What Does it Take To Be a Top Recruiter?

By Will Thomson- Executive Sales Recruiter- Austin, TX

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Do you love what you do for a living?  Do you look forward to getting up and going to your job?  I would venture to say that most people do not.  Speaking from experience, life is too short to do something you hate. 

In 2008, America had a recession.  It hit most people like a ton of bricks.  Unemployment skyrocketed and people were begging to find jobs.  It didn’t matter if you liked your job or not, you went to work and had a smile on your face.  It is now 2013.  The economy is booming in America, but struggling in other parts of the world. 

Good recruiters have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.  They know how to recruit in a recession, AND IN a booming economy.  The Top Recruiters are in the people business.  They help people find jobs when they need them most. They also help people find their dream jobs when they are doing something that they don’t enjoy. 

Chris LaVoie understands recruiters.  He understands the recession.  He understands people.  He knew that recruiters were a special breed and he had a desire to find the Top Recruiter.  He has searched the globe for the best of the best.  I had an opportunity to talk with him and asked him some questions.  Here is what we talked about.


1) What 2 characteristics of recruiters do you see that make good recruiters exceptional?

Chris:   First, I would say the human factor. A job is actually a very personal thing; it affects every single aspect of your life.  A job affects interpersonal relationships, vacation time, and even what kind of food you eat.  It makes a big difference when the person helping you land a position is somewhat of a friend and understands your life.  The second thing would be the ability to adapt quickly to the changing technology AND ever changing economy. These two things alone can make a recruitment firm go from stale to thriving or vice versa.


2) People recruit for different reasons.  What is the primary driver for people to become a recruiter?

Chris:  I find that the people in this industry (at least the ones who appear to be at their A game) are people who really want to have an impact on someone's life. They want to make things better and as we know, a job can have a profound impact on someone's life. Great recruiter's never take this notion for granted.  If they're in it for money, it shows.


3) Recruitment has changed over the past 20 years.  Do you feel that people place too much emphasis on social media/ new technology to recruit or not enough?

That depends. On the agency side, I feel that the majority are a bit behind in understanding how they can really leverage social media. On the other hand, if you think of talent acquisition, I feel that the majority are well versed in the usage of social media.


4) What have you learned from working with the best of the best?  How has it helped you personally? 

I learned so much from each one of the recruiter's who've come on board but so much from the sponsors too. It's been so amazing.  Each person that has been involved in Top recruiter has become a close personal friend of mine and my family. What better gift is there?

If you want to be considered for season 3, casting is occuring NOW and you can do it all online!  Just log on to Toprecruiter.tv for more information.

You can follow Will Thomson @WillRecruits on Twitter.  His personal website is www.bullseyerecruiting.net.  Please share!

 

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