One of the great advantages of being a Recruiter is that, once you are well-established, much of your work can be done when and where you wish.  All you need to conduct searches are a phone, and a computer with an internet connection.  One of the main tools of Recruiters is their own confidential job boards which allows them instantly find what jobs are available and where.  Recruiters also keep their files of clients who may be available to meet employer requests.

To be successful, Recruiters must be well-organized, persistent, resourceful, and determined.  They must be pleasant, respectful, persuasive, out-going, have excellent communication skills, and enjoy meeting and working with a wide variety of people.  Recruiters must be patient, self-motivated and self-disciplined, and they must love a challenge.  This job will involve some travel, especially for college Recruiters. Although successful Recruiters can, at times, make their own work schedules, assignments demand immediate attention, and some long days and late hours are the norm.

Recruiters are paid for their work in a variety of ways, which may include a salary, a base salary, a percentage of the employees salary, a start-up fee for each search,  or bonuses, or a combination of all or several of these.  How much a Recruiter earns depends on their skill and experience.

When company Recruiters start a job, they will make sure they understand exactly what is required.  To do so they must establish a good working relationship with the hiring manager, whether they themselves are employees of the company, employees of a recruiting company, or independent operators.   The Recruiter will then refer to their data base to find the most appropriate candidate.  What follows will depend on how well the Recruiter knows the candidate’s history.  Recruiters are constantly adding to their reference listings, so that they can instantly find the most appropriate individual for the job.  There may be one or several interview, some testing, screening, and checking of work history and references.  Once the Recruiter feels they have the perfect candidate, they will present them to the hiring company.  Recruiters spend a great deal of time building relationships, and interacting with others in the trade to build up a good client base, and a bank of potential employees.  Those seeking employment also hire head-hunters, because of their experience and knowledge.  In this case the potential employee is interviewed first and then the Recruiter will search his client base to see what jobs are available.  After a Recruiter has completed an assignment, it is useful to them to evaluate their performance – whether successful or not – to learn by their mistakes, and build on their successes.

Education

While in high school, those interested in becoming Recruiters should take courses in English, mathematics, business practices, history, and computers.  Get a job, paid or volunteer which will enable you to interact with a variety of people and practice your communication skills.  Jobs in retail, food services, or office jobs will all give you some needed skills.

Although some agencies may hire Recruiters with only an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree is preferred.  There is no degree designed specifically for Recruiters but useful degrees would include those in marketing, communications, business, and human resources.  Because Recruiters who specialize are generally more successful, you would want to take specialized training in the area of your choice, such as technology, law, management, or finance.  Those who wish to be military Recruiters must be part of the military.  While completing your degree, try to get some related experience.

As part of your education, you will need to learn about state and federal guidelines regarding employee rights, and the rights and obligations of employers.  Affirmative action is an integral factor in employment today.

One good way to get essential experience is by getting up an internship in a recruiting firm as soon as you have your B.A.  With a bachelor’s degree and some related experience, it is also possible to get an entry level or assistant position in a recruiting firm or business.

You will need to work in an established firm for several years so that you can build up a good client and job base, and establish some solid relationships with associates and others in the business.  With this in hand and some positive experience, you can branch off on your own if you so wish.