recruiters

Recruiters are professionals responsible for attracting and selecting candidates to fill job openings. They can work inside an organization as internal recruiters (often part of the human resources or talent acquisition function) or for external firms that place candidates on behalf of client companies. Some operate as executive search specialists focused on senior roles; others are generalist agency recruiters handling a range of positions. Recruitment may be conducted on a contingency basis (payment upon successful hire) or on a retained basis (paid to conduct a search regardless of outcome).

Core duties include collaborating with hiring managers to define job requirements, developing sourcing strategies, screening applicants, coordinating interviews, and presenting shortlists. They may also negotiate offers and facilitate onboarding.

Sourcing channels include job boards, company careers sites, professional networks, employee referrals, and social media; many rely on applicant tracking systems (ATS) and candidate relationship management (CRM) tools to manage pipelines and data.

The recruitment process typically comprises needs assessment, description and posting, candidate sourcing, screening (resume review, phone or video screening), interviewing, reference checks, offer management, and onboarding. Assessment methods may include structured interviews, skills tests, and cultural fit evaluations.

Performance is often tracked with metrics such as time-to-fill, quality of hire, cost-per-hire, candidate conversion rates, and candidate experience scores.

Legal and ethical considerations include compliance with equal employment opportunity laws, privacy and data protection, and appropriate use of background checks and references.