Have you always wanted to become a professional headhunter who will seek the most talented developers? Well, then you’re probably aspiring to become an IT recruiter.
First, let’s answer the question “What is it recruiter job?”. It’s a position in either an IT company or a professional IT recruiting agency that’s responsible for finding the right people for the right spots. That doesn’t mean hiring or giving jobs to the ones looking for it, but only searching through all the job-seekers and providing the employer with a list of perfect candidates that will suit a particular position in your professional opinion.
So, if you’re looking to find some additional information on the IT recruiter profession, then you found the right place. Now that we know the definition of what is IT recruitment, let’s get into the general facts about this profession and then learn a few tips on how to become one.
First of all, let’s learn what the defined responsibilities are. Just like we said before, people occupying such positions don’t help job-seekers to change their lives or provide them with a job, they are only responsible for the following:
As you can see, in the section above, there’s no point in “knowing everything about the development process or UI/UX design” in the list of responsibilities. While knowing the IT area is a great asset and addition to the key skills, it’s not 100% necessary. Your job is to find out whether people have a chance at filling a spot, not knowing every professional term.
If you think you can do fine without it – no need to waste time learning all the intricate technical details. Yet, make sure to know the basic principles and widely used terms. Otherwise, you won’t be able to determine whether someone has enough experience in the industry.
Speaking about the qualities that a good IT recruiter needs, here’s a small list of some basic necessities:
Many people become IT, recruiters because it’s a different occupation in their favorite field of interest that still provides decent wages. You may think that recruiters earn less than senior programmers. Right, the best developers do earn a lot, and more than everyone else in the industry, but IT recruiters are also one of the most valuable people, hence high salaries.
Why? Because they are the people who find those experts or people who will become such in the future. A professional recruiter is a person who provides the company with the talents that will perform at a decent level and bring a lot of profits. That’s why employers never neglect the importance of recruiters.
Now that we know the basics, it’s time to read through some useful tips on how to become an IT recruiter.
Are you already studying something at the university or are you still at school? Or maybe you finished both long ago? Anyway, there are a lot of opportunities to learn everything yourself. Video guides, specialized resources, programs, online courses, and so on. One can’t simply become a professional without having to spend hundreds of hours learning.
Start with studying things like HR, communication, and maybe some technical stuff on top of it. It will also help you to understand whether this profession suits you.
Today, seeking candidates is a matter of using the right tools. Of course, everything can still be done manually, but should it? Some programs are dedicated to each particular aspect and the ones that can do everything. Analyze which are the best and the easiest to use. Check the dedicated forums and feedback and test everything yourself.
Networking is the modern word for getting valuable acquaintances and professionally communicating with new people. Use special resources like LinkedIn, for example, or do everything in-person. Experienced people will be glad to share their experience and maybe teach you some techniques.
But more importantly, you will learn about all the opportunities, all the potential vacancies, recommendations and so on. Remember – if you don’t enjoy networking, then you probably should reconsider becoming an IT recruiter. After all, this job is all about communicating and finding the right opportunities.
Once you think that you have enough knowledge to try working on this position, start applying. Don’t ever stop studying, but at one point you should put this knowledge to use. So, look for the open spots and prove to the employers that you’re worthy. Be ready to prove your expertise in practice.
The IT field is large, there are many different occupations and companies in it. Find the particular niche that you like the most or the one that seems the most appealing to you if you don’t have any preferences. It will help to get started much faster and work more efficiently. In the end, different niches have different specifics of IT recruitment.
IT recruiters are probably one of the most important persons in any IT company. They are the ones who provide companies with talents that perform all the work. So, to become a true professional, one should always keep learning new things, put them to use and never be afraid of networking. Who knows, maybe you’ll establish your own recruiting company eventually? Good luck!