Agency Recruiting can provide a tremendous career path for the right type of person, but what is the right type of person? The first non negotiable to being an agency recruiter is you must truly want to be in sales. Sure, there are many other aspects to the position, and to being a good recruiter, but first and most importantly, every good agency recruiter knows they want to be in sales. We have hired people who wanted to be in sales, or had previous sales experience, and we have learned that agency recruiting is not for everyone. It’s a highly competitive industry where certain focuses are a must. What are they? How do you become a top agency recruiter once you realize you have a strong passion for sales? Here are our top 5 tips to making agency recruiting work for you:
1. Learn the Business
- Understand the roles you’re hiring for: Know the key responsibilities, required skills, and how success is measured.
- Understand your industry: Trends, key players, and competitive dynamics help you speak knowledgeably with candidates and hiring managers.
2. Master Your Tools
- Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Learn your company’s ATS inside out.
- LinkedIn and sourcing platforms: Get comfortable with Boolean searches and outreach strategies.
- CRM/Email tools: Keep candidate communications organized and timely.
3. Build Relationships
- With hiring managers: Understand their needs, preferences, and communication styles. Be their partner, not just a service provider.
- With candidates: Be genuine, responsive, and respectful. Even rejections should be handled with care—people remember how you made them feel.
4. Prioritize QUALITY Over QUANTITY
- Don’t just fill the pipeline—fill it with relevant, well-vetted candidates. Understand that a great hire is more valuable than a fast hire.
5. Communicate Clearly and Often
- Set expectations upfront (timelines, process, feedback).
- Keep everyone in the loop—no one likes to be ghosted or surprised.
When you are starting out in a new recruiting role- understand you are playing the long game. Perfect your process, focus on quality, don’t chase fees- but rather, chase good candidates. The second that fees become paramount over the process- you’ve lost.
Focus on the process, and the fees will chase you! For more information on Cornerstone Recruiting, or to apply for a career as an agency recruiter, click here: www.csrecruiting.com