How to nail your recruiting interview: how to become a recruiter?

Do the things that you do for a living now have anything to do with the things that you may have imagined doing when you were 18 years old?

It’s unlikely, so don’t panic if you haven’t figured out what to do just yet; life is full of unexpected twists and turns.

After I finished school, I had no idea what I wanted to accomplish with my life.

I therefore went on job boards and scrolled through the various job opportunities available until I came across this job ad: no experience required because they were offering training, but also, they were promoting meritocracy, uncapped commission, clear career path with great career opportunities and equal chances.

The light went on, and it piqued my interest!

So, I applied for the job,

Thinking that, maybe, an introvert who is not particularly chatty would not be a good fit for a career that primarily requires connecting and pairing people…

How exactly did I manage to sway their opinion?

In this article, I’m going to leverage not just my own personal experience, but also what I’ve learnt over the course of so many years working in recruiting, to assist you in securing your first position in this exciting business.

What qualifications do you need to become a recruiter ?

And before we go any further, just in case you are interested in learning more about the requirements for becoming a recruitment consultant, here they are.

To break it down into its most basic components, the most crucial thing for you to realize at this level is that the staffing sector is one that hires primarily based on attitude and trains for abilities.

Therefore, whether you have a degree or not, whether you have experience or not, everyone literally has a shot.

The mistake not to make with a recruiter

Now for the first of my many errors.

During the initial interview, the recruiter inquired as to my motivations for submitting my application.

And I responded, “because I’m interested in recruiting,” and the recruiter then asked me, “Okay, have you applied to any other staffing agencies?”

And I am aware that it would make a poor impression to say no.

So, I said, yes.

The following inquiry was, “Okay, where did you submit your application?”

And of course, there was no way for me to respond as I was actually not applying anywhere..

It was my first mistake to think that it was possible to con a recruiter. The person you are going to meet has talked to and interviewed thousands of candidates. No matter how intelligent you believe yourself to be, there is no way that you can con an experienced recruitment consultant.

Believe me when I say that they know when you try to do so even if they try to make you believe otherwise.

Honesty is key

Do not ever lie to a recruiter in an effort to impress them, and if there is something you do not know, do not be afraid to admit it.

Be prepared : research

The second way to prevent this from happening is to go into the interview prepared, as my second mistake was to believe that simply repeating what was in their job description would be sufficient. However, this is not the case.

As I’ve mentioned before, it is not necessary for you to have any previous experience; nevertheless, you do need to demonstrate interest because they will invest in you.

And here are two helpful and simple pointers to prepare you for any interview and indicate that you are interested in the position.

And since studying a company’s rivals is the most effective method for learning about its operations, you should Google the company in question and identify its three primary competitors – staffing agencies that cover markets that are comparable.

And it is even better If you are able to identify the primary distinctions between them. After reading the content on their websites, it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes and will drastically increase your chances.

Not only will mentioning those names during the interview demonstrate that you are not here by chance, but it will also provide you with additional possibilities, including additional staffing agencies to which you can submit your application.

Ask questions

The easiest approach to demonstrate interest is to ask questions. This brings us to our next point.

Therefore, do not be afraid to ask questions while you are being interviewed.

It is a dialogue in both directions, and it will go more smoothly if you can think of a few questions to ask beforehand.

Understand what it takes to do the job

And demonstrating interest in the topic at hand and being well-prepared are both excellent first steps, but they are not sufficient on their own.

You need to demonstrate that you understand the job, that you understand what is required of you, that you understand how demanding the job is, and that you understand what it means for the job to be in sales.

You are going to have to cope with a lot of people rejecting you.

Because not everyone can deal with that, regardless of how good the reward is, use anything from your background, personal or professional, to demonstrate that you feel comfortable and confident to deal with it. You will have to handle ups and downs, frustration, and you will have to deal with pressure in a competitive and result oriented environment.

When I was a student, for instance, I worked in call center.

It demonstrated that I was resilient, that I was ready to move outside of my comfort zone, and actually played significantly in my favor to win the job. In other words, I knew what cold calling was and I knew what selling over the phone was.

However, it’s also possible that you competed in some sort of sport at some point in your life, which required you to remain calm and collected under intense pressure.

In all honesty, it might be anything; however, simply knowing and having experience with some of the difficulties associated with the job will not suffice to persuade them that you will be able to deal with them during the course of your career there.

What is your drive ?

Because, while the job is difficult, it does come with a reward, and you need to demonstrate that to them in some way. That reward is what keeps you going: unlimited commission, ongoing learning, making an impact on the lives of other people, possibilities to improve, amazing career opportunities, and so on.

What is it that will motivate you to carry on even when things are difficult?

Why do you do what you do?

Be authentic and drop the mask

A recruiter interview is a very unconventional interview, so you can say and I would even say, you should say things that you would never say in a traditional interview because anyone can say things like “I want money” or “I want to be successful,” but when you challenge someone on his way, you can really see who means it, and that’s what they’re going to do.

And that’s the most important piece of advice that I can give you: be authentic and drop the mask.

They will dig deep in an effort to comprehend the history, which can be emotionally draining for all involved.

Be ready for confrontation

Don’t even bother trying to fake it; instead, just embrace the confrontation and get ready for it.

Be ready for people to say things about you that you have probably never spoken before, or at the very least, not out loud.

The following piece of advice is really vital because I come across that mistake far too frequently.

It’s okay to be different

Listen up, in the event that someone has ever asked you a question that you don’t feel completely at ease answering since you are unsure of how it will be interpreted by others.

You didn’t graduate high school, your resume has a gap in it, you switch professions a lot, ..

Keep in mind that until you give it significance, the situation will not become significant on its own.

It all depends on how you perceive and live it.

Within the recruitment profession, we have a really open mindset, and no one will ever condemn nor judge you.

Therefore, don’t avoid the question, don’t freak out, and project self-assurance.

It is not helpful to look for justifications or make excuses because everything hinges on how you carry yourself and the impression that you give off.

Don’t act like you’ve been wronged. Because of this situation, this event took place, and the lesson I took away from it is that I should go on with my life.

Always be closing

That sums it up nicely. And as a final piece of advice, always be closing, ABC, process control, being proactive, and always being one step ahead are essential to being successful in the recruitment industry.

You are currently in the position to demonstrate that you already possess this quality to its fullest potential, therefore seize the chance!

Could you help walk me through the procedure and tell me how many steps there are in total?

What should I do now?

When should I anticipate hearing from you again?

When do you anticipate making a final decision on this matter?

Et cetera.

These are the questions that you need to ask, and after that, you need to take the initiative.

Be proactive

For instance, you might send them a thank-you email the following day, or even better, you could give them a call and reiterate your interest in the role while also attempting to close them once more on when you should have the feedback.

Conclusion

The most crucial thing is to demonstrate that you understand.

That you understand that this is a sales job and what that entails, that you are prepared to have your drive challenged, and that you can demonstrate the following skills and qualities: that you are eager to learn, that you are coachable, that you are proactive, that you are ambitious, that you are resilient, and that you are a good fit for a meritocracy.