Think of a recruiter as a type of matchmaker. Instead of helping people find their dream mate, recruiters help people find their dream jobs. Recruiters work in almost every profession. There are Chemical Recruiters, medical recruiters, financial recruiters, and education recruiters all working to match qualified candidates with the employers who need their skills.

How Do You Become a Recruiter?

Recruiting is a specialty within the field of human services. Titles such as career advisor, human resource manager, and training manager are sometimes used instead of the term recruiter. In most cases, a bachelor’s degree in human resources is needed. A degree in a related field such as business or psychology may also be accepted.  In addition to HR experience, someone interested in recruiting would need to build his network, continue his education, and learn about the industry he wishes to recruit for.

Along with deep industry knowledge, a successful recruiter also needs the following skills:

• Empathy
• Interpersonal skills and ability to communicate
• Sales skills
• Good organization and attention to detail
• Friendly and comfortable meeting/speaking with new people
• Problem-solving

What do Chemical Recruiters Do?

Chemical recruiters find executives and other upper-management employees to work in the field of specialty chemicals. This may include the manufacturing, distribution, or use of specialty chemicals such as in food and beverage. A chemical recruiter needs an in-depth understanding of industry-specific practices and the skills needed to succeed in the field.

Once hired, a recruiter gets to work finding highly qualified job seekers to fill an opening. No matter the specifics, all chemical recruiters follow the same basic steps:

• Meet with the client to understand the qualifications needed for the position and the company culture and overall expectations
• Post jobs on relevant job boards and/or social media sites. Experienced recruiters will also have their own network for searching for potential candidates.
• Research and screen applicants and check references
• Schedule interviews. Interviews are crucial to identify both the hard and soft skills needed for the job. Recruiters never want to present unqualified candidates to their clients.
• Present the most promising candidates to the employer. Ultimately, it is not the job of the recruiter to decide who to hire. The client is responsible for making the final decision. It is the job of the chemical recruiter to find several excellent candidates for the client to choose from.
• Assist with negotiations once an applicant is hired. If appropriate, a chemical recruiter might also assist with onboarding.
• Follow up with both the client and the candidate to make sure the relationship is satisfactory

Who Pays Whom?

A recruiter can be an employee of one company and recruit specifically for that company, or she might work for an independent recruiting agency. When hired independently, she is paid by the client, not the job candidate. In either case, a recruiter’s fee should never be contingent on the salary range of the job. An independent recruiter only gets paid if one of her recruits is hired.

The field of human services and recruitment is a growing one. It takes knowledge and instinct to be a good recruiter, but there is great satisfaction in helping employers and employees succeed.