In today's business environment, hiring a talented recruiter can be an invaluable asset to any company.  An adept recruiter will be able to put a business one step ahead of its competitors by bringing in the absolute best hires available.   One question that comes up over and over when companies are seeking a talented recruiter is: what makes a good recruiter?

Many companies have the outlook of hiring a recruiter purely based on past experience as opposed to the individual's talent potential. A potentially talented recruiter can be taught the ropes and become successful in a matter of months.  Although experience is always important, picking out a top recruiter will take more than looking at somebody's resume.  As with any job or position, there are certain traits that can be associated with success in the corporate recruiting profession.

Using a series of tests conducted by a corporate psychologist, the specific character traits that best serve a recruiter have been fleshed out.  The testing involved both qualitative and quantitative evaluation of candidates, utilizing a series of scripts and conversations.  The environment that a recruiter needs to perform in was also taken into account with the testing – a workplace that requires an eye for technical details, a mind to keep up the rapid pace and a stamina for a high-volume work load.

From the testing came four primary traits that should be inherent to a potential recruiter:  Focus, Adaptability, Confidence and Empathy.

Focus: A great recruiter needs to be able to keep their eye on the end goal while processing a great amount of information.  A recruiter will be collaborating with various individuals throughout the hiring process and getting distracted can come with the territory.  The best recruiters will be able to hone in on the final goal of making the best hire.

Adaptability: Things don't always go as expected in the recruiting world.  A top tier candidate may fall through due to an unexpected reason.  A talented recruiter should be able to adapt (roll with the punches) and make the best of any situation.  Adaptability also equates to an individual's ability to accustom themselves to any established in-house systems, such as applicant tracking software.

Confidence: A great recruiter must have the self-confidence to start producing for a company right away.  Starting out timid and ‘testing the waters' won't help a company break into an incredibly competitive hiring market.  A recruiter should latch their teeth onto a candidate and not let go until the job is done.

Empathy: Empathy is one of the most overlooked traits that should come naturally to any good recruiter. A recruiter should have the ability to empathize with their candidates on a number of levels, including evaluating their backgrounds, emotional responses and overall behavior.  A recruiter should be able to get inside a candidate's head – realize where they are coming from and why they are in their current mindset.  In the end, this empathy will enable the recruiter to make a successful hire.

In today's economy, finding a top tier recruiter should be a priority for any business.  As more jobs become available, finding the best talent out there will only become more difficult.  Only a recruiter, who has the ability to attract and hire top level talent, can put a company one step ahead of its competitors.