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Recruitment Specialist Duties and Responsibilities

While a recruitment specialist's role can vary between organizations, they tend to share several core duties across industries and companies:

Identify Potential Candidates One of the foremost duties of the recruitment specialist is identifying potential hires based on applicant resumes and vacant staff positions. The recruitment specialist works closely with department managers and HR professionals to identify critical positions and examine applicant information (including resumes and social media sites) to determine which candidates meet or exceed the position's requirements.

Conduct Screening Interviews Recruitment specialists meet directly with job candidates to conduct screening interviews. In these interviews, the recruitment specialist asks a series of questions to determine whether the applicant possesses the necessary skills for the role and whether they seem like a good personality fit for the organization. The recruitment specialist then makes recommendations to the hiring manager for further interviews.

Create Job Postings Recruitment specialists help craft and post job listings on job recruitment boards and other websites to attract skilled applicants. In this aspect of the role, the recruitment specialist works closely with department and hiring managers to identify the role's key duties and core competencies along with any educational or certification requirements before posting the job and opening it to applicants.

Coordinate Recruitment Activities In many organizations, the recruitment specialist works with recruiters and hiring managers to coordinate a range of recruitment activities that can include job fairs and campus events to recruit upcoming graduates. In this aspect of the role, the recruitment specialist works to align overall recruitment activities with organizational goals for hiring and retention. They may also prepare reports related to the results of these efforts and activities.

Support Fair Hiring Practices Many recruitment specialists support overall company adherence to fair hiring practices by periodically reviewing hiring and interviewing processes and assessing job postings to ensure that they are free of discriminatory language. This part of the job requires that the recruitment specialist possesses a thorough understanding of the Fair Labor Standards Act and other employment laws and takes the necessary steps to bring their organization into compliance.

Develop Retention Strategies Finally, some recruitment specialists help their organizations maintain quality talent by developing and enacting organization-wide retention strategies. The recruitment specialist may assess data related to departing employees to determine whether there are structural or organization-wide reasons for staff vacancies. They then develop strategies or make recommendations to reduce employee turnover and enhance employee quality of life.

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Recruitment Specialist Skills and Qualifications

Recruitment specialists help companies meet their staffing needs by identifying and acquiring talented job applicants. Companies tend to hire candidates with at least a bachelor's degree, two to three years of recruiting experience, and the following skills:
  • Technical skills - many recruitment specialists use web-based technologies and social media to support recruiting efforts, so computer and technical skills are frequently essential in this role
  • Networking - recruitment specialists should be skilled networkers, able to build professional relationships and identify opportunities to connect individuals in their networks with opportunities
  • Team coordination - recruitment specialists tend to work with teams of other recruiters, so they should be able to effectively coordinate team activities to achieve common goals
  • Analytical thinking - in order to examine applicant resumes and other credentials to find suitable candidates for positions within their organizations, recruitment specialists need excellent analytical skills
  • Communication skills - written and verbal communication are important in this position, as recruitment specialists must effectively communicate with job candidates and managers within their organizations
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Recruitment Specialist Education and Training

Typically, recruitment specialists have at least a bachelor's degree in a related field such as human resources. However, some recruitment specialists can find employment with an associate's degree and several years of experience in the field. There are many opportunities for on-the-job training in this role as recruitment specialists expand their skill sets through collaboration with other recruiters and learn more effective techniques to attract and locate talent.
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Recruitment Specialist Salary and Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that human resources specialists, including recruitment specialists, earn a median annual salary of $60,350. The highest-paid 10 percent of workers in this role earn more than $103,570 per year, while the lowest-paid HR specialists earn less than $35,810 annually. The BLS expects employment for HR specialists to grow 7 percent by 2026, with the highest concentration of growth in outsourced staffing and recruitment firms.
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Helpful Resources

If you'd like to learn more about working as a recruitment specialist, we located several resources on the web for further reading and information:

Association of Talent Acquisition Professionals - ATAP is a professional organization for recruiters and recruitment specialists that provides career development advice and networking opportunities

The Recruiter's Handbook: A Complete Guide for Sourcing, Selecting, and Engaging the Best Talent - this guide provides practical advice and best practices for successful recruitment and talent acquisition

"9 Best Practices in Recruiting Top Talent" - read this blog post to learn about effective recruitment techniques and methods to attract and retain talented and dedicated employees

Recruiting in the Age of Googlization: When the Shift Hits Your Plan - Ira S. Wolfe's 2017 book examines the effects of changing technology on recruitment methods and best practices

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