When I started recruiting, first few months were a mess and I was in need of guidance. I had some clue on how to go about it as I was in sales earlier however I was still a Beginner. Without a mentor it was difficult. So I thought of sharing some of the basics for the benefit of those like me in my first blog post.  

Know your technologies and terms:

As a technology recruiter, learn the basics of technologies you are required to recruit on. Make it a habit to Google the skills and read about them. Learn the difference between front end, back end, applications, programming languages etc. Make a note of the tax terms; W2, 1099, Corp-Corp. Keep up to date with the latest versions and developments. This not only helps you select the right candidate but gives you the confidence as well.

Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and make a call:

If you have the profile of a candidate who seems to be a match, pick up the phone and talk to him/her. Do not hesitate about the reaction or rejection. As long as you know what you are talking about they will listen to you. Once you have discussed the position irrespective of a yes or no, send them a thank you email for their time. It not only shows that you are professional but helps you build relationship with them and they have your contact details for future. Believe me they do follow up with you or let you know once they are out in the market again.

Ask Your Mentor: Remember the old saying “No question is stupid”

If you are lucky enough to get a mentor, ask questions, observe and learn. Listen to how they talk to the candidates, what search strings they use. What are the recruiting tools they rely on? You might not be able to use all of them or use them as efficiently in the beginning but you will learn eventually.

Do not jump into Social media, settle down first:

Just because everyone around you is talking about it do not jump into social media bandwagon. Starting up with it too soon would end up in nothing but confusion. 100 different sites talking about recruitment and you wouldn’t know what to read, who to read and what to follow.

Stick to the traditional recruitment methods first: learn how to search on job sites first, how to put in the right search strings, ask your friends who are in recruiting business to share their third party/recruiting agency database if possible (trust me most of them will be happy to share it with you even if they think “what will you be able to do with it, being so new”).  Yes, do create a LinkedIn account, it helps you connect with other recruiters, consultants and you learn a lot.  Get proficient with these first and the rest will follow.

Last but not the least, Be Organized:

It’s the key. From the very first day organize your database. Maintain excel sheets for agencies and candidates, each one of them. Make folders to save resumes based on skill sets. Being organized reduces you work and saves time.

There is a lot that I am missing, so inputs are welcome from the experienced lot. However, I hope this gives some idea to the new entrants in the field of IT recruiting. Get them right, in time you will learn a lot on your own.

It’s a great career choice, enjoy it! Happy Recruiting!