CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT RECRUITER: PART ll

 4.) Information Adviser:

The role of the recruiter is a lot like a consultant. Someone who understands his role as an adviser to the candidate and the hiring manager. He/she seeks to understand their unique problems and  determine the best fit for their needs.

 5,) Charisma:

 As Karl Malden would say, "Don't Leave Home Without It." It's a wonderful attribute. Charisma will inspire and energize everyone around you. That doesn't mean you hustle or charm your listener. Displaying a smile, gets one back. A charismatic individual can visualize a person's "best" and share their immense value with them. Charismatic individuals share themselves. They offer support and guidance. Now, with all that said, imagine you're the candidate? The hiring manager? Looks like a win-win to me!

 6.) Follow Through:

Clearly, this is one of the most critical skills for a recruiter to have. Consistent follow-up strategies lends itself to extraordinary results. Follow up is not a "skill" to learn, it's a discipline. Repeatedly, we have seen where poor follow-through has resulted in pandemonium and/or disappointment. What does it take to return a phone call? Respond to an email? Make a telephone call? On both sides of the house, candidates and hiring managers are often left holding the bag with no further information for them to advance their own ball. Poor follow-up skills lead to bad feelings, poor decisions and outcomes.

 7.) People Skills:

 As a hiring manager myself, when a prospective candidate tells me he enjoys being in recruitment because he "likes people," I know from that moment forward, they are not going to get the job. I was talking to a graduating senior class in Human Resources at a nearby University, and one of the students asked me what I like most about my job. I told her, that I could best state what I don't like about my job. I then told her, I can't stand all the people! I told her in the old days, we called it personnel. And,  that personnel is not about people. It's about paper. I told her if I didn't have all the people in my way, I  would be a lot happier. I then surveyed the room and saw how many  of the students were crestfallen. I could just imagine all of them going home that night and having a beer, as they thought about their student loans. Back to people skills. The recruiter must be easy to converse with, be respectful, patient, and pick up on all social nuances. It sounds simple, but if a recruiter cannot listen, then they   are destined to fail. Most recruiters are "talkers." A recruiter has to connect the real needs of a candidate to the solutions the company can offer.

 8.) Courage, Confidence and a Touch of "Chutzpah."

The best recruiters I have met are the ones who have a great personality, are confident in what they do, are willing to confront  uncertainty and never let go of opportunities. They have a whole lot of passion.

As I said earlier this list does not scratch the surface.

 The Boy Scouts have The motto: "Be Prepared."

This is a fundamental skill required for recruiters. They need to be prepared in every way. Preparation is about discipline. And, without boring you here, check out the, "Boy Scout Law." There are 12 principles that can easily be parlayed into recruitment.

 And, for what it's worth, No Eagle Scout Here!

 

Views: 299

Comment by Keith D. Halperin on November 14, 2013 at 1:10pm

Hi Rich,

1 1/2-2 out of 5 this time? UGHH!

 It makes me think of this line from an old drama:

"As for being half-witted: well, what can I say, except that I have survived to middle age with half my wits, while thousands have died with all of theirs intact. Evidently, quality of wits is more important than quantity." 

I may not be a great recruiter, but I've been able to decently support my family in San Francisco while doing it for the last 19 years with most of my sanity and a decent reputation more-or-less intact, and there are a lot better recruiters than I am who''ve gotten out of the business...

 

Cheers,

Keith

Comment by Richard Peterson on November 14, 2013 at 1:42pm

Keith:

Kind of lost with your "Shorthand" on the last two postings. Are you happy or sad with the article.

It was a 5am effort and I didn't wake up early. I need to review and make sure it made sense.

Comment by Keith D. Halperin on November 14, 2013 at 8:25pm

Both and/or neither....;) Seriously though, I think you list and describe many characteristics that great recruiters possess, However, it's possible to be a great recruiter without possessing the majority of the things you've listed. For example: I can imagine someone who lacks  most of these, but is an absolutely phenomenal closer and makes large numbers of placements, which might make him a great recruiter in at least one way....

Comment by Richard Peterson on November 14, 2013 at 11:09pm

I actually, totally agree with you.

The posting speaks to "General" attributes that make for a good recruiter. And, maybe, to inspire some "Good Will" with comments about what "Charisma" can do for a person and the folks they surround themselves with.

Like, a smile, gets one back!

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