How Do I Choose the Best Job Recruiter?

There are many factors to evaluate when you are trying to choose the best job recruiter. Among them are such considerations as the amount of experience the candidate has and whether he specializes in recruiting for companies in your industry. You also may consider the skills the candidate has and contact his references to verify them. Additionally, you can use interviews not only to learn about a client but also to determine whether you and the recruiter are likely to develop a good rapport.

When you are trying to choose the best recruiter for your company, you may find it advantageous to choose someone who has a specialty in your field rather than a general recruiter. For example, if you have an information technology (IT) company, you may do well to choose a recruiter who focuses on recruiting IT professionals. If your company is in the legal field, you will typically do better with a legal recruiter. By choosing a specialist rather than a generalist, you ensure that the professional you hire is familiar with your company’s industry, knows how to reach out to those interested in working in your industry, and has contacts that can help him meet your recruiting goals.

Experience also is important when you are trying to choose the best job recruiter. While you can find a talented person who is new to the job, you will have to accept the possibility that he may not prove able to meet your goals or meet them quickly enough when he is just getting started. Additionally, you may have less confidence in his ability to send the right employees your way. To meet your goals and fill your available positions as quickly as possible, you may feel more comfortable with choosing a recruiter with a lengthy work history. Sales-related experience also may prove helpful.

You also may base your decision on the skills a job recruiter candidate seems to possess. For example, you may do well to hire a recruiter who has excellent written and verbal communication skills. Likewise, you may prefer a candidate who seems well organized and self-motivated. Among the other skills you may seek in a job recruiter are computer and negotiation skills. Additionally, you may prefer a bilingual candidate, if you think your available positions will prove desirable to non-native speakers.

Interviews also are helpful when you are trying to choose the best job recruiter. Through an interview, you can gauge how confident and professional a candidate seems. You also can use this time to gauge whether you and the candidate will enjoy a good rapport.