As a recruiter, you’re giving people an interview and opportunity to work in a field that they love and have trained for. You are essentially their fairy-job parent: matching all-star candidates with their dream employers.
You’re the first point of contact for any company searching for new employees, and you’re the first point of contact for any candidate searching for a job. As such, a successful recruiter is energetic and efficient in the daily tasks, and empathetic in the more challenging circumstances.
So, to make this role even more rewarding, here are a few ways to master the craft:
- Set goals every single day. When every day is different – with varying amounts of time dedicated to interviews, following up with leads, or managing expectations – having clear, written goals are essential for motivation. Write them down in a conspicuous place so you can see them all day; and when you shut down at night pat yourself on the back for a job well done on the goals you’ve achieved.
- Workshop your craft regularly. Set aside time to practice interviewer and interviewee conversations, difficult phone calls and written responses. Both verbal and written communication needs to be aligned when interacting with people about their career goals or their ideal employees.
- Get mentally prepared for the day. Talking, zooming (…if that’s a word) or conducting in-person interviews can take a lot of energy. This may be the 100th interview you have done, but this is the first interview the candidate is doing with you, so make it a good experience. Take the time each morning for a healthy breakfast, a workout, meditation, or anything else that can give you a good boost for a great day.
- Lead with empathy in every conversation. There will always be things that get in the way when working with a candidate to land their dream job. Their resume may have a mistake in it, their references’ contact information may be invalid, they may be struggling through internet problems during an interview and the list goes on. If you meet their distress with positive and honest solutions, it can ease nerves and allow clients and candidates to appreciate your strengths.
Setting time aside each day and each week to routinely prepare can ensure you’ve got the momentum to rocket through the day-to-day and soar through the unforeseen, so you can show up as the rockstar-recruiter you are!
