For companies looking to use a talent hunter in their recruitment process, highlighting and recognizing the qualities of the perfect recruiter is definitely the first step in the process of identifying a good one. This article will provide guidance on singling out talent hunters at the top of their game.
First, we highlight certain qualities that distinguish the perfect talent hunter.
QUALITIES OF THE PERFECT RECRUITER
The underlisted are the qualities which good talent hunters should possess:
1) LISTENING SKILLS
A good talent hunter should primarily possess very good listening skills. The ability to listen and listen well is very important for a recruiter because they work end-to-end i.e. with their clients—the organizations they work for—and the job seekers they work with. A professional working in recruitment will have to be one who listens with attention and can make out the requirements of both parties to detect alignment of objectives or otherwise. It is particularly important for the sake candidate in particular because their feedback is pivotal to placing them in a position that suits both parties.
2) ARTICULATING SKILLS
Good recruiters are good talkers! As has been noted, recruiters work with both parties in the recruitment process. They are able to communicate the interests of the organization(s) their client-companies. They are also able to effectively communicate and keep candidatesinformed through the whole recruitment process, updating them on each stage of the process. This way, interests of the employers are met even as the candidates are kept on track.
3) COGNITIVE SKILLS
Apart from the basic communication skills, great recruiters possess certain intellectual characteristics. To be able to gather, analyze and act on recruitment data, they would have to be analytical, creative, tech savvy and have the ability to think proactively.
4) PATIENCE AND EMPATHY
Successful talent hunters are patient and empathetic. They are genuinely committed to achieving results. They have to be driven towards achieving the best results by attracting the best talents to their clients’ businesses. They exhibit empathy towards both parties in the recruitment process—the client-companies and the candidates. Empathy should be had towards the interests of the client-companies, and also to qualified candidates, by making sure they do not get left out in the recruitment process and that they get the jobs in the long-run, in a situation where they have met all the necessary requirements. Take a person working in recruitment who is not only passionate about getting results for the hiring company, but also shares from his experience and knowledge to make sure candidates will be successful in getting the job. This way, the best talents are found for companies and best employers for job candidates.
This clearly requires patience. A successful recruiter needs to be patient, as they deal with both parties. Tasks as setting up job interviews require the talent hunter’s time and full involvement. They have to be ready to take their time in selecting the bests in the recruitment process.
5) KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
This is a very important attribute of a recruiter. A recruiter should have good knowledge of the industry in which he recruits candidates. It is even more preferred when recruiter has hands-on experience in the field they are working. For example, a recruiter who has worked for say 15 years in finance, accounting and banking is the best option when looking to recruit talents in the field of banking, accounting and finance. This is because he understands the specifics of the industry; job description, standard, requirements and qualifications that are needed on the job. Also, such a recruiter will prove more helpful in ensuring qualified candidates get the job, by sharing with them from his wealth of experience.
Experience is perhaps most important for the reason that it gives the recruiter insight into how to best seek for candidates that match the needs of the employers. Very few recruiters understand the needs of the employer and can match candidates, not only with the job description, but also in terms of soft dispositions as communication skills, creativity, and ability to work under pressure.
6) GOOD NETWORKING SKILLS
A good talent hunter should be interested in building good long term relationship with his clients. They understand the importance of satisfying their clients They think of recruitment as a relationship between a candidate and a company. With great relationship-building skills, a recruiter can build and nurture the relationship between a candidate and a company, acting in the benefit of both parties. The recruitment process is the first stage an organization gets to showcase their employer brand, and is the determining factor in creating a positive experience for candidates.
7) TRUSTWORTHINESS/ RELIABILTY
When using a recruiter, a company is relying on them to find the best possible candidate for a given position. A great recruiter needs to be trustworthy and ensure that he meets the needs of the company and the candidate.
8) MULTITASKING SKILLS
Hiring is a lengthy process, and there’s quite a lot between posting a job ad and filling an open position. Talent hunters need to put together job ads, screen applicants, run background checks, conduct interviews, consult with their employer, make job offers and much more. A great talent hunter has a knack for doing multiple things at once and excelling in each of them.
9) TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS
With multitasking comes time management as there’s only a certain amount of hours in a day and sometimes, companies need a position filled very quickly. Time becomes even more relevant if the talent hunter is working with companies that have flexible working hours and employees across different time zones.
10) BUILDING LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS
Good recruiters are interested in building long term relationships in two ways; between the companies they recruit for and the employee candidates. Secondly, between themselves and the companies they recruit for. This is because long-term relationships are a testament to a job well done by them.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A PERFECT TALENT HUNTER
Having highlighted the qualities of a good talent hunter, identifying the perfect talent hunter or recruitment agency, based on the qualities listed above, is the next step. Note that every reference to “talent hunter” or “talent hunter” also applies to “recruitment agencies”.
With so many search firms and staffing companies in the marketplace, recognizing the perfect talent hunter depends on a combination of factors based on the qualities of a good talent hunter. Therefore, an organization seeking a talent hunter must do the following:
FIND RECRUITERS WHO SPECIALIZE IN YOUR FIELD OR INDUSTRY
These talent hunters are most likely to have the largest network of potential candidates and jobs because they are focused on a specific field. This factors the quality of experience and knowledge, as well as good network
INQUIRE HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY
Although this is a not a blanket rule to determine the competence of a talent hunter, it is important as it follows up on the need for a talent hunter to have experience which is a proven useful attribute for a talent hunter. For example, an experienced recruiter in say IT or finance sectors are best-suited to recruit candidates for companies in those industries, don’t you think?
ASK A TALENT HUNTER ABOUT THE COMPANIES THEY REPRESENT
This is a follow-up on the experience and knowledge of person working in recruitment. It is better if they specialize in your desired industry or field in order to achieve the best results. Working with companies in the same industry as yours means they have prior experience in scouting talents in your field and are more likely to understand the industries’ specifics.
IS THE TALENT HUNTER A PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT?
A talent hunter with accounting experience is in a better position to understand your career and what you are looking for. This type of talent hunter is in a good position to screen for the best-suited applicant. With knowledge in accounting, the talent hunter is able to better understand the technical peculiarities of the role and therefore be able pick out a candied best suited to fill that position.
Again, take the example of a recruiter that has worked in banking and finance sector as an accountant, such person will not only understand the intricacies of corporate job roles, but will also have the wealth of experience to tap from when advising and making decisions in the recruitment process.
ARE THE RESPONSES OF THE TALENT HUNTER PROMPT?
Once you have contacted a talent hunter and a relationship has been established, they should respond to your email/voicemail in a timely fashion. Communicating with them also gives an assessment of their communicative abilities and their ability to understand your needs. Timeliness in response reflects the work ethics of a talent hunter and particularly, multi-tasking and time management skills of such talent hunter. It is important to test talent hunters on this before going ahead with them.
ASK IF THEY HAVE A RETURNINING CLIENTELE
This will help you know the networking ability of the talent hunter and if they are interested in building long-term relationships with the company through quality work. Quality work in the sense of attracting the best talents for client-companies, and also ensuring that candidates get the best employers for a prosperous working relationship. This also speaks of a recruiter’s trustworthiness and reliability to get the job done.
These qualities and guides help companies find the perfect recruiters to assist them in achieving their aims and objectives through top-level recruitment processes and recruitment of top candidates.
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