How can you lead with confidence as a Recruiting professional?

NEVER lead aimlessly. Set clear goals and metrics for yourself and your team. It's the only way to measure your progress and achieve success

Dedication to placing continuous learning and development at the forefront is a strategic imperative for staying competitive in swiftly evolving industries. In parallel, fostering mentorship and fostering knowledge sharing serves as a catalyst to bolster the confidence and competence of any recruiter.

Get to know the business. Spend time with the business leaders and learn priorities, where the company is going short/long term strategies. Share this information with your team and champion for them to attend department meetings, participate by sharing state of recruiting and sharing important information about what is happening in TA and recruiting trends for their function will help your recruiting team to be seen as a strategic partner. Being able to understand the strategic goals of departments and organization is vital to ensure that you are hiring the right people. This will also help in creating better job ads and sharing information with candidates to attract the right talent.

In my experience, as you enter a new recruiting role or organization, it’s important to get to know the business leaders, decision makers, and cross functional partners. Scheduling short, informal virtual (or in person) coffee chats is a great way to introduce yourself to colleagues and helps to build rapport. Getting to know the leaders will help you better understand the business, the top priorities, projects they are currently focused on, and the direction their headed.

Building an internal network within your organization and an external network on social media platforms can significantly help Recruiters. Having a strong presence on LinkedIn will build trust and reputation for the organization and candidates are more likely to apply to jobs for an organization they are familiar with.

Building a robust network is not just about expanding connections, it is a strategic investment in a career trajectory. Adapting a proactive approach to networking goes beyond transactional engagements; it happens when you host conversations, share unique insights and bring people together to create a community where knowledge flows seamlessly. This then establishes you as a go-to person in the recruiting domain and allows you to lead with confidence.

Confidence comes from knowledge obtained and lived experiences. While our experiences are building us day after day, increasing our knowledge requires a proactive approach. Seek out market data and insight through reading and conversations. Test a variety of tools and programs to identify what works best for your team and your needs. Take networking calls and seek out informational interviews to gain a real understanding of the market, and individual experiences. Take courses, attend events, and immerse yourself in industry experiences to further develop yourself. Never stop learning. When you think you're the smartest person the room, humble yourself, then go learn from someone more "junior" than you.

Recruiters need to continuously develop and refine their skills with talent and market analysis, sourcing, outreaching and engaging candidates, interviewing, and hiring to attract and hire top talent. What worked yesterday may not work today or tomorrow so keep leaning into and adopt the most current and up-to-date strategies, technologies, platforms, methods, and fresh new ideas.

Recruitment is a game of earning credibility, and earning it fast, with industry professionals that you may or may not have ever spoken to before. You earn credibility by being incredibly knowledgable about your space, about your roles, about their business impact, and most definitely about your company/client. Knowing your stuff, knowing it well, and being able to articulate it concisely. The more you develop your knowledge base - the more confident you will come across to your candidates. Attend events, read books, watch youtube videos - learn about your industry, clients, and roles as extensively as possible. Practice your pitches and talk to as many people as you can.

This is a mindset thing; change your language to reflect a more positive outlook during change and adversity. Title things as opportunities not challenges, they are fascinating not frustrating, and be curious not concerned. This will all help to become better at embracing change and overcoming adversity.

Leading with confidence means humanising your experience and that it took right turns, backward steps, starting again and celebrating with passion the successes. Be prepared to learn from those you lead Acknowledge you don’t have all the answers and encourage your team to collaborate, contribute and share their ideas and their mistakes, by doing so creates an environment that is psychological safe but innovative and supportive.

Recruitment is a roller coaster ride where you almost experience everything - you are at your highest and you are your lowest on some of the days.But these leaps and bounds are what make you strongest to face challenges and convert them into opportunities. For eg. You had struggled to close a niche role for the first time but your first-time journey prepares you better for the next one,identify what will help you the second time to get your purple squirrel.Extract the learnings and implement.

Things that I have found helpful in leading with confidence as a recruiting professional include: - Adaptability: Stay flexible and open to evolving strategies to meet changing job market and candidate expectations, staying ahead in the field. - Data-driven decisions: Utilize data and analytics for informed choices, refining processes, and showcasing strategy effectiveness through recruitment metrics. - Emotional intelligence: Develop the ability to connect with candidates by understanding their motivations, building rapport, and making successful placements. - Strong communication: Effective communication is crucial; improve your skills in conveying information clearly, active listening, and confident negotiation.

Have a strong introduction to your calls that builds confidence in the candidate that you're the person they should be speaking with. Learn the 3 P's (Purpose, Process & Payoff). An abridged version example: "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today... (Purpose) The purpose of this call is to (Process) dive deep into your background so I can learn more you and your career aspirations with the (Payoff) goal of placing you in your dream career - how does that sound"? Why do some recruiters have frequent no-shows for interviews or have shallow relationships with their candidates? This is why! They have not positioned themselves as driven, purposeful and valuable to the candidate. Build that confidence from the start!

Boss Moves Only: Showcase your skills like a pro. It's not bragging; it's just stating the facts. Results Speak Louder: Your impact is the mic drop moment. Let those numbers and successes do the talking. Value Bombs: Drop value bombs wherever you go. Make it rain with your expertise. Impactful Swagger: Walk into a room like you own it. Your professional swagger should leave an impression. Game-Changer Mentality: Embrace the mindset of a game-changer. Your contributions are not just noticed; they're celebrated. ROI Rockstar: Be the rockstar who not only talks about value but delivers it with a bang.

A big part of recruitment is nailing your communication. You aren't supposed to know all the answers. But if you communicate with honesty and compassion then you won't go wrong.

In my experience staying adaptable is quite helpful. You need to be prepared to pivot and make changes as and when necessary. Adapt your strategies to align with the changing landscape. Flexibility is key in a fast-growing organization. In today's fast-moving environment everything is uncertain so, be ready to respond to uncertainties and challenges with confidence, knowing that you can find solutions and make data-backed decisions.

Remember that you are your company's first impression on the candidates specially if you are recruiting passive candidates. This is both a big opportunity and responsibility to show up and show well in the first, among many, interactions! Lots of my leader hires shared with me afterwards that my passion and conviction about the team, the company and the role was one of the main drivers of their decision to join our company. How you present yourself and the company on that first call/s carries a big impact on recruiting the best candidates for your organization!