November 18, 2021

Five qualities every great recruiter should have

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When companies look to hire new talent, or candidates look for new job opportunities, recruiters can prove to be a valuable resource. Recruiters can help facilitate good career matches that benefit both the employer, and the employee – reducing the time and effort it could take if you were to go at it on your own. Simply put, recruiters are responsible for filling open roles with talented and qualified candidates.

Choosing the right recruiter is just as important as choosing the employee or company you want to work for. So, what makes a good recruiter great? And what should you look for when choosing to enlist their services? “Recruiting has evolved dramatically, [and] recruiters need to have a diverse set of skills to make a transformative impact”, writes Lars Schmidt for Forbes.

When looking for a great recruiter, or recruitment agency, these are the qualities to look for…

1. Influential Relationships

Building relationships is a key part of any recruiter’s job. Recruiters who work hard to earn their clients – employers, candidates – trust have better success with positive outcomes, and building long-lasting relationships. It also provides credibility to the recruiter’s services.

Personalized follow-ups, support, understanding, and communication can go a long way to establish trust in these relationships. “This earned trust allows [recruiters] to influence and drive successful hiring outcomes”, explains Schmidt.   

2. Motivated and Passionate

Recruitment can be challenging, and highly competitive. Recruiters need to be tenacious and resilient – and they also need to think ahead. Great recruiters are passionate about their work and are motivated to overcome challenges and seek out different ways to provide better results and service.

3. Always Learning

The world of recruitment is dynamic, and great recruiters are driven by their curiosity. Learning new skills, staying on top of trends, and learning from past experiences sets them apart from the competition. Great recruiters “continuously [seek] ways to improve”, explains Workable.

4. Box of Tricks

In today’s modern world, a great recruiter needs to wear many hats. Additional tools can help recruiters “cut through the noise” and get better results. “In competitive hiring markets, recruiters need to be creative and clever with how they market their jobs and engage talent”, writes Schmidt. Honing in on their marketing, writing, data, and psychology skills can prove as valuable tricks to attract top talent – and get them to act.

5. Empathy

Recruitment is people-focused, and can carry a lot of emotion – after all, recruiters help change lives, professionally, and sometimes have to deliver disappointing news. Being able to empathise with clients is vital. A great recruiter is able to understand the needs and feelings of their clients, and treat them with respect and integrity.

Great recruiters go above and beyond, and they genuinely want the client to have the best possible experience and outcome. Great recruiters know that it’s not just about filling roles, it’s about creating meaningful matches that serve both the employee and employer.