How to Become a Recruiter
Do you love working with people? Are you a good judge of character and are not afraid to have uncomfortable conversations when necessary? Your calling might be a career as a recruiter in which you help people find their own ideal career path. With a projected 8% growth over the next decade, this is also a profession with excellent prospects. In this article, you’ll find out all you need to know about how to become a recruiter.
What Is a Recruiter?
Recruiters specialize in filling vacant positions for companies. Their job is to help businesses find the perfect match for their staffing needs and ensure the chosen candidates fit the company culture and are satisfied with the role.
Talent acquisition specialists handle the entire recruitment process on behalf of hiring managers, who usually have the last word. They identify potential candidates, screen and interview them, and later negotiate compensation and facilitate contracts. They make it possible for companies to find new hires while continuing to work towards their targets.
What Do Recruiters Do?
A crucial part of understanding how to become a recruiter is learning what your daily tasks would look like in this position. Here are the most important responsibilities:
- Creating and carrying out the company’s recruitment strategy.
- Writing and updating job descriptions based on the company’s requirements and objectives.
- Chasing candidates in the company database and other external recruiting tools who have appropriate skills and backgrounds.
- Attending job fairs and other hiring events.
- Screening applicant resumes and selecting candidates for the next phase of the recruiting process.
- Being the point of contact for candidates during and after the recruiting process.
- Interviewing candidates by examining their experience, skills, and aptitudes.
- Performing background and reference checks on applicants.
- Evaluating applicants and choosing the final candidate.
- Negotiating salaries based on the firm’s budget and the applicant’s experience.
- Onboarding new employees (only for in-house recruiters)
- Ensuring legislation and regulations are respected and advising on best recruiting practices.
- Maintaining industry knowledge and taking advantage of new educational opportunities.
How to Become a Recruiter
Looking for guidance on how to become a recruiter with no experience as well as the route to take if you have a great foundation already? In this section, you’ll find all you need.
Although some companies do not require higher education, to enter the profession more easily your journey should start with a bachelor's degree in human resources, communication, business administration, or psychology.
If, on the other hand, you want to know how to become a nurse recruiter, it’s advisable to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing as the preferred qualification. For other specialties, you should look at education in those specific fields.
Completing an internship while studying is a smart way to gain practical knowledge before officially entering the job market. Many employers favor candidates with previous experience, so internships along with taking on an assistant role shadowing and supporting experienced recruiters is a great foot in the door.
To increase your employability and help you stay relevant in your job field it’s also always recommended to obtain certifications from a relevant institution like the HR Certification Institute or the Society for Human Resource Management.
To be successful in a human resources specialist job, you’ll also have to possess certain character traits and skills, such as:
- superior interpersonal skills
- organization
- time management
- critical thinking and objectivity
- decision-making
- attention to detail
How Much Do Recruiters Make?
The median recruiter’s salary ranges from $38,598 to $73,929 per year, with $54,064 being the average. Of course, your wage as a headhunter also depends on various factors such as your education, field of specialization, level of experience, and location. For instance, a health/technical recruiter salary or a recruiting coordinator's salary tend to be at the higher end of the scale compared to a general corporate recruiter's salary.
The industries that pay HR specialists the most are:
- computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing
- other information services
- securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities
- sound recording industries
- support activities for water transportation
What about the states in which recruiters earn the most? Here are the top five:
If you’re interested in becoming a recruiter, you’ll certainly be curious to know how much you could be making in your city. Wonder no more and head to Monster's Salary Calculator. On this page, we’ll also provide you with extra information such as the steps to take to advance in your career and salaries for similar positions.
How to Find Recruiter Jobs
Once you’ve learned how to become a recruiter and taken all the steps to qualify for this role, it’s time to find the right job for you. Start with a well-written recruiter resume.
Follow our resume writing practices to perfect yours, and keep these tips in mind for your future career. Complete your application with a recruiter cover letter that highlights your past accomplishments, and expresses your enthusiasm to work with people.
Where Do Recruiters Work?
Recruiters are found mainly in two types of organizations:
- recruiting agencies
- regular companies as in-house
In the first case, companies outsource the task of finding the candidates they need to a staffing agency. These agencies are often specialized in the same area of business as the clients they serve, which gives them the knowledge necessary to select the right applicants. For example, if you’re wondering how to become a technical recruiter, you should specialize in this field.
In-house or corporate recruiters, on the other hand, are full-time employees that fill vacant positions within different departments in their own company. Based on the size of the firm, you might be the only employee in the HR department or work in a team.
You might have an easier time starting out in a recruiter job in one of the industries with the highest levels of employment in HR:
- employment services
- company and enterprise management
- federal executive branch
- management, scientific, and technical consulting services
- computer systems design and related services
As far as location goes, the best states by the level of employment for recruiters and HR specialists are:
More specifically, here are the top U.S. metro area for HR professionals:
Find the Best Fit for Your Resume, Sign Up to Monster
Monster is your best ally for every phase of your career journey, from understanding how to become a recruiter to finding the right job for you. Discover all that Monster has to offer by setting up a free candidate account and uploading your most recent resume. Get higher exposure to recruiters and companies looking to fill positions. Plus, we’ll send you all the latest job listings matching your preferred criteria.