When you’re a King, you don’t need long introductions or lengthy leads, because, well, people already know you rule. So straight to the good stuff – 23 tips guaranteed to make you a better recruiting professional (or at least a competent one).  Without further ado:

  1. Don’t become a LinkedIn Junkie.
  2. Use old recruiting methods. Easy to use and cheap to execute. Also, they’ve always worked. This is why the industry exists.
  3. Get most of your information from leaders in the industry. Don’t know what to do? Ask someone that you work with. Can’t figure it out, read a blog.
  4. Ask questions. No shame in asking a question. It makes the other person an expert. It also gives them a boost to their ego – people like to have a boost to their ego.
  5. Use the phone instead of solely relying on emails. You need to engage your candidates. The number one engagement tool – the telephone. Also, don’t just email blast. Email blasts are lazy. Follow up.
  6. Don’t become stagnant or complacent. Recruiting presents a new challenge every day. New recruiters are attempting a go at the industry every day. What have you done to improve lately?
  7. Learn to fix things with your HR partners. Tons of unique scenarios will present themselves. Remember what you learn and apply it in the future. Share these scenarios with others.
  8. Have a specialty that others around you value. Sure, everyone is doing the same thing. How can you get better? Work harder. People work hard to get ahead. Surprised?
  9. Learn a niche skill – sourcing, cold calling, email campaigning, engagement, writing, inmails, market intelligence, people skills, empathy. The list goes on. It’s your for the taking. Try one! Better yet, try them all.
  10. If you get nervous around others – work from home. If you can’t work from home, go in early or stay late. This will help you hone your skills. Also, don’t be nervous. Everyone else was at one time. Remember the playground?
  11. Do people favors. It’s called teamwork. How do people succeed? People helping people. Nobody want to help you? Help someone else. Someone will return the favor.
  12. Be unique. Look around you. What do you see? A sea of recruiters competing for the same talent. Pick anything, but be memorable. You won’t be the only game in town, but you will be someone worthwhile. Provide mutually beneficial relationships for candidates.
  13. If all you have is a list, cold call. Network that list until it is covered in red, black, and blue pen marks. This could lead to information on referrals, job boards, groups, and organizations to look into.
  14. Find work you love. Don’t love recruiting now? It happens. If you don’t love your work, find a way to enjoy the people around you. If you don’t like the people around you, try harder.
  15. Don’t be negative. Bad attitudes are contagious. They are infectious. The negative energy of one person will affect the positivity of a group. In a rut? Go home. Use that day off to clear the head.
  16. Reward yourself. Happy hour is not a reward. Don’t spend all of the money you work hard to earn on booze. Your job will suck less if you save to give yourself rewards once in a while. Set your eyes on a prize and obtain it. Even if it takes a year or two.
  17. Don’t get fancy with your outreach. People like it when you are genuine. Are you trying to be car salesmen on the phone? Do you like car salesmen?
  18. When you talk to leads that are not interested, get referrals. They are talking to you. Don’t throw away a chance for the future. It’s as easy as ABC.
  19. ABC. Always be Closing, but you know that.
  20. Don’t fall in love with your Boolean abilities. Search engines are becoming smarter, technology is willing to help you. Find a happy medium between the two.
  21. Don’t give up. Chances are you are going to bang your head day in and day out. Step away from your desk. It does more good than you think.
  22. Change the life of someone every day. That is a unique thing that recruiters can do every day.
  23. Get back to work. Still reading this? Stop. There are leads to reach. The competition might have just taken away an opportunity. You can take it back.

justin dunnAbout the Author: Justin Dunn is a talent acquisition professional who spent the past few years as cross-functional member of a strategic recruiting team with a focus on hiring engineering talent.

During his time in the industry, he has supported multiple verticals while growing his client credibility across the industry. Justin is an avid advocate of a work hard, play hard mentality. Spending countless hours crafting his skills, he also takes time off to travel the globe.

Follow Justin on Twitter @JustDunn10 or connect with him on LinkedIn.