What Do People Think You Do?
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When I say I’m a tech recruiter, most people don’t know what to think. Some think a recruiter is someone who works with the unemployed and finds anyone and everyone a job or that a recruiter is a human resource professional who helps with staffing and benefits.
What Do You Really Do?
As a technical recruiter, my trade is specialized, and I work with a certain type of tech engineer. There are many types of tech engineers; software developers, data scientists, IT managers, system administrators, information security, web developers, and more. I specialize in one area. My clients are the companies that pay me to fill their job openings and the candidates I place.
Some recruiters are in-house recruiters working for one company, but I work for as many clients (companies) as I can. I speak with CEOs, CTO,s and VPs of Engineering to analyze their hiring needs and deliver solutions. I build business relationships with my client companies to help them find the right candidates. I build business relationships with my candidates and work with them to achieve their career goals.
A Day In The Life
I may get up at 4:30 AM to have a conference call with the VP of Engineering on the East Coast as I’m on the West Coast. And then, after the call, follow up via call/email with the human resource manager that works with them. I work remotely so if I’m tired, I may go back to sleep and wake up in an hour to check my email/voicemail and start my day. I follow up on anything urgent first and then start making calls.
I may reformat the resume of my current candidate, write a marketing script and make 100 cold calls a day to new companies interested in their skill set. I call my current clients and ask if they are interested in a potential position I found. I send out emails to follow up on the calls and also send out emails to prospective candidates that may have interest in my current job openings.
I call and interview candidates usually in the evening, so I’m not speaking to them while they are at work. I do this well into the evening. I have even interviewed candidates at 12 AM in the morning to fit into their schedules. I ask everyone for referrals. I guide my candidates through the entire hiring process and speak to them and the client company after each part of the interview process.
It’s in my best interest to have both parties get the best possible outcome for themselves, as they are both my clients. I also negotiate my fees with each client company and send and collect fees for job placements. Candidates are never charged a fee. I follow up with candidates and client companies after placement.
Most deals are time-sensitive – not every opening closes as there is competition from other recruiters, and one must be working on several openings at a time. Deals can take a week to 6 months to close.
What’s The Average Income?
$50,000-$70,000 for In-house tech recruiters, $150,000 or up for others.
What Education If Any Is Needed?
A college degree is recommended but not necessary for some opportunities. Business/sales and marketing, computer science/engineering, communications, and psychology degrees preferred.
Something Important To Know
You should be comfortable making 100 cold calls a day, with the majority saying NO. This is more than just a 9 to 5 job, and it’s performance-based. However, the job can be very rewarding if it fits you well.