Julia WeeksWhen looking for an A-player in recruiting, it can seem like an uphill battle. However, you can make your hiring decision much simpler by searching for 5 key skills in each recruiting candidate.
1. Drive and Motivation
One of the most important things to look for in a recruiter is drive and motivation. A top-notch recruiter will be persistent and be driven to succeed. Failure is not a final option for an A-player in this challenging game of recruiting. No matter how many voicemails this recruiter leaves, she will continue to tackle her call list, never giving up on the search for quality candidates.
When you hire a recruiter with drive and motivation, you have the beginnings of great success on your team.
2. Optimism
Along with drive and motivation, a top-notch recruiter is going to be optimistic, no matter how difficult the candidate search. Keeping a positive attitude as a recruiter can be difficult at times, but it is an essential skill. With the pool of top talent growing ever slimmer, there is no room for Negative Nellies in this game.
3. Solid Communication Skills
A recruiter with poor communication skills will never be successful. If you have a driven, optimistic recruiter without good communication skills, you need to quickly escort them out the door.
Your recruiters need to communicate effectively with candidates and clients. If something is not explained correctly, it can kill a deal.
In order to communicate effectively, your recruiter should be a good listener. When interviewing recruiters, pay attention to how well they are listening and retaining information throughout the interview process. Beware of the Chatty Cathy as she will likely never listen effectively to your client or candidate needs.
4. Enjoys Building Relationships
A top-notch recruiter is an expert at building strong relationships. This is an essential skill to closing deals in the recruiting business. A-players will enjoy and thrive in building strong relationships with candidates and clients.
You can recognize these recruiters by the way they talk about candidates and clients. Typically, a top-notch recruiter will use phrases such as “my candidate” or “my client” when discussing her customers. These recruiters take ownership over their job orders and candidate – client relationships.
5. Open to Change
A-players in recruiting are the recruiters who are open to and adjust well to change. In our industry, methods of recruitment and communication are ever changing. For example, utilizing social media as well as video interviews and acceptance of video resumes have become key in recruiting over the last several years. By utilizing the latest technology in our industry, we have a better chance of staying ahead of the game and providing top quality to our clients.
A top-notch recruiter will understand the importance of change and will keep up with the latest recruiting trends.
What are some other must have qualities that you look for in recruiters? Please share your tips in the comments below.
Image: chagin/BigStock.com
Spark Hire
Josh Tolan
