Julia WeeksRecruiting has seen many changes in the last 10 years. When hiring new recruiters for your staffing agency, it is important to understand the differences and challenges when it comes to the recruiters of yesterday and recruiters of today. While some things may never change in recruiting, many things are constantly being updated and it is important for a top recruiter to keep up.
Top Recruiters of Yesterday
Ten years ago, there was no LinkedIn and job boards were not as commonly used as they are now. Recruiters relied on the phone, phone book, networking events, and referrals. Sure, there were Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS’s), but they were not as user friendly as they are today.
Recruiters of yesterday were known for their ability to quickly recall their candidates by name and skill set. There were no easy systems to allow them to quickly search for and find that person interviewed yesterday with such-and-such skill set.
In the past, recruiters needed to not only have excellent memory skills, but they also needed to be on their toes and operate with super speed. Before all candidates were constantly connected via phones or internet, a recruiter had to do whatever it took to get things happening quickly as soon as they were able to get in contact with a candidate.
Overall, good recruiters of yesterday understand the challenges of recruiting and know how to operate efficiently when systems are down or inaccessible.
Top Recruiters of Today
Truthfully, a top recruiter in today’s world will still utilize strategies from 10 years ago. The key difference is that today’s top recruiter will also be constantly integrating new strategies and technology.
Today, it is necessary to understand and utilize social media for the candidate search. Being able to effectively build an online presence and network can help today’s recruiter identify talent much faster. Having access to passive candidates online without having to cold call into a business and hoping to be transferred to the right place by the gate keeper is quite a relief and can offer quicker results.
Also, you will notice today’s recruiters incorporating other technologies into their strategy such as accepting video resumes and conducting video interviews. Although new to the industry in the last several years, video has proven to be an effective recruiting strategy when it comes to ensuring the right fit for our clients.
Top recruiters in today’s market will be more technically versed than recruiters of 10 years ago. The ability to move gracefully and quickly through improved ATS’s, job boards, and social media platforms has become a standard trait of today’s recruiter.
However, it is important for today’s recruiters not to forget the tried and true recruiting strategies from yesterday. There are times when social media, job boards, and ATS’s just are not enough to find the top talent that our clients need. Those are the times when we must get back to basics and return to cold calling into competitors, attend networking events, and move even more quickly when we have that perfect candidate available to interview.
What are some differences you have noticed in today’s recruiters versus yesterday’s recruiters? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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