What makes a good recruiter great? Is there a formula that can be applied to create “The Super Recruiter?” Based on years of interaction with recruiters, we have observed that the super recruiter almost always possesses the following attributes:

  1. Ability to grow and play on a solid network: Super Recruiters consistently develop and nurture strong networks. Their professional achievements build and thrive on long term relationships and they seek to add genuine value to organizations and candidates alike.
  2. Focus on a deeper understanding: Super Recruiters make the effort to carry out a thorough research of the organization, industry and role before they start the process of sourcing and engaging with candidates. They also invest time in understanding the candidate’s DNA (key competencies, interests & aspirations). This helps them hone in on the best fit in the least amount of time.
  3. Selling skills: The Super Recruiter is ultimately a Super Sales person. Recruiters that achieve the maximum number of closures act as true brand ambassadors of organizations and candidates they represent. They apply the SPANCO (Suspect – Prospect – Approach – Negotiation – Closing – Order) approach for achieving successful conversions.
  4. Ability to zoom in and out: While it is easy to get mired in the transactional efforts of sourcing, screening and talking with candidates, the Super Recruiter can zoom out at regular intervals and look at the big picture. S/he analyses available data and trends to figure out what is working and what is not across the hiring cycle  and accordingly alters the strategy required to achieve success.
  5. A “Plan B” mindset: Super Recruiters understand the need for always having a backup in place. Despite the best of efforts, there are always offers that get rejected, candidates that do not join or leave before the stipulated time. The Super Recruiter anticipates such situations and keeps a pipeline of backup candidates “warm”, thus enabling a swift reorientation to the changed circumstances.
  6. Comfort with technology: Technology driven approaches to recruitment are here to stay. Super recruiters look at technology as an enabler and embrace it to free themselves from tasks such as reaching out to target segments, sourcing & screening profiles as well as managing the process flow. This helps them in building efficiencies and investing time & effort in value adding activities like research around talent mapping & candidate engagement.