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Recruiter Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

A Recruiter, or a Staffing Specialist, is essential for filling open positions and ensuring businesses have the staff they need. Their duties include creating and posting job descriptions, reviewing and analyzing resumes, and contacting potential candidates to schedule interviews.

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Recruiter duties and responsibilities

Recruiters contact people with qualifications they’re looking for and invite them to apply for open positions. They may also speak to university students about to graduate with majors relevant to the industry about their employer. Some recruiters work in education. They go to secondary schools and encourage students to apply to the post-secondary institute they work for. They inform students about available courses and amenities, and other impressive details about the school and location. Other duties and responsibilities in a Recruiter job description may include:

  • Working with department heads to create training programs
  • Communicating with Hiring Managers to decide on qualifications for positions
  • Reaching out to people with relevant education and experience
  • Answering questions from applicants
  • Conducting and analyzing surveys of applicants and Hiring Managers to choose efficient recruiting and hiring methods
  • Using software to analyze resumes and find candidates
  • Holding preliminary interviews on the phone or in-person
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Recruiter Job Description Examples:

What does a Recruiter do?

Recruiters identify current and future staffing needs, advertise open positions, keep detailed records about candidates, and guide applicants through the recruiting process. They describe businesses to potential employees and explain why they are appealing places to work. Recruiters help companies decide what salaries are appropriate for open positions and which benefits and amenities to highlight to entice candidates to apply with a company.

Recruiter skills and qualifications

Successful Recruiters are persuasive, polite, and professional. They can work with a variety of people and personalities and stay calm while resolving conflicts. Some top skills and qualifications for Recruiters include:

  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
  • Excellent organization and time management skills
  • Ability to work under pressure to fill positions
  • Ability to make presentations to large groups of applicants
  • Understanding of the products or services the business provides and the industry the company works in
  • Familiarity with social media and the internet
  • Thorough knowledge of employment laws

Recruiter experience requirements

Most Recruiter jobs require at least a year of experience in human resources or personnel administration, and many ask for experience in recruitment or management as well. Some companies ask for more than five years of experience, and they prefer people who worked in the same industry.

Recruiter education and training requirements

Most Recruiter jobs require a bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, personnel management, psychology, industrial relations, or a similar field. Some employers will consider people with an associate degree. They often prefer candidates with a certification in human resources, such as the Chartered Professional in Human Resources designation. It requires an exam and yearly continuing education classes. On-the-job training is usually needed as well.

Recruiter salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Recruiter is $52,431 per year. Individual pay levels depend on education, skill, experience levels, the company, and the location.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Recruiter isn’t exactly what your organization is searching for, some similar job description samples include:

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Recruiter job description FAQs

What's a typical day like for a Recruiter?

Recruiters typically work for staffing or employment agencies that serve various organizations, and Headhunters work directly for the companies that they find job candidates for. Headhunters contact people who may not be actively searching for jobs to invite them to apply for open positions. People looking for jobs come to Recruiters who use their contacts with different businesses to find them a position that’s suitable for their skills.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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