A career in recruitment isn't easy.

Many people might think it's simple - matching candidates to jobs, but there is a huge amount of EQ required that goes into making it all come together. We'll look at the importance of both the 'art' and the 'science' involved in developing a successful career in recruitment today.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines art as “a skill acquired by experience, study, or observation.” It is in that definition that recruitment is an art — through experience and observation, recruiters can detect whether a candidate is a good fit or not. However, to be truly effective we cannot forget the science, especially thanks to huge advancements in both technology and data analytics.

The art of recruitment

The first thing to understand is that recruitment is a process. It involves sourcing, screening, and ultimately matching candidates with open positions. The best recruiters are able to find the perfect candidate for each role they fill - this requires both an in-depth understanding of the market and an ability to read people. You could say it's a sixth sense and recruiters will often talk about 'gut feeling' if they believe they have found a great match. Despite advancements in various automation in the industry - recruitment still demands a high level of human interaction as we aren't dealing with robots, and every situation is different.

To understand what a candidate is looking for in their next role and match them with the right opportunity, you need to practice active listening, be able to build rapport quickly and be able to ask the right questions and dig deep to extract answers. It's also about detecting and determining if someone isn't being completely truthful.

No doubt that good recruiters are also good salespeople. They're able to sell the role, the company, and the opportunity to the candidate without overselling, sounding scripted, or coming across as pushy. But it’s more than that – those who carve out successful long-term careers in recruitment see past chasing the fee and focus on genuinely sharing their market knowledge on why a certain move is good for your career. Trusted and experienced recruiters will be able to help candidates identify these opportunities and as a result often work with individuals over multiple roles during their career.

Successful recruiters are natural communicators who build relationships easily. They put people at ease and make them feel comfortable sharing information. They also build and nurture relationships over time - recruitment is about the long game, it's not about making a quick placement, it's about developing relationships with both candidates and clients that will last.

Running a process from start to finish requires an investment of time and energy - skilled recruiters are organised and can manage their time efficiently to ensure they're making the most of every opportunity. They know how to prioritise and focus on the tasks that will yield a result.

The science of recruitment

Science, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “something that may be studied or learned like systematised knowledge.” As we mentioned above, recruitment is a process and therefore by systematically looking at each part of the process, breaking it down into knowledge and best practices that can then be applied and trained. Does our advertising strategy reach candidates, does our brand resonate with candidates and clients, are we looking for candidates in the right place?

While the art of recruitment is about understanding people and being able to build relationships, the science of recruitment is all about the data. Great recruiters can use data to their advantage, sourcing candidates through job boards, social media, and other online channels. They know how to find the right keywords for efficient and effective searching. They know which companies or industries to look at whether it's sourcing candidates from specific platforms or using applicant tracking systems.

Recruitment is also a numbers game. The more candidates you reach out to, the higher your chances of finding the right person for the job. Likewise, with finding roles to place candidates into, there is a necessity to reach out to a wide pool of potential hiring managers and good recruiters will work smartly to leverage off existing networks to open doors. But it's not just about numbers - quality is just as important as quantity. Industry professionals will use data to their advantage and use tools to help them make informed decisions. There are a number of metrics and KPI's in recruitment that recruiters and recruitment leaders can use to measure performance. Great recruiters will look at their 'match statistics' for example, embrace these and look at ways to improve for the season ahead. It might be looking at conversion rates on shortlists to interviews or interviews to offers etc. Those in it for the long haul will focus on making refinements each 'game' they play.

Today's recruiter is tech-savvy and uses a variety of tools to help them source, screen, and ultimately match candidates with open positions. Technology has made it easier than ever before to connect with candidates all over the world and connect fast (teeing up a video meeting for that day rather than having to schedule a time to meet in person for example), and great recruiters know the value of this.

To be a successful recruiter, you need to be able to master both the art and the science of recruitment. By understanding people and using data to your advantage, you'll be able to develop and refine your skills with each interaction and process. You will also need to market yourself effectively, network with the right people and always be on the lookout for new opportunities. The best recruiters are proactive and have a strong sense of self-awareness. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and they're constantly looking for ways to improve.

So, all in all, you really can't have one without the other. The art and science of recruitment are both important in finding the right candidate for the job. The best recruiters know how to use both to their advantage.

What do you think? Is recruitment more of an art or a science? Let us know in the comments below! We'd love to hear from both experinced recrutiers as well as those looking to explore a career in the field. Reach out to Ben Boulos at West Recruitment to open to a conversation today.