Recruiting is a people business. Most hiring managers are searching for leaders that care about who they hire, the company they’re hiring for, and how to find hidden talents. That’s what makes the recruiter interview questions essential to finding the right hire.
If you were recently asked to come in for an interview, you can prepare by looking at some of the most commonly asked recruiter interview questions. Take your time to think through your answers, maybe even write them down or practice them with friends, and learn how to apply your previous experience to your answers.
Here’s some of what you can expect when it comes to interviewing for a recruiter position.
How do you typically work with your hiring managers?
Recruiters work closely with hiring managers within an organization to help find them the right talent. Building and maintaining relationships within an organization is essential to your success as a recruiter. After all, you’re a partner in the hiring process, and the decisions ultimately come down to hiring managers.
You want to convey how you typically work with hiring managers and why they’ve been successful in the past. If you have some outstanding moments of teamwork, you’ll want to shine a light on those.
How have you positively impacted recruiting efforts in your past positions?
Some organizations are looking to make their recruiting process better. If this question comes up, you know you’ve come across one of those roles. This is a great position to be in, as there’s tons of room for implementation and growth.
Maybe you’ve already made some changes at previous positions? That’s great! Highlight what changes you made, how you implemented them, and how it impacted the overall recruitment process.
How do you measure success?
Every recruiter is different. It makes sense that what’s successful for you might not be for other people. Whether it’s time-to-hire or meeting company set hiring goals, you’ll want to explain what metrics drive you.
As always, be sure to use examples from past successes or failures. How did the experience change the way you measured success? How have you been influenced by processes at other companies? Hiring managers want to know you can be responsible for your own success but flexible to the organization’s needs.
How do you check candidate references?
Ah, references. They’re one of the most painstaking aspects of recruiting but one of those necessary evils. Almost every organization puts money and time into checking references, and a great process is something to brag about.
You’ll want to highlight your methodology, attention to detail, and overall view of how a process can be improved. Remember that checking references can take a lot of time for a company and showcase how you might improve that process.
Becoming a recruiter is one of the most rewarding jobs out there. You get the benefit of helping people find their dream job and connecting them with companies they’ve been fantasizing about working with. Get prepared for your interview by reviewing these questions, noting your responses, and knocking your interview out of the park.
