Are you stepping into a role as a 1st time recruiter? Congratulations! Working as a recruiter can be incredibly rewarding, but it also requires a unique set of traits to excel. We recently sat down with some of Grada’s senior recruiters to discuss their start in the industry and their time in leadership. In doing so we gained some excellent tips on what 1st time recruiters can expect and what they can do to impress.
No matter what field you specialise in, here are some essential qualities and strategies to help you kickstart your career on the right foot!
What to expect in your first week.
Don’t worry, you won’t be thrown onto the phones on your first day. You’ll be taken through etiquette first. How to make calls, how to approach new candidates, what do with new roles. It’ll be a quick, yet thorough run-through, and you’ll be ready to be making calls and screen new candidates within the week!
What can you do to impress as a 1st time recruiter?
Keep up a good line of communication about all candidates and roles. Spend time with your team and listen to their conversations, you can learn from everyone around you so be a sponge.
Forget being shy, there’s no room to be nervous about someone listening into your calls. Everyone is focused on their own desk and not on what you’re saying. Your manager serves as your sounding board and they’re not there to analyse your every word, rather to finesse your conversational and closing skills!
Be proactive. BD isn’t just for experienced recruiters. Get on the phone to clients and secure roles. You don’t need hundreds, a few active roles in your first few months are a great way to show you’re serious about gaining traction in the industry.
Feeling nervous about recruiting in an industry you’re not very familiar with?
Remember, we all started somewhere. Unless you’re an engineer who’s now switching to engineering recruitment, you aren’t going to be an expert, and that’s ok! Make sure you really take in the answers you’re given, and don’t be afraid to take notes. Keep up with industry knowledge by following companies and organisations relevant to your desk on LinkedIn. If you can reassure your candidates and clients that you understand more of their needs and requirements, you’re already off to a great start.
What are the top 3 qualities you can expect from a successful recruiter.
Resilience: Recruitment isn’t a walk in the park. Expect rejection, expect being ignored, and expect to lose out on the final stretch. But also expect a true sense of satisfaction when you land someone their dream role. For every unsuccessful placement, there’s multiple more successful placements. You’re changing people’s lives for the better and that’s absolutely something to take pride and joy in.
Confidence: We know confidence is easy to talk about and harder to put in action, but it’s 100% needed to thrive in this industry. When you’re on the phone, in person, and over email, be clear with your answers and trust that you’ve done enough to be respected. You’ll put candidates at ease when doing so, and clients will respect you for it.
Compassion: Remember that everyone has stuff going on in their lives that they may not voice to you. You may encounter clients struggling to find staff, overworked and stressed about the future. You may have candidates who have just lost their job and are anxious about what to do next. Your job is to make their lives easier, not add to the issues.
Final tips!
Don’t give up, recruitment is tough, especially as a 1st time recruiter, but it’s worth it! Treat people well, work hard, and be a good and honest person. Clients and candidates are able to see who genuinely cares and who’s there to fill the time. Build authentic relationships and see your career in recruitment flourish.
If you think you’d be interested in a career in recruitment, then reach out to one our team today!
– Grada
