It may feel like all you hear about in the working world is tech—and that’s not a coincidence. Tech jobs have exploded lately, particularly in the last year, going from 3.9 million tech job postings in 2020 to 4.79 million by August 2021. While this tidal wave of tech jobs has been a boon for recruiters, it also makes it harder for them to stand out from the crowd. Tech companies want to work with the best of the best and tend to default to who they know can land them the best talent.

So how do you gain their trust? It seems like an impossible task, but you can become a household name in the tech recruiting industry. Although it doesn’t happen overnight, you’ll set yourself apart by understanding how tech recruiting works and embodying all five qualities of a stellar tech recruiter. Let’s dive in.

What Distinguishes Tech Recruiting?

As you might expect, tech recruiting is, well, more technical than other forms of recruiting. Technology job descriptions are filled with jargon and acronyms, and the candidates and hiring managers you’ll be dealing with have STEM backgrounds. But does that mean you need to know how to code or have taken college-level computer science classes to be a tech recruiter? Absolutely not. 

While having IT experience might give you a leg up out of the gate, it doesn’t preclude you from learning how to communicate with candidates and clients. If you work for a staffing agency, your trainers will tell you what you need to know. And you can keep up with the latest programming languages and tech skills by giving yourself your own informal education online. To truly excel, you’ll need to marry your curiosity with desire and dedication. More specifically, you’ll need to exemplify the five qualities of a standout tech recruiter. 

5 Qualities of Top Tech Recruiters

Below are five ways the best tech recruiters impress their clients and candidates. Outstanding recruiters:

• Have a passion for helping others – They want people to nail their interviews and make the client happy. Both parties can tell when great tech recruiters bring their A-game. They have an energy and passion that’s infectious and brings life to the overall recruiting process.

• Can communicate in various formats – As a tech recruiter, you can’t be afraid to talk to strangers—on the phone, over email, or on video calls. Tech recruiting is a numbers game, so the more you contact people, the more potential matches you’ll get. New tech recruiters might be nervous when they start cold calling, but as we like to remind them, “everybody puts their pants on one leg at a time.” Remember, candidates are nervous to talk to you, too!

• Are good listeners – They take the time to listen to exactly what hiring managers are looking for. By the same token, recruiters also need to be listening intently to candidates, taking note of any red flags or green light keywords. Letting both sides explain what they need and want out of a partnership makes tech recruiters the ultimate matchmakers.

• Can multitask – As you might imagine, tech recruiting moves lightning-fast these days. There are so many new positions to fill, people to talk to, and things to get done that great tech recruiters have learned to switch gears on a dime. They wear many hats, acting as a project manager, email writer, analyzer, resume scanner, and more.

• Have a solid work ethic – Let’s face it, you need to put in the work to be an excellent tech recruiter. Tech recruiters establish their networks, get skilled at chatting with candidates, and make outbound calls because they are committed and present. They turn off all distractions, leave their phone in another room, and hit the ground running. Clients and candidates can tell and appreciate when recruiters bring their full selves to work, and it pays off!

Take It a Day at a Time

Now, trying to master all five of these qualities at once will be overwhelming. But taking it slow and working on these five steps every day will build your network, build your brand, and get your name out there. And when that happens, not only will you be placing people at top companies, you’ll gain more confidence and start to reap the rewards.

Photo Credit: Canva