Finding Your Place in the IT Sphere as an IT Recruiter: Pros and Cons of the Profession, Job Features
Skilled and experienced workers are a valuable resource that the best companies want to get their hands on and for which there is a constant headhunt. Properly selected staff get the maximum benefit from cooperation for themselves and make a direct investment in the growth of the company’s profits. Usually, recruiters are involved in the selection of such specialists, whose task is to determine the ideal candidate for the position, depending on the needs of the business. However, the dynamic development of the IT sphere was the impetus for the emergence of a new direction in the field of recruitment called IT recruitment.
An IT recruiter is a specialist engaged in the recruitment of personnel for the IT field. Unlike a regular recruiter, he should not only be well versed in the staffing processes but also have an excellent understanding of the specifics of all professions related to software, its development, and technical support. This skill allows the IT recruiter to assess the applicant properly. Without a minimum of technical knowledge and a full understanding of what a particular professional does, a recruiter can give the green light to a specialist with insufficient skills and knowledge or reject the resume of a talented developer.
Digital technologies are increasingly being introduced into our daily lives and spheres of activity every year, so the demand for IT specialists will only grow, as will the demand for recruiters who can bring together suitable workers and businesses. But, of course, headhunters must have the skills themselves to help make this happen.
Typical Requirements for an IT Recruiter – Making Their Professional Portrait
Let’s start with the fact that the profession of any recruiter, including in the IT field, is directly related to working with people. Therefore, soft skills like communication skills, finding a common language, and stress resistance are very important here. Furthermore, in addition to the typical tasks of a recruiter, such as making a list of requirements for an applicant, correctly writing the text of a vacancy announcement, negotiating with applicants, the recruiter also interacts with the head of the company. Therefore, one cannot do without competent speech, as well as without sincere love for communicating with people.
In order to complete all tasks and achieve the goal, the recruiter must also be independent and self-organized. The ability to effectively use your time is directly reflected in the number of vacancies you fill.
IT recruiting is an area where some hard skills are an important asset, and the more you want to delve into it, the better. Of course, you do not need to understand all the nuances of every IT profession in your enterprise; you can choose one or several areas for yourself, for example, testing, and expand your horizons only in it. Nevertheless, it is important for an IT recruiter to speak with an IT specialist in the same language, that is, to use the same terms, to be able to explain the direct responsibilities, to assess the professionalism and personal qualities of the applicant.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Profession
Of course, it is not advisable to be guided only by high incomes in the IT sector, but specialists for whom recruiting is their true vocation will be able to count on constant personal development and high salaries, which will gradually increase depending on the performance of the recruiter.
Love for communication and helping people will only bring you more pleasure because you will see how worthy specialists get a job in the company of their dreams and do what they love. IT recruiters are constantly at the center of events. They know not only about everything that is happening in the company but also keep up with modern trends in the field in terms of their work. Working as a recruiter helps make useful contacts and communicate with various interesting people and professionals to get invaluable experience.
What about the pitfalls of this profession? Being aware of the complexities of working as an IT recruiter is as important as knowing the benefits. Perhaps after visiting an interview and talking with a recruiter, you have often thought about how much patience they need to do their job successfully. However, their direct responsibility is to be in constant touch because candidates and managers can address important questions after working hours.
It often happens that it is impossible to quickly fill a vacancy due to certain reasons – at some stage, it turns out that the candidate cannot cope with the duties or is not ready to accept the offer. It is especially difficult for beginners and junior recruiters who expect a quick work result but are not ready because people are different, and their circumstances can change at the last minute.
As already mentioned, IT recruiters need to understand technical information, which can become difficult, for example, for a person with a liberal arts education. The willingness to constantly evolve and analyze large volumes of complex information is very important for IT recruiters.
If a person wants to work with personnel in IT, they must be ready to learn and maintain a positive attitude constantly. It should be remembered that the work of an IT recruiter will make a significant contribution to the development of the company by selecting the best candidates for positions. At the same time, these specialists can see how their work bears fruit with their own eyes.