How to be a good recruiter: 12 best practices for success

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Many companies rely on recruiters to attract talent to their organization. Businesses not only want to hire the best candidates, but they also want the best recruiters to find those applicants.

As someone who oversees a team of recruiters, here are my top 12 tips on how to be a good recruiter and excel in your career.

How to be a great recruiter in 12 ways

1. Know your company’s differentiators.

A recruiter should be able to easily explain what sets their company apart from other organizations. It’s how you sell the job to candidates!

Really think about what makes your company special and how you can make those benefits appeal to applicants.

2. Understand your candidates’ needs.

Being a great recruiter goes beyond just knowing the facts about your company and the role you’re hiring for. You also need to know the needs and preferences of the people you’re recruiting.

Think about your ideal job candidate and ask yourself what benefits they care most about:

• Do they want hybrid or remote work options?

• Is a strong workplace culture important to them?

• Are they looking for career development opportunities?

• Do they want to work part-time or full-time and take college classes?

• Are benefits like a 401(k) important to them?

Finding ways to link the benefits your company provides with what each candidate wants will help attract top talent to your organization.

3. Paint a clear picture of the role.

Another tip on how to be a successful recruiter is to be transparent about what the role entails. Clearly communicate the desired job qualifications to candidates and explain why these qualifications are important.

For instance, if strong communication skills are listed as a preferred qualification, provide an example of how that skill would be used in the role. This will help ensure candidates understand what would be required of them if they’re offered the job.

4. Prioritize communication.

Speaking of communication skills – the best recruiters focus on having effective and consistent communication with both the candidates they’re recruiting and the business they’re recruiting talent for.

Maintaining a steady line of communication throughout the hiring process allows recruiters to:

• Be open about expectations.

• Keep everyone informed.

• Navigate challenging situations.

• Create a positive experience.

5. Adapt your communication style.

Tailoring your communication style based on the candidate you’re talking to is a very important – and sometimes overlooked – part of being a recruiter.

Here are two examples of how you might do that:

• If you’re recruiting recent college graduates for an entry-level role, you might send them an email versus call them and use a casual tone in your message.

• If you’re recruiting experienced professionals for a senior-level position, you’re more likely to call them versus send an email and use a formal tone in your message.

6. Ask questions to candidates and the hiring team.

Asking good questions gives recruiters a better understanding of a candidate’s qualifications and cultural fit within an organization. It also helps recruiters learn valuable information that may not be included in the applicant’s resume.

Recruiters should also ask the hiring team clarifying questions to ensure they’re aligned on role expectations and candidate qualifications.

7. Refine your prospecting techniques.

The tools recruiters use to build their candidate pipeline are constantly evolving. This means they need to stay up to date about the latest resources for sourcing high-quality applicants.

One way you can grow your sourcing capabilities is by exploring the tools within job board platforms. This can include using:

• Advanced search features for specific skills or experience levels.

• Relevant keywords and phrases within the job posting.

• Targeted location settings to reach the right audience.

8. Build your network.

As you think about how to be a better recruiter, consider finding new ways to grow your network. This will help you tap into a wider pool of talent.

You can build your network by:

• Attending industry events.

• Joining professional organizations.

• Connecting with people on LinkedIn.

• Joining role-specific groups on LinkedIn or Facebook.

9. Be creative.

Don’t just reshare a job posting and expect to attract candidates. Think outside the box! Find ways to create personalized content that your audience feels connected to. For example, you could share short videos featuring individuals who are currently in the role you’re hiring for on LinkedIn.

Taking that extra step gives potential candidates a glimpse into the real experiences and opportunities within your organization. This creates a deeper connection and engagement with your talent pool.

10. Follow industry trends.

Staying informed about industry trends allows you to expect the evolving needs of candidates. It also positions you as a knowledgeable and forward-thinking professional within your field.

Ways to stay up to date in the world of recruiting include:

• Reading industry news and publications.

• Attending conferences and events.

• Participating in webinars, trainings and workshops.

11. Stay organized.

Organization directly impacts recruiters’ efficiency and productivity. Being organized allows recruiters to:

• Manage job openings.

• Track applicants and messages.

• Schedule interviews.

• Coordinate with hiring teams.

Use the internal resources available to you, such as applicant tracking systems and candidate management tools, to make sure important details are not overlooked.

12. Manage your time.

As a recruiter, being intentional with your time and learning how to prioritize vital tasks are very important.

In addition to phone screens and application reviews, you need to block time on your calendar for routine tasks like direct sourcing – especially for hard-to-fill roles. This will help you to continuously build your candidate pipeline.