6 signs you have what it takes to be a recruiter

One of the keys to running a successful business is staffing it with a team of superhero employees. That vital process often begins with a recruiter. Finding and securing the best-of-the-best is a recruiter’s job, one that requires some specific skills and personality traits. If you’re considering a career in corporate recruiting, you should first consult the following list of 6 signs to see if you have what it takes.

1. You love people

An amazing job opportunity might sell itself, but a big part of recruiting still involves winning over potential employees so they’ll take the positions recruiters need to fill. That means a corporate recruiter must love people and be an expert at dealing with them. An outgoing nature is absolutely essential for the successful recruiter. The ability to turn down candidates who don’t make the cut with tact and compassion is a trickier, but equally essential, characteristic.

2. You’re a self-starter

Workers who constantly require management to prod them into action need not apply. A recruiter must be completely proactive and constantly on the lookout for the very best people for particular jobs. If you have that constant yen to get working, you have a trait that all recruiters must possess.

3. You’re a great communicator

Anyone who works with people must be a great communicator, and recruiters interact with people constantly. If you have a tendency to serve up word salad, recruiting isn’t for you. But if you are able to speak and write clearly, properly, and confidently, you are more likely to convince the best job candidates to come aboard. Not only must a recruiter be a great communicator, but they must also love to communicate. So if you’re the type who is always talking on the phone or texting, you might be cut out for recruiting.

4. You solve problems

A recruiter’s life is not just locating great people and fitting them with great jobs. There are a lot of snags that can pop up during the workday, and it is the recruiter’s duty to meet any and all problems head-on, solve them quickly, and get on with the business at hand. A champion recruiter never gets thrown by a candidate who fails to show up for an interview or a position that seems nearly impossible to fill with the right person. They greet such situations as challenges and always works to find the right solution.

5. You are positive

Unexpected problems can toss a crimp into a recruiter’s workday, but the best ones always handle those challenges with a smile. The ability to meet all problems cheerfully is vital for the recruiter because those problems will often involve dealing with people—and the last thing a recruiter wants to do is alienate potential employees or employers with a bad attitude.

6. You’re competitive

One unique facet of a recruiter’s life is that there is a lot of competition out there. Other recruiters may be vying for the very same candidates as you, so you must thrive on competition and be completely determined to be the one who nabs that brass ring. Recruiters don’t just need the best candidates for particular positions; they too must be the best in order to be successful at their own jobs. If all of these characteristics seem to describe you, then you may very well be an ideal candidate for a career in corporate recruiting.