How to Get Hired as a Recruiter

I’ve worked in recruitment for what feels like 20,000 years, If I had to start job hunting tomorrow, this is what I would do 👇 👉Write a CV that makes sense Make it easy for someone to see why you’re relevant. Include the systems and tools you’ve used, a bit of context on each company, and what you were responsible for. Spell out what success looked like and give actual examples. Constantly challenge yourself to make it shorter. "Awesome, a 7 page CV" said nobody. Ever 👉Sort your LinkedIn profile Your CV gets you through an application. Your LinkedIn gets you found. Job titles matter. Use ones that reflect what you’ve done and what you want next. Add the systems and tools you’ve used – Klaviyo, Shopify, Triple Whale, whatever. Recruiters search for skills (Social Media, Paid Media, SEO), not buzzwords. Use different terms for your niche so you show up however people search. 👉Get in touch with your network This isn't the time to be shy, and it's definitely not the time to be embarrassed if you're either out of work or looking for work. Reach out to people you've worked with in the past. Reach out to people that you trust in your network. Pop them a text message, a LinkedIn message, or call them. You'll be surprised how many people want to help. Trust me on this 👉Warm up your LinkedIn activity Don’t just post “I’m looking for a new role.” Spend time engaging first. Find 10–20 people who are active in your space - at companies you rate or in the network you want to be part of. Like their posts, leave genuine comments. It doesn’t have to be long, just human. 👉Connect with a few good recruiters Two options here. 1) Pick one agency and let them go to market for you. If your skill set’s in demand, a good recruiter will make calls on your behalf, and will have reason to do so if you are working exclusively with them. 2) Contact a few agencies in your niche so you get coverage, knowing no one agency has every job. Only downside is, we’ll know you’re talking to everyone and won't be as proactive. More of a 'if we have a job for you we will call you' deal. 👉Apply for jobs Groundbreaking advice here..... But - still the most common way people get hired. When I was in-house, 50–70% of hires came from direct applications. The more senior you are, the more likely you’ll get headhunted, but either way, cover your bases. That’s it. No hacks, no tricks. Just what I’d actually do.

The job market is extremely tough right now. Many companies are on a hiring freeze, and the jobs that are open are flooded with applications. Here are some ways to stand out amongst other candidates. I’ve personally achieved success with these methods, so check them out, and let me know what you think. 1️⃣ Find the hiring manager on LinkedIn and send them a personalized message. As a recruiter, I rarely get messages about job opportunities that I’ve posted. Out of 150 applicants, 0 message me. If you’re the one who does, you better bet I’m looking at your resume. Go to the search bar on LinkedIn, then search for the company. Click People, then filter out anyone who doesn’t currently work there. Filter by people who currently work at the company. Click on All Filters, scroll down, and find Keywords. Under Title, type titles of hiring managers that you believe would be hiring for your role. “Recruiter” or “Talent Acquisition” “Director [job]” or “Manager [job]. Then click “search”. Scroll through until you’ve found some good options. Connect and send a note OR send an InMail (if you have Premium). Send them something personalized. Don’t just type out the regular “I have 5 years of experience and believe I’m a good fit for this role.” Add in something about the hiring manager’s background that you found on LinkedIn or maybe even something specific about why you are excited to work at that company. Attach your tailored resume, if it’s an InMail. Boom. Send. Count on a 30% response rate. 2️⃣ Go one step further and send a video resume. A video resume is a video of you explaining your unique value add and why you’re a good fit for the position and company. It’s a short video that you can film on your phone that quickly lists your qualifications. Use the hiring manager’s name and give reasons outside of your basic qualifications for why they should interview you. Send it in the InMail. If you don’t have Premium, you’ll have to wait until they accept your connection or find a way to send the video in your application. I guarantee that very few applicants send video resumes. If you do this, you will absolutely stand out. 3️⃣ Connect and message potential coworkers or other potential hiring managers on LinkedIn. Don’t just settle for one message or one connection from the company, send multiple. Companies often have referral bonuses. Message people that work at the company and ask them to refer you. You can also ask if they can tell you the name of the hiring manager. Start the conversation by explaining that you applied to the job opening and hope to connect with them. Wait until they respond and ask for tips to secure an interview. Once the conversation gets going, ask them for the referral or hiring manager’s name. They might not respond, but they also might! Try to get as many referrals as possible to really encourage the hiring managers to look at your application. Focus on the jobs you really want!

How did I get into recruiting? I get this a lot. I didn’t come from tech. I didnt go to school for HR. I started as an intern on the Vans Warped Tour working for a nonprofit. Then landed an admin assistant role. No fancy title, no clearly defined 5 year roadmap. Just hustle. I wasn’t even sure recruiting was a job, but I told people “I want to get paid to be friends with and help people.” Sales commission felt too unstable. Eventually I found my way into higher ed recruiting and realized recruiting is just connecting people to opportunities in a mutually beneficial way. That turned into a career in TA leadership, Strategy, and relationship management in the games industry. If you’re someone interested in recruiting know it’s a tough field to be in but here’s some transferable skills that absolutely count: 1. Project management: You’ve juggled timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables. Recruiting is just a human-centered project pipeline. 2. Communication: You’ve written emails, mediated between teams, built buy-in. Recrtuiting is knowing how to listen and tell a compelling story. 3. Stakeholder management: You’ve supported managers, led meetings, trained others. That’s the other half the job, the internal part. 4. Pattern recognition: Whether it’s vetting vendors, reviewing applications, or identifying what makes someone thrive on a team you’ve been evaluating these things your whole career. 5. Industry knowledge: If you’ve worked in an industry for years, you know the people, the roles, and the real challenges. What can you do next? •Sit in on interviews. Offer to help with onboarding or referrals. •Apply to recruiting roles in your current industry where your knowledge is an asset. •Learn the recruiting lingo: pipelines, sourcing, candidate experience, ATS, TA, all good place to start. •And please, don’t wait for permission. The best recruiters are scrappy and tenacious. You got this!

Thinking of breaking into Talent Acquisition? It’s a rewarding, fast-paced career where you bridge the gap between human potential and business growth. If you're looking to transition into the field, here is the quick playbook to get your foot in the door: -Leverage Transferable Skills: Some of the best recruiters come from Sales, Account Management, and Customer Service. If you can build relationships, listen actively, and manage a pipeline, you can recruit. -Treat the Job Search Like a Recruiting Cycle: Prove you can source and pitch by doing it for yourself. Identify target companies, connect with TA Leaders on LinkedIn, and send personalized outreach. -Learn the Language: Familiarize yourself with industry basics like ATS platforms (Greenhouse, Workday), key metrics (time-to-hire), and basic boolean sourcing. -Start with the Fundamentals: Don’t overlook Agency roles or Recruiting Coordinator (RC) positions. They offer a masterclass in operations, sourcing, and candidate experience. To the TA community: What is the number one piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring recruiter today? 👇 #TalentAcquisition #Recruiting #CareerAdvice #Hiring