5 Traits of a Superstar Tech Recruiter

If you’re a tech recruiter, you’ll know all too well that it isn’t always a walk in the park. You really need to have your wits about you if you want to attract top-notch talent when you’re in such a competitive and candidate-driven market. We’ve always said that the hiring game is much like a courtship and that is without a doubt the case when it comes to tech recruiting. You simply can’t expect candidates to come running to you if you’re not willing to put the work in on your side. So today we’re listing the 5 traits that we think make a superstar tech recruiter. Do you fit the bill?

Trait #1: Understanding what candidates want

It’s important to know what candidates want no matter what area of recruitment you specialise in, but it’s particularly important if you’re a tech recruiter. For example, did you know that salary is what most developers say they care about most when considering a new job opportunity? Or what about the insight that developers consider the most annoying aspect of their job search to be the interview process? Were you aware that developers who work remotely are more likely to love their job than other developers? Without knowing insights into what tech candidates want, how can you expect them to be even remotely interested in what you have to say?

Trait #2: A genuine interest in the Informational Technology industry

The IT industry is evolving at lightning speed, so if you want to be a half-decent tech recruiter, you not only need to be clued into developments in the field, but you also have to actually want to learn about them. The easiest way for someone to soak up information is when it’s on a topic that they are genuinely interested in. Therefore, tech-savvy recruiters make the best tech recruiters. It only makes sense.

Trait #3: An understanding of IT lingo

Scratch that. You don’t just need to have an understanding of the lingo. You need to know how to speak the language fluently. If you’re a tech recruiter, you have to be able to hold real conversations with professionals. If you try to bluff your way through an exchange with a candidate, you’re going to be exposed as a fraud.

Let’s not forget, if you’re a developer, you’re probably used to getting dozens of inMails, tweets, and emails every week from recruiters promising you the sun, moon, and stars. Tech professionals are well aware of the fact that they’re in high demand. So don’t be surprised if when you’re speaking to a potential candidate, they turn the tables and start to quiz you. At the end of the day, why would they want to deal with a tech recruiter who doesn’t know their front-end from their back-end!

Trait #4: A competitive edge

Recruitment is a competitive industry. Tech recruiting is like recruitment on steroids. Candidates are in high demand and short stock, so being a mediocre recruiter will get you nowhere fast. In order to hook the cream of the crop, you have to be prepared to go the extra mile. This means standing out from the crowd. Looking for talent in places that you wouldn’t necessarily think of, reaching out to potential candidates through the channels that they’re most open to hearing from you on, and impressing them with your knowledge of the industry.

Trait #5: Attentiveness

If you have any shot of engaging tech professionals, keeping things vague just ain’t the way to go. You need to be as transparent as possible, not only when you’re initially speaking to potential candidates, but also throughout the entire interview process. Ignoring emails and phone calls, not having your facts straight about what the job is, who they’ll be answering to and what their salary is will – these are exactly the types of things that will get you blacklisted by tech candidates. If you want to be a superstar tech recruiter, you need to have the candidate in mind at all times.

So how do you measure up – do you think you have what it takes to be a great tech recruiter? Luckily, SocialTalent has dedicated tech recruiter training that can help you level-up.