Recruiters pride themselves on being experts in valuing and understanding people, yet the never-ending debate as to whether that expertise should be applied in equal weight to their specific niche is a topic discussed at length in the industry.
The reality of the matter is that there is no wrong or right answer.
Here at the Recruiting Gym, we fully advocate that understanding your market is fundamental to your professional and reputational success as a recruiter. What we are not saying is that a Javascript recruiter needs to be able to code. What we are saying is that a Javascript recruiter needs to understand how Javascript fits into the whole tech stack and how the usage of Javascript varies by company size, product, service or sector. With this knowledge, a recruiter is able to engage with clients and candidates at a deeper level than your standard key word matching recruiter.
This is the key to landing placements and hitting targets.
Here are five reasons why we think it’s important to understand the industry you’re recruiting in:
1. Market Knowledge
By gaining an understanding of your industry, you can learn everything there is to know about quality candidates in this sector, as well as stay up to date on the major trends impacting the market.
2. Form Relationships
You’ll gain the ability to engage with and form relationships with both candidates and clients, as you’ll understand how to speak the language they understand and appreciate.
3. Acknowledge Pain Points
You’ll acknowledge your clients’ pain points and be better informed in finding a way to help them overcome their challenges. It is important that the Recruiter understands the business’ unique personality and culture.
4. Provide Valuable Insights
By being knowledgeable on your specific sector and region, you can provide insights and add value to your clients beyond a LinkedIn or Indeed search. This enables you to uphold your commitment to your clients and candidates in finding the best possible match.
5. Belong
Recruiting can be a lonely place and if all you do is screen and post CV’s it is easy to feel like you add little value to the candidates or industry you specialise in. Subject matter expertise helps you have a greater understanding of the ecosystem you work in and over time, you will be able to grow your reputation as a subject matter expert who is knowledgeable, empathetic and, ultimately, the best in the business!
Recruiting is all about making successful, quality hires for your clients and in order to achieve this, you will need to be investing your time in identifying their needs.
Most importantly, it’s all about understanding the client and making successful, quality hires. If you understand both the business and technical discipline but the client still isn’t happy, then that’s not a win. It’s all about striking the right balance and having an insight into the skillsets and organisation you’re recruiting for.
In order to excel in your market, sign up to relevant news feeds, LinkedIn groups and discussions in order to be on top of the latest industry trends. Trade news will not only help you understand the movers and shakers in your market, it will also provide hints and tips for business development.
