Potential Routes into Tech Recruitment

For the majority of businesses, a highly skilled technical team is central to success and growth. However, highly skilled tech professionals are in high demand and there is a lack of active job seekers on the market.

At Hamilton Forth, we provide solutions for businesses facing these problems. We proactively headhunt high-calibre individuals and present potential opportunities to them in an engaging and exciting way. The impact of placing the correct person in the right role can be transformative for both individuals and organisations. Increased performance, drive and levels of job satisfaction, as well as reduction in turnover rates within the workforce, are all indicators of impact; making it a key criterion for success.

Hamilton Forth Consultant, Rachel Sim looks at some potential routes to becoming a tech recruiter below.

 

Tech Recruitment

A career in tech recruitment is fast paced and challenging; no two days look the same. We work with a range of clients across the public and private sectors, so it’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about a variety of industries and speak to interesting people with different skillsets and backgrounds. At Hamilton Forth, we are driven by our purpose: to advise and support people and organisations to realise their potential so that together we can impact lives and communities for the better. This guides all our behaviours and ensures that the work we do and people we work with make a positive contribution to our organisations and society as a whole.

There is no one-size-fits-all path into tech recruitment. Often, our Consultant backgrounds are as diverse as those of the candidates we work with. There are many career paths that lead to the development of similar skillsets to those used in tech recruitment, so there is an opportunity for people with a range of experiences to be nurtured to become highly successful tech recruiters.

 

Recruitment Route – Other Specialisms

One of the most common and obvious routes into tech recruitment is a move from a career in recruitment within another sector or specialism. Recruitment in general provides an excellent grounding in the skills needed for success in the industry; people can apply their existing skills to a new market.

There are differences between various sectors which means the shift can be an excellent opportunity to learn, and for personal and career development. For example, moving from another recruitment specialism will mean that people have to learn about new job functions, and develop new networks of clients and candidates.

The similarities are clear. The goal of recruitment, no matter the specialism, is to make a perfect placement ensuring that the right candidate is found for a job vacacancy. Working in a variety of industries gives professionals exposure to various business models, understanding of which is crucial to making a placement that will have a lasting impact on the organisation. For example, at Hamilton Forth our clients vary from local authorities, to family-owned businesses, to multi-national companies. Different skills and knowledge are required for candidates to be successful in each of these types of organisation.

Recruitment Consultants need to have a solid understanding of business models in order to navigate their intricacies, so the skills needed regardless of specialism are very similar; drive, resilience, outstanding communication and emotional intelligence are all key characteristics. Tech recruitment can provide an exciting opportunity for consultants looking for something a little different as the next step in their career.

 

Research Route

Working as a Researcher for a recruitment firm can also be an excellent steppingstone into a career as a Consultant. The main focus of a Researcher is market mapping and candidate attraction. This provides exposure to interacting with high-calibre professionals which builds your network. You also gain a deeper understanding of various markets and job functions.

Researchers also assist with stakeholder engagement. This can involve anything from assisting in a client pitch to contributing to a shortlist presentation. Typically, Researchers use a data-led approach to help Consultants drive their campaigns. They analyse trends within industries, often looking at statistics around diversity and inclusion, or movement within the market. This helps the Consultants by providing them with evidence to support their suggestions on how best to conduct recruitment processes when discussing with their clients.

Psychometric testing can also fall under a Researcher’s remit. At Hamilton Forth, Livingston James Group’s Head of Research, Kirsty Sim, acts as our in-house psychometric assessor. Psychometric testing provides several benefits; it can give employers insight into a variety of characteristics such as leadership potential, cultural fit and areas for development.

Working in research enables individuals to develop excellent analytical, communication and relationship management skills. It can provide a natural evolution to a role as a Consultant, as Researchers can take on more responsibility of the delivery of a process, at a pace that suits both them and the business.

 

Sales Route

There are a lot of similarities between sales and recruitment. Pitching and relationship management form the crux of both professions. Sales is about selling a product or solution; while recruitment centres around selling your services, an opportunity and a candidate to a client etc. Both involve negotiation, enthusiasm, and unrivalled knowledge of your offering.

Both salespeople and Recruitment Consultants rely on a robust communication and networking skillset to form strong connections with clients. Each role requires them to have an excellent grasp of how to ask the right questions and identify exactly what a client needs.

As such, passion, confidence and unparalleled market knowledge are crucial skills within both industries, highlighting that a successful sales consultant could have an exciting and lucrative career in recruitment.

 

Sports Route

While this may seem like a left-field route, sports professionals and Recruitment Consultants have more in common than it may appear at first glance. The main reason for this is mindset. Both disciplines require focus, resilience, communication and a competitive disposition. A “next level” attitude is key to both industries – you always need to be challenging yourself and raising the value of your offering.

Success in recruitment isn’t linear. There are frequent setbacks and disappointments. The ability to dust yourself and your team off after a letdown is of huge importance, meaning that motivated and driven individuals make great Recruitment Consultants.

The technical skills need to be taught, but the right attitude provides an excellent starting point for a career in recruitment.

 

Summary

Overall, there are many different routes into a job in tech recruitment. The strongest teams are those comprising individuals with different backgrounds who are able to combine their passions and skills to provide the best service to clients and candidates. Technical skills can be taught, but the right mindset and attitude can take you far.

If you are interested in finding out more about embarking on a career in tech recruitment, please email [email protected]