Do you have what it takes to be an IT recruiter?
First you might be wondering what the heck an IT recruiter does?
Sourcing, recruiting, interviewing, references, background checks, contract negotiations, client/candidate account management, social media outreach, presentations/meetings...
That doesn't sound so bad. It might even sound fun (because it is fun!) But let me tell you, it's not always fun and sometimes it's downright heart-breaking. Somedays it can be a non-stop rollercoaster ride.
One minute you're presenting a job offer to a great candidate who's thrilled to get the job. The next your trying to find out and explain to a client why a great candidate failed to show up for an interview.
Sometimes you call people who forget that they posted their resume and they treat you like you're calling them in the middle of dinner to sell windows. Then the next person you call treats you like you're calling to inform them that they just won the lottery (and they make up for the not so great calls!).
That's just the candidates. Clients are a whole different ball game.
As a Hiring Manager, it can sometimes be forgotten that the "perfect" candidate may have two or three other job offers. This is when you have to be creative and use your negotiation skills!
It's not only people that make the job challenging. The job is inherently difficult because it is our job to fill the "hard" job orders (but nothing is impossible!). Easy jobs are the jobs that companies can easily fill themselves. We get the challenging job orders for people with niche skills sets and specialized experience.
Day in, day out, we are looking for people that are difficult to find because the few people who do meet the job requirements are happily employed or not easily found. That's when you have to think outside the box and do some serious headhunting (which is my favourite part - you get to be a candidate detective!) You have to search high and low to find the right candidate for an opportunity that also meets their needs/career aspirations - and you have to find them before your competition finds them (I like to think it's similar to "The Amazing Race")
So do you have what it takes to handle the rollercoaster ride? There are up's and down's but trust me the hills are the best part!
- Do you thrive on challenge?
- Are you willing to work whenever you have to connect with people to fill the job?
- Do you love to help people hire the right people and find the jobs that will make them happy?
- Do you love to learn?
- Do you love to hunt?
- Do you love to solve difficult problems?
- Do you love to network?
- Do you love, love, love technology!!!
Then you just might love being an IT recruiter as much as I do :-)
Other Posts by Michelle De Rubeis
Where are the Women? Connecting Women and TechnologyiPad versus Playbook Debate Revisited
Steve, Mark and Jim: Who Made 2010's Nice List?
How to Sparkle in a Room Full of Diamonds
About the Author
Michelle De RubeisTechnical Recruiter, StaffLink Solutions
Website: http://www.stafflink.ca/
Email: michelle@stafflink.ca
Twitter: Twitter.com/stafflink1
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/mmderubeis
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