How to Become a Recruiter

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includer recruiters in its human resource specialists category. According to the BLS, the median salary for these professionals is $63,490 a year, which comes to more than $30 an hour. The top 10% of these professionals make more than $109,000 a year, while the bottom 10% make less than $38,000 a year. Those who earn the most usually work as business operations specialists and handle the daily operations of the business in addition to recruitment work.

Industry affects recruiter salary

Your company's industry will have an impact on your salary as a recruiter. Professional and scientific positions tend to pay the most. But there are also many well-paying recruiter positions in the government, manufacturing, and employment fields. Many recruiters find financial success working for staffing agencies.

Do you have strong organizational and time management skills, and like working with different people? As a Recruiter, you will use your skills to identify candidates from a large talent pool and fill open positions. Recruiters also handle different responsibilities every day, such as hosting interviews and writing job descriptions. With that in mind, you also need good writing skills to become a recruiter.

What are the responsibilities of a recruiter?

If you become a recruiter, you must keep an eye on employment laws and changes to those laws to help your employers save money. You also need to stay up to date about open positions that are available at your company or for your clients and know how and where to find candidates. Though recruiters often rely on word of mouth, you may also use the internet to find individuals. Recruitment websites and social media help recruiters do their job  because they provide a list of the individual's previous jobs along with the education and experience they have. Other responsibilities you will handle as a recruiter include:

• Working with different departments to find all of the requirements needed for specific jobs
• Writing and uploading job postings that show individuals the available jobs within an organization
• Checking on applicants’ backgrounds and following up with candidates’ references 
• Holding open interviews with all potential candidates
• Going over the paperwork that new employees need to fill out when they accept roles
• Creating recruitment reports that show progress toward hiring goals
• Maintaining accurate records of former and current employees along with future candidates

What type of equipment do recruiters use?

Recruiters use tools and equipment that help them track potential employees and the information they gather. You need familiarity with recruiting software that helps you post and advertise your job listings and keep track of those who apply. This software also helps you organize your files and keep track of your statistics. Interview software is handy as it allows you to create a list of questions you want to ask as well as both record and organize the responses you get. Job boards are also helpful because you get a convenient way to connect with candidates and learn about them before you contact them.

What is the work environment of a recruiter?

As a recruiter, you should look forward to spending most of your time in an office setting. You need good computer skills that allow you to write and post job ads. Most positions require a standard 40-hour workweek with set hours such as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with time off in the middle of the day for lunch. Depending on the position, you may spend some time out of the office attending job fairs to talk about open positions and meet with individuals as well as participating in HR conferences to learn about recent developments in the field. You might also visit local schools to talk about internships with students.

Who are your colleagues as a recruiter?

The colleagues you work with as a recruiter will depend on where you work. You will often work with HR managers and HR specialists and HR generalists to make sure that the job postings you create list all of the requirements and accurately explain the duties of those positions. Many recruiters have employees who report to them. These employees are responsible for finding talented candidates from outside sources. Expect to work with the head of each department and with project managers within your organization to create job postings and move candidates through your hiring pipeline. You will often work by yourself when you attend conferences, but you may travel with a small group to college campuses.

What is the work schedule of a recruiter?

As a recruiter, you will work a more traditional 40-hour workweek that usually begins as early as 8 in the morning. You will spend most of the day in your office and on your computer, though you should also expect to have meetings with other departments or people within your department. Recruiters sometimes work at night and on weekends as well. Weekends are when you travel to HR conferences to hear about advances and changes in the field. Your employer will typically either cover your travel expenses or reimburse you later.

The BLS lists the current outlook for recruiters as growing at an average rate. The need for these professionals will grow by a rate of 10% between 2020 and 2030, which represents more than 70,000 new jobs. One reason for this increase is the number of recruiters who will reach retirement age in the near future. If older, seasoned recruiters decide to keep working past traditional retirement age, this growth rate may change. Current job outlook numbers take into account the some older workers retired during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to replace them. It does not necessarily include the number of college graduates who entered the recruitment field.

What are the advantages of working with Spherion as a recruiter?

Working with Spherion to become a recruiter comes with many advantages. In addition to the ability to search for open positions based on where you live now or where you want to live, you will enjoy such advantages as:

• Getting paid every week and knowing exactly how much you will get
• The flexibility that you need in today's economy
• Training programs that help you learn more about the recruitment field and why it is a good job for you
• The option to participate in training programs that set you apart from others applying to the same jobs

The minimum education needed to work as a recruiter is a bachelor's degree. You can earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree, but you need to take classes in business operations. A degree in either business communications or human resources will help you stand out from the crowd. An easy way to get a leg up on the competition is with a college internship. Many companies hire recruiting interns to help them gain more experience, then offer them positions when they graduate. An internship may also increase your average salary when you finish school because you’ll have real-world experience practicing recruiter responsibilities.

Licenses for recruiters

In addition to a degree, look for licenses designed for HR professionals to make your resume stand out to hiring companies. The Society for Human Resource Management has two certificates that are suitable for entry-level professionals and those who have more experience. Though both certificates require that you pay a fee and pass an exam, they open up more job opportunities.

Skills and competencies

If you're a good communicator, you'll be a successful recruiter. Communication skills come in handy when you're chatting with candidates and performing pre-interviews. You might also use your public speaking skills as some recruiters talk in front of groups during department meetings and at conferences. Other skills that you need include:

• Organizational skills
• Time management skills
• Networking skills
• Marketing skills
• General computer competency
• Ability to learn HR/payroll software packages

Recruiters are an important part of the employment field because they identify and find the best candidates. Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about becoming a recruiter.