Explore Being a Technical Recruiter with Lisa Stanford

cz: Briefly describe your job.

Technical Recruiter for a professional services firm that works with Fortune 1000 clients across the United States. My primary focus is placing technical consultants.

cz: How long have you been working in this field?

I have been a recruiter for over 15 years.

cz: When and how did you decide to choose this career?

After graduating from college, I engaged a recruiting firm to assist me in finding a job, after a few interviews with them they asked if I would like to join their company as a recruiter.

cz: What education and training did you receive before entering your field?

I have a degree in marketing but I have also received additional certifications in both human resources and recruiting/sourcing in order to further my career.

cz: How did you begin OR what was your first job in the field?

I placed administrative personnel for a staffing agency.

cz: Describe a typical day on the job?

My job primarily consist of speaking to potential candidates on the phone regarding open positions. I also source candidates via the internet, job boards, social networks etc.

cz: What do you like most about what you do?

I find this job very rewarding as I am able to assist people further their careers.

cz: What has been the most rewarding experience so far in your career?

Anytime I am able to match a great candidate with a very rewarding job and help them further their career. It can be a life-changing experience for many.

cz: What do you like least about your job?

This job is not always “black and white”. You have to have good intuition to be a good recruiter. Unfortunately, some people are not always as forthright as they should be when it comes to looking for a job.

cz: What is the biggest challenge for you in this job?

In addition to the answer to the last question, it has been the ever changing economy. You have to learn how to adjust to the market. It’s either very candidate or company driven. This last recession proved to be very challenging for most recruiters, some even left the industry.

cz: What would you like to say to someone considering this career?

It’s a fantastic career, one that as mentioned before can be very challenging. However, I would tell people going into this career to do their homework. This is not a career for someone that can’t handle pressure or is not “tough skinned” so to speak.

cz: What are the most important personal and professional skills necessary to succeed in your field?

Great Communication skills are an absolute must but also the ability to listen to your candidates and client is very important. As mentioned before, you also need to have great intuition and be able to adjust to the market as needed.

cz: What would a person interested in entering this field have to do to get a good job in it?

For many corporate recruiters, they can obtain a degree in human resources and start off as an entry- level recruiter or recruiting coordinator. For individuals who are very driven, and could be a good candidate for a sales job, they can start off as an entry level recruiter in a staffing agency such as myself.

cz: What could someone who is interested in this field do to learn more about it right now?

When I started in this field I actually spent a day with a recruiter while she was working her desk. I got to see exactly what she did, I also had many conversations with other recruiters to get a day in their life, challenges etc.

cz: Is there any general advice you would like to offer to students on making a career choice or on work life itself?

Make sure you pick a professional you love. If you don’t love what you do you won’t be as successful as those who do.