A Recruiter, or HR Sourcing Specialist, is in charge of seeking out quality candidates, confirming their qualifications and placing them in open roles at a company. Their duties include researching job seekers and inviting them to apply to a job, screening candidates through phone interviews and filling out hiring paperwork.
A Recruiter should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Recruiter should be able to execute:
- Staffing or Temp Agency: These agencies have a large talent pool who may have a more general skill set. The Recruiter knows who is available for immediate work to fill either temporary positions or jobs that may transition to full-time.
- Contingency Recruiter: A Contingency Recruiter gets paid only when a candidate is hired by a company. They will get to know the clients’ needs and wants in detail, and develop a good relationship with the hiring managers. For the candidates, they may provide career guidance and resume advice.
- Retained Search Firm Recruiter: This kind of agency typically specializes in matching executive-level talent with companies who need new leadership. Placing from the more specialized pool of candidates comes at a higher cost to the company.
- Internal Recruiter: Some companies employ a salaried internal Recruiter who can use current employee networks to find talent for open positions. They review resumes and arrange interviews while acting as a support system for before and after hiring.
A competitive Recruiter will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Positive attitude: People on both sides of a job-seeking relationship may encounter challenges and frustrations as they search for employment. A successful recruiter will be encouraging, positive and realistic about potential matches.
- Good research techniques: A recruiter spends a significant portion of their time finding resumes from professional job search sites, networking and personal interaction. They accumulate a pool of candidates and keep that information organized.
- Good interviewing skills: Whether the Recruiter speaks with a candidate or hiring manager in person, on the phone or electronically, it is important to know how to efficiently ask questions that help them understand the applicant’s skills or the company’s job requirements.
- Advocacy: The Recruiter will represent the applicant until it is time for an interview. They should accurately represent the candidate’s skills and qualifications and sell those criteria to the hiring manager.
