The Super-Skills of the New Breed Of Recruiters
It’s not like the old days. The new breed of star recruiters don’t just headhunt, and they don’t just throw candidates at advertised roles. They inhabit the middle, in the brave new world of recruitment- using every bit of skill, technology and charisma they have to match good candidates together with clients.
From creative talent mapping and social media use to coaxing a passive job-seeker into accepting a new challenge, the new breed of recruiters have a different skills set different to any that have gone before them.
Recruitment is a game of sales, negotiation, knowledge, drive, and charisma. Those who do it well have certain qualities that set them above the competition. As you head into 2016, perhaps it’s time to reflect: how many of these skills have you mastered already, and which ones should be on your New Year’s hit-list?
Listening skills: Without excellent listening skills, you will never truly succeed in recruitment. Less successful recruiters fail because they often try and manufacture a situation that doesn’t naturally exist- forcing reluctant candidates to consider roles they don’t truly want, or presenting candidates that aren’t well suited to the client. A truly great recruiter asks as many questions as they can of candidates and clients so that they can create the best match possible.
Confidence: Confidence is an immensely powerful thing. It makes clients and candidates relax and feel they’re in good hands. Your confidence is the thing that will keep the client on the books even when there’s a hiccup, and your self-confidence is what will make you rebound in the face of criticism or rejection. In the competitive sales world of recruitment, you are nothing without confidence.
Ambition: The best recruiters love a target. They can visualise breaking records, earning lots of money and climbing up the ladder.
Caring: If you don’t truly care about finding the best match for your clients or candidates, you will soon be exposed as a bit of a phony or con-man, as in any other sales role. Ambition matters, but only ambition combined with a strong understanding of the human factor will win you long-term loyalty and respect. On the one hand, an opportunity can change a candidate’s life, and on the other, a candidate can take someone’s business to great heights, or it could cause it damage. A great recruiter understands the human element, and genuinely wants to create good matches- while making an income of course!
Emotional Intelligence: Top recruiters have excellent emotional intelligence. They are highly aware of the emotions at play in a situation- whether those emotions be their own, their candidate’s or their clients, and they can act to control or influence those emotions in a positive way. The best recruiters don’t let their emotions get the best of them, they manage them effectively.
Time Management: This one really ‘sorts the wheat from the chaff’. Recruiters are busy and have to juggle many projects at once. The true achievers are great at using their time wisely, not getting too bogged down in one task, and are able to switch between jobs without losing too much momentum.
IT Skills: Recruiters rely heavily on technology in their databases and social media channels; those who excel understand how to make the technology work for them in a speedy and efficient way.
Networking and Communication Skills: The best recruiters definitely have ‘the gift of the gab’. They work the ‘room’ (whether virtual or physical) making people feel comfortable and confident. They understand that when opportunity strikes, they need to act fast, and they foster relationships wherever they go.
Recruitment is an exciting field, and you need a certain combination of skills to excel at it. But skills aren’t set in concrete, so start improving your talents to become one of the new breed of star recruiters.
Until next time
Cheryl