Understanding the Recruiter's Role

By Tom McGoldrick

President

BostonSearch.com

What exactly is the function of the Human Resources Representative or Recruiter in the hiring process? Many job seekers view their roles as an unnecessary step in the process; a step that most would rather avoid. However, job seekers expressing this sentiment in their body language, their attitudes, and words will typically experience an extremely frustrating job search. Job seekers will have a significantly better chance of obtaining a more lucrative offer if they understand the role and responsibilities of the recruitment professional.

The recruiter can play various roles in the hiring process. The following four roles are neither mutually exclusive nor completely inclusive as the recruiter's role can and will change throughout the interviewing process.

· The Recruiter as Gatekeeper: This is the most common role associated with the Recruitment Professional and possibly the most frustrating. Many job seekers become extremely irritated with questions that are often irrelevant to their specific area of expertise. However, the recruiter's role is to act as a screening mechanism for the hiring managers. Often recruiters must perform this function across many different disciplines (marketing, finance, systems, sales etc.) and can only evaluate candidates based on questions that will allow them to better understand the behavior and personality traits of the candidate. After all, the success of an organization depends entirely upon professionals in different disciples to function cohesively as a team.

· The Recruiter as Educator: The recruiter's responsibility is to educate selected candidates about the position's objectives, requirements and reporting relationships. Job seekers should listen carefully for information that will help in upcoming interviews with other members of the organization. This is a great time for interested job seekers to probe the recruiter with specific questions about the position's potential.

· The Recruiter as Marketing Agent: This is a relatively new role for corporate recruiters. However, as the employment market has become increasingly competitive, this role has become critical to the professional success of the recruiter. Job seekers need to listen closely for the recruiter's transition into this role. The transition is marked by the Recruiter's emphasis on the features and benefits of a career with their firm, or questions about interviews candidates may have with their competitors. This is a great time for job seekers to assess their position in the interviewing process and begin to determine a strategy for negotiating the best possible compensation level should an offer be tendered.

· The Recruiter as Negotiator: Offer negotiation is a critical role for a corporate recruiter in a highly competitive employment market. Recruiters often consult with hiring managers about budget constraints, salary parity issues, and the overall employment market. Understanding these issues and balancing them with your needs as a prospective employee will help you obtain the highest possible offer for your skills.

Understanding these roles, and managing your candidacy appropriately throughout the interviewing process will greatly increase your chances for negotiating a satisfactory offer.

Thomas McGoldrick has over 10 years experience in the Recruitment Industry and is President of BostonSearch.Com. Please email any comments or suggestions for future articles to webmaster@bostonsearch.com .

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