What is a Recruiter and the Different Types of Recruiters?

Recruiters are often the main point of contact for job seekers when they are being considered for a position. There are many types of talent acquisition specialists that job seekers should know about as they pursue new opportunities. Professionals can be informed by knowing the differences between corporate recruiters, contingency recruiters, and retained recruiters among others.

By Timothy Mably

Although job seekers communicate directly with recruiters, their role in the hiring process can seem vague. Even after an employee has been hired, it may be unclear what a recruiter’s role has been throughout the process. There are several types of recruiters that you may encounter during your search for new opportunities.

At the core of a recruiter’s job, they aim to fill positions in businesses or other organizations they have taken as their clients. Recruiters reach out to potential candidates individually, establishing a relationship. Along the way, they review a candidate’s qualifications, act as an intermediary during the hiring process, and eventually negotiate a salary. Recruiters receive payment from the business for finding employees on their behalf.

Misconceptions About Recruiters

Senior technical recruiter Kristen Fife identifies many misconceptions that people have about recruiters. Contrary to popular belief, recruiters read applicants’ resumes and disposition candidates manually. Some job seekers have been discouraged that their applications aren’t read by actual people, assuming they are processed by an algorithm based on specific word usage. However, this isn’t the case with recruiters.

Recruiters are also not in charge of job descriptions, as they receive them from a company just like the average job seeker. Hiring managers are writing the descriptions that are relayed by a recruiter. Similarly, recruiters don’t make decisions about hiring candidates as that is also the hiring manager’s job. Although recruiters have some input, hiring managers determine whether an applicant goes forward in the process.

Some may presume that recruiters don’t have any personal attachment to a jobseeker’s progress. However, that isn’t always the case. “I value that what I do actually is life-changing for some people,” says Fife. “When a candidate is truly excited about joining a company, it shows.”

Executive recruiter Brittney Swan shares this sentiment. She says, “The gratitude and thanks I have received from multiples of these scenarios makes it all worthwhile.”

Fife points out that recruiters intend to fill specific roles, rather than “find people jobs,” which is often assumed by job seekers. Swan says, “Some assume our job is to find job seekers jobs. It’s not. Our job is to fill a position with a candidate that fits the needs of the company.”

They both warn against reaching out to recruiters as a means of networking, saying that this approach can give a bad impression. Swan says, “Sending recruiters messages with ‘here is my resume let me know if you have anything,’ will not get you far.”

Daily Life of a Recruiter

Although recruiting may seem like a straightforward job with repetitive daily tasks, it can look different day-to-day. Fife says this depends on various weekly priorities, as hiring managers’ processes can differ from company to company.

“Some days I wake up and start on generating leads for a new position and some days I wake up and start my day with touch bases with the hiring manager and then proceed with offers,” says Fife. “Adaptability and being able to process change quickly is something a recruiter has to be able to do daily.”

Swan similarly says, “No day is exactly the same as the previous or next. There are a few regular activities that are part and parcel of a recruiter's work, but the time or day will change depending on a variety of factors.”

Depending on the day, a recruiter could be speaking with candidates via phone screens. Swan schedules six in a day at most, with each call lasting around 30 minutes. She says that a majority of recruiters use phone calls at first to remove the potential for bias. 

Recruiters also spend time prepping candidates for interviews, with various pre-brief and debrief activities. This is considered to be one of the most important parts of a recruiter’s job, apart from when a company provides an offer.

They also conduct meetings with hiring managers, review resumes, provide updates on candidates, and record candidates for potential future reference. If a past candidate’s qualifications are relevant for a new position they have been hired to fill, they may contact them again.

Different Types of Recruiters

Although these basic tasks make up the daily life of a recruiter, there are a total of five different types of recruiters. Depending on the field they specialize in, they may use the term “talent acquisition specialist.” Recruiters can be categorized as corporate recruiters, retained recruiters, contingency recruiters, outplacement recruiters, and staffing agency recruiters.

A corporate recruiter is a common type of recruiter who typically works within large companies, such as Microsoft or Google (Microsoft is the corporate parent of LinkedIn). Corporate recruiters are on a full-time salary as they source and screen candidates. They can appear to be more hands-on than an average recruiter who is not employed full-time by a company.

In contrast, a contingency recruiter is only paid if they can find the right candidate for a client to hire. They recruit, screen, interview, and set up interviews, acting as the middleman between a candidate and the company. Contingency recruiters can also work for larger clients.

A retained recruiter typically aims to find candidates for senior positions within a company. Clients give the recruiter a part of the payment upfront and pay the rest when they find the right candidate.

Outplacement recruiters assist employees who have been let go for any number of reasons. Companies hire them to extend favor to ex-employees and guarantee a smooth transition from their former position.

Lastly, a staffing agency is a temporary/contract-based firm that employs many recruiters. However, their tasks are designated by the clients that hire them. Hired employees work for the agency, which continues to act as an intermediary between workers and a company.

Despite some uncertainty that job seekers may have concerning the responsibilities of a recruiter, they should be seen as a trusted resource. As you communicate with a recruiter, keep in mind that they are on your side.

Top Takeaways

What is a recruiter? What are the different types of recruiters?

• Recruiters are aiming to fill positions in businesses or other organizations which they have taken as their clients.
• There are many misconceptions about recruiters, including the common assumption that they don’t read resumes.
• It can give a bad impression for jobseekers to message a recruiter asking about job openings and send their resume.
• Different types of recruiters include corporate recruiters, retained recruiters, contingency recruiters, outplacement recruiters, and staffing agency recruiters.