10 Tips on How To Become The World’s Best Recruiter
I wake up every day and cannot wait to go to work. I awake with an insatiable appetite to do well for my clients, and aim to be a better recruiter at the end of the day than I was when it began. I’ve built my own recruitment business from the ground up to where it is today. But what does it take to get there?
In short, there’s no magic bullet – going from being a good, large-agency recruiter to one of the very best, independent recruiters requires a blend of art and science; a natural flair for communication and deals layered on top of years of hard graft.
If you want to get ahead in a specialist recruitment agency, or even start your own like me, here are 10 tips on how to be the best recruiter in town (or even the world):
1. Live for the hustle
Let’s get straight to the point: you MUST love the hustle. If you’re not addicted to closing deals, you ain’t gonna make it to the top in this game. I live for deals – it gets me up in the morning (along with a double espresso and a round of Pepper Pig).
2. Have a deep understanding of your sector
Right at top of the list of must-haves is a deep, acute understanding of the sector you’re working in. Personally, I believe the ideal recruiter has come from within the industry – knows it inside out. I’ve proven this time and time again in recruiting for Training Providers: I’ve worked in almost of the roles I now recruit for, from tutor, to sales, to director level.
3. LISTEN. LISTEN. LISTEN.
Every recruiter has their own style. However, being a good listener is non-negotiable. I take notes religiously and leave nothing to interpretation. Don’t just pay attention to words either; read body language too. It could be the difference between placing a candidate and bagging that exclusive contract, or losing a candidate and never hearing from the client again.
4. Be a relentless networker
Not just a good one – there are thousands out there networking – a downright excellent one, who never misses an opportunity to grow their circle. If a contact doesn’t seem like a direct lead, I still sell myself to them: you never know who will lead you to your next big fish. Aim big and small, because you’re going to need to….
5. Build an extensive network
You can blag a client and a listing, but unless you’re out there every day doing the groundwork, unearthing talent for listings you haven’t even earned yet, you don’t stand a chance. My little black book reflects the work I put in every single day. When a client talks about a role coming up, I already know where my next phone call is going.
6. Use social media to your advantage.
Believe it not, most recruiters out there are still living in the 90s, waiting for the phone to ring and the latest bought-in leads to drop on their desk. The modern recruiter understands that their reputation is all they have, and knows the power of social media to sell their company, their services, and themself.
7. Utilise your time wisely.
I can’t stress this enough. Putting in hour after hour of low-percentage pitches, slinging mud against the wall, is not a good use of your time. I work 4 productive hours in a day, when I am in the sales zone. Nothing can stop me during those 4 hours, because I spend the rest of my time preparing those hours to be as productive as possible.
8. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
This is true no matter what industry you’re in, but in our industry it can feel like the difference between a successful recruiter, and a failure. Pro tip for your future self: when you look back, even your “successful” pitches, placements and sales were riddled with mistakes. Pay close attention to them and accept them, and you’re another step to being the best recruiter you can be.
9. Keep an eye on the future, but never neglect the present.
Your clients don’t give a crap about the big plans you have for yourself in 5 years; they care about what you deliver for them, today. Take care of today’s business and the future will take care of itself – it’s the only reason I now own Carson Recruitment.
10. Carpe Diem.
Every. Single. Day.
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Think you have all of the above and more? We’re interested in speaking to the right recruiters to jump aboard Carson Recruitment. Get in touch at hello@carsonrecruitment.com.
Are you a training provider in Further Education with recruitment needs? Contact me today at benn@carsonrecruitment.com and I’ll call you right back for a quick chat.
I appreciate the tip to have good listening skills when working as a recruiter. If I were in charge of recruitment, reading body language and leaving nothing to interpretation would really help me to get to know a candidate. Building an extensive network would also be a helpful tool in becoming a good recruiter that I would try to do.