and beyond in my level of service and, just as importantly, how am I conveying this to the market?
  • When was the last time I asked a client or candidate for a Linkedin recommendation?
  • How often am I sharing relevant content with my candidate/client network? (not just via Linkedin, but directly too)
  • How often am I reaching out to regional and global professionals within my functional speciality?
  • How often am I connecting like-minded professionals for networking outside of my everyday recruitment activities?

There is a wealth of information out there on how to comprehensively build your own personal brand as a recruiter, and it is well worth diving into.

I feel truly lucky to have worked alongside, and continue to work with, great people. Experience is the best teacher so keep learning and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Our journey continues!

Thanks to Peter Smith for the contribution. If you`re interested in contributing an article — contact us. We`d love to hear from you. And don`t forget to follow us on LinkedIn.