The best recruiters I know are smart. Super smart!

I have no doubt that the ‘phone monkey’ recruitment consultants exist, in fact are probably quite common. They say they know your market, promise you the moon and then can’t deliver. Why? Probably because they are inefficient, and are bred from an environment of take any job and make a stab in the dark.

Whilst in some markets this type of recruitment may work… probably where a very general set of skills can be applied. But in specialist and technical markets, they simply cannot operate this way. They have to be smart.

What is Smart Recruitment?
In my opinion, these seven things equal a smart recruiter…

• They know their market, keep updated with the news and trends and they love working in it
• They know their candidates really well
• They can manage and maintain honest relationships with clients
• They always think of quality over quantity
• They think commercially, act commercially and speak commercially
• They are proactive and organised the process
• They manage expectations

Creating a culture of Smart Recruitment
It’s pretty difficult for a smart recruiter to operate in an environment where nobody else is… they probably won’t be supported in the right way. To be successful, the culture of smart should run from the top down. These four key things need to be in place…

• Openness and honesty internally about good vs. bad- They should know what a good day/process/relationship is and ensure they drive this through.
• Supported development and a framework to succeed as a smart recruiter – Help and guidance should be in place from fellow successful smarties.
• A clear and defined process – It’s no rocket science. You can spell out how to be a successful recruitment consultant.
• Efficient and easy to use systems and databases –There are so many out there… a good database should add value, not feel like a chore.

You can identify a smart recruiter from a distance. They’re sitting pretty, with billings sorted for the next three months and banks of candidates waiting to go and most of their not so smart colleagues hate them!

Get in touch today to speak to a smart recruiter or to become one our smart recruiters!