5 Things Recruiters Wish They Had Known Before Starting Their Careers

Last updated on June 10, 2024

I’m sure it’s no secret to you that recruiting has its pros and cons. And whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, pinpointing the good and the ugly is crucial because it can help you keep up with the competition. You can achieve even better results if you know exactly what to expect and what to focus on.

So, to help you improve your efficiency, I put together a list of things I wish I had known before my first day on the job.

1. Your network is crucial

The power of your network is invaluable: you can connect people with potential employers, and you can also provide networking opportunities to job seekers! It’s amazing, right?

Keeping in contact with your prospective candidates, business owners, and fellow recruiters is a game of patience, but it opens up doors to wonderful opportunities. If you nurture your candidates and other business-related relationships, sooner or later leads will come to you from places you’d never think of. So, if I could only give you one piece of advice today, it would be to make networking your number one priority. 

2. Getting organized is key

Recruiting is a bit like juggling, so to be organized is crucial for us.

Meetings with hiring managers, writing job descriptions, securing candidates, and conducting interviews are just a few of the many tasks you can face in a day. And when something unexpected occurs, catching up on paperwork and getting control back over your workload is often impossible. 

So, it’s best to establish a system that works for you to stay organized. Consider creating a daily and weekly to-do list, color coding, and using recruiting platforms to make your life easier.

With Boostpoint®, you can manage all your applicants in one place: you can track your performance, check applicant status, continue conversations, and gain insights into your results.

3. Data driven recruiting is the future

In my experience, traditional recruiting tactics alone are no longer enough to find the employees you need. Yes, you need to follow your gut, but if you don’t rely on data well enough, there’s no guarantee that you’ve found the right person.

Technology is changing the recruiting industry and those who leverage data driven recruiting can increase the efficiency of their hiring campaigns easily. If you add this new approach to your recruiting strategy, you’ll know what works and what doesn’t for your prospective candidates. And you’ll be able to predict your hiring costs precisely.

Boostpoint® helps you track and report on applicants, so you can target your dream candidates while saving time and money.

3. Finding your work-life balance can be challenging

Recruiting is fun, vibrant, and exciting. But it often gets competitive and pressurized, and you can easily get burned out working long hours. So, having a healthy work-life balance is a must if you want to build a fulfilling career.

I can already hear you say, “I know, but how do I make it happen?”

Well, learning when to put your phone down outside of work is the most important thing. Your balance is sacred. Don’t upset it by constantly checking emails after your shift is over and answering a few “just a short” calls.

4. No experience? No problem.

Many industries have such high entry requirements that you feel lucky when you get in, but ambition, mindset, and skills matter more in recruitment than what’s included in your resume.

Sure, you need training and the infrastructure to succeed, but you don’t need to have any previous experience. Once you decide to embark on a journey to become a recruiter, you can learn almost anything if you put your mind to it.

Success entirely depends on you.

5. The recruitment process can be more frustrating than you might think

Despite all the efforts, the hiring process can take much longer than you expect. And it means that you have to wait longer to get that sense of achievement.

Candidate sourcing can take ages, narrowing down candidates can be daunting, and your dream candidate can cancel last minute. There can be plenty of rejection or – what is worse – non-responses that can make you feel that filling out the position is an unrealistic idea.

But if you’re aware of the potential struggles, you can get prepared for them.

So, it’s not going as planned? Don’t fret. In this industry, it happens all the time. Perhaps you only have to amend a few things in your strategy and you’ll hit your goals quickly.

Wrap Up

Starting a career in recruiting is a rollercoaster with its ups and downs. First off, networking is your best friend — it opens doors you didn’t even know existed. Staying organized is a must since juggling tasks is part of the daily grind. Embrace data-driven recruiting to really nail your hiring process, and don’t stress too much about having tons of experience; ambition and the right mindset can take you far. Finally, work-life balance can be tricky, so make sure to set boundaries to avoid burnout. Knowing these tips can save you a lot of headaches and help you thrive in the recruiting world.

Lizz Durbin

Lizz is an Account Executive at Boostpoint where she enjoys connecting with new customers. With years of invaluable experience in recruitment, she empowers Talent Acquisition teams to find the best employees and escalate organizational growth. Her passion for fostering inspiring work environments, combined with her creativity and strategic mindset, greatly contributes to the advancement of Talent Acquisition. She brings a deep belief in our products, aligning her passion for sales with a genuine conviction in their value.

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