How To Become a Professional Recruiter

Professional recruiters play a vital role in the job market, helping to connect companies and the talent they’re looking for. In many respects, good recruiters build good companies because a company is only as skilled as the people who work for them.

But how can you get into recruiting? And what are the job requirements?

What is a Professional Recruiter?

Starting with the basics, a professional recruiter is someone who helps companies fill job roles. Their job is to find candidates who are a good match for the company in question. That means they need to have the right level of experience and be willing to take the right salary but it also means they need to be a good fit for the company culture.

With all that said, there are generally two types of professional recruiter and your approach to the job will depend a lot on which category you fall into.

Many big companies will have in-house recruiters working as part of their HR department. Although expensive, this is advantageous because it provides really clear insight into the specific kind of person the company wants.

Over the course of their career in-house recruiters will see people come and go from a company. They’ll see the types of people who thrive and those who don’t. They’ll also have a much better understanding of what the company needs overall and direct contact with the departments who are looking to fill roles.

And then there are recruitment agencies. Instead of paying to keep someone on full time, many companies prefer to recruit via agencies. While agencies won’t have the same understanding of a specific company’s culture and needs they do come with several major advantages.

Agencies tend to know their industries and know them well. They also have great connections and are always networking, keeping an eye out for new talent. The result is that sometimes an agency will be far better placed to find that perfect candidate than an in-house recruiter.

It’s also worth noting one downside to in-house recruitment. It’s not uncommon for companies to get a little tunnel visioned. They might not realise their options when it comes to new talent because they are more focused on their specific needs. Working with a recruitment agency can help bring in people with a broader view of their industry, helping to present fresh perspectives.

How to Become a Recruiter

Want to know how to become a recruiter? Well you’ll need to start with a degree in a relevant field. Popular choices include HR, psychology, and business. Once you have that degree most people go and find entry-level jobs at an agency. This not only helps them learn the job but it also gives them a chance to start networking, building up a list of contacts that will come in useful over time.

As with all careers, no matter how general you start, you’ll want to specialise over time. After all, the recruitment skills required for working in IT are not the same as those for a logistics company or a law firm. The best of the best get where they are because they know a lot about the job and the type of person required to do that job. They speak with people in their industry and they stay up-to-date with all the latest developments.

Will You Need Recruiting Certifications?

Short answer: no. Recruiting certifications can have some value to some companies but you certainly don’t need them to get into the industry. Furthermore, no certification can ever be as valuable as hands-on, in-the-job experience.

When all’s said and done whether you want to become an in-house HR recruiter, work for an agency, or even run one, the best recruitment career path is one that combines specialisation and experience. Find an industry that interests you, stick to it, research it, and build up a solid CV and a network of contacts.