Thinking about a career as an agency recruiter?  

•  Top 5 traits one must have to be a successful agency recruiter

 As a professional with more than 15 years of agency recruitment experience, I can tell you that this career path can be described as a ride on the world’s biggest roller coaster, full of many highs, plenty of lows, sudden twists, and quick turns. This is what also makes a career as an agency recruiter or talent acquisition specialist so intriguing. Agency recruiters are usually very social and have outgoing personalities. They are friendly, engaging, and are not afraid to approach organizations and candidates. If you are more introverted, this career path may not be suitable for you. 

There are many traits and skills needed to be a successful recruiter. An assertive personality, strong negotiation skills, and patience are a few qualities that come to mind. However, in my opinion, to be an outstanding agency recruiter one must possess the following five key characteristics.

Listening Skills

Be prepared to listen. A recruiter’s responsibility is to effectively listen to what a client is looking for in an applicant and/or what the candidate is looking for in their next role. Whether you are speaking with a potential client, or you are interviewing a candidate, if you are not adequately listening to their requirements, and if you are not asking the right questions, you could potentially jeopardize the recruitment process, and your reputation could take a hit.

Confidence

If you come across as anxious and nervous on the phone with a potential client or while interviewing a candidate, this will spell doom for you and your career. People feel much more comfortable working with recruiters who are calm and confident and understand the recruitment process. Confidence helps to quickly gain trust and build instant creditability.

Resilience

Organizations are inundated and frustrated by agency recruiters trying to solicit their business. They cannot say yes to every recruiter who connects with them. Get used to hearing the word “no”, because, to be blunt, you will hear it often. I have learned to quickly brush it off, learn from it and keep moving forward. Do not feel defeated when things go sideways. Learn to develop a thick skin. 

Networking Skills

Some of the best agency recruiters I know have mastered the art of networking. If you plan on a career as an agency recruiter, this important skill set will greatly help to determine your success. Agency recruiters do much more than place a job advertisement online and patiently wait for the right candidate to apply. A successful recruiter is highly proactive and has built their pipeline of talent by networking with active and passive job seekers. Networking takes time; however, it can extremely be beneficial to your clients.

Time Management Skills

The day in the life of a recruiter can be quite demanding at times. Clients calling, needing to quickly hire because they had a resignation on their team or a candidate that you are familiar with calls you because they just lost their job due to organizational restructuring, or promising a client they would see candidate profiles by the end of the day. Press pause and learn how to effectively manage your time – if not your day can quickly go down the drain. Good agency recruiters understand how to manage their time by balancing their day and by using tools like MS Outlook to stay organized.

A career as an agency recruiter can be fun, exciting, competitive, and lucrative, however, strap on your seat belt and be prepared for an exhilarating ride. I have met many inspiring business leaders, and I have met people who have become trusted friends. I have helped countless business professionals find new and exciting roles with leading-edge organizations. If you are thinking about a career as a agency recruiter, be prepared to work hard and expect some sleepless nights. It is all well worth it.