10 Traits of a Successful Recruiter

There are certain traits I think every Recruiter needs to have, to be successful. Here they are, in no particular order:

Be structured. Recruiting is a few simple disciplines practiced every day.
Be able to adapt. You must me able to drop what you are doing to start something else. You never know where that next phone call is going to take you. This is the people business, we deal with people all day long. Even though each situation or scenario is the same – it is also different.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You don’t know everything. Ask the candidate and company – they are the experts. Keep learning and become the expert in the industry.
Partner with the Candidate. You are in this together. Be the expert, be the advisor and counselor. Make sure they have a good candidate experience. They are going to get a job and if it is not yours then make sure they remember you and refer others to you.
Pick-up the phone. Too many newer recruiters are relying on technology and email. Just pick up the phone and talk to people.
Use new technology with old techniques. You should be using social media to recruit and source. You should be using and know boolean strings. But you should also be networking, asking for referrals and again pick up the phone and make some cold calls.
Prioritize. What is the most important task for you to do today? Is it sourcing new candidates? Interview prep? Each day is going to be different regarding which tasks are most important.
Have a good home support system. Recruiting is NOT an 8-5 job. If that is what you want then choose another profession.
Embrace patience. Everything doesn’t happen overnight. My sense of urgency is not the same as others.
Handle rejection. You will hear “NO” more often than “YES”. Get used to it.

Did I miss any? Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Visit http://www.recruiterfiles.com

Comment by Darryl Dioso on May 2, 2012 at 10:09am: Great list. I would add "Is excellent at Sales".

Comment by Vani Chauhan on May 2, 2012 at 11:36am: Good Points,Bruce.Specifically "Partner with the candidate" and "Prioritize"

Comment by Isaac Kelly on May 2, 2012 at 11:43am: Loved this! Thanks Bruce!

Comment by Bruce Rowles on May 2, 2012 at 12:50pm: Thank you everyone for the feedback. I have other posts on my personal blog - www.recruiterfiles.com

Comment by Nicole Sawyer on May 2, 2012 at 4:32pm: Excellent. Straight to the point.

Comment by David Wells on May 2, 2012 at 5:04pm: Great list!

The only thing I would add is, "Know when to walk away."

Learn when not to chase business, even though it feels so close. Learn when to let that candidate go and not try to shoehorn them into the deal. Learn when to not work on the position because the client is unrealistic. I could think of other examples but spending our time on business that we will never close is a source of immense frustration to new and experienced recruiters alike, so know when to walk away and go after something else.

Comment by Vanessa on May 3, 2012 at 12:37am: This is great - I am going to pass onto my team. I like the point of Handle rejection. You will hear “NO” more often than “YES”. Get used to it. It's important to have a sense of humour and not take anything personally :)

Comment by Steve Ribbens on May 3, 2012 at 8:14am: Great list, Bruce. Great reminders for all of us.

Comment by Mitch Sullivan on May 4, 2012 at 5:34am: I'd suggest that 'partner with the client' is a higher priority than 'partner with the candidate'.