What are the components of a high-functioning recruiter training program? This is the million-dollar question, because there is no one program, out of the box, on the market that will provide what you need to train your recruiters. All organizations and all TA leaders are going to have to do some of this heavy lifting on their own to build the program that will have the most impact for them.
Here are the most important components of recruiter training programs:
Live role playing
This is the one thing that is extremely hard to replicate with technology: Sitting down face to face with a recruiter trainee and doing live role playing with real-life scenarios they'll face when on the phone with a candidate. Even recruiting leaders shy away from this because it's "embarrassing."
Phone calls
Every recruiter training program must get the new recruiter on the phone as soon as possible, even on the first day! There is no substitute for live interactions with candidates. Good option is to break down these interactions in small parts. An example might be getting a new recruit to call for updated resumes of candidates you haven't spoken to in a while but who have the background you are looking for.
Sourcing
A major part of a recruiter's job is his or her ability to find and attract candidates. In a nutshell, this is sourcing! One of the ways is to influence is when they create online apply job offers. In some job oofers like walgreens apply online job recruiters even prepare the the future candidates how to make their interview more impressive. This defenetely attract candidates.
The good news is that there are actually a few really good online sourcing training programs that keep up to date on the latest and greatest sourcing techniques and will also test the recruiter's knowledge in these areas upon completion.
Intake meetings
Conducting great intake meetings with hiring managers is paramount to being great at recruiting. Thus, this has to be part of your training. What questions should the recruiters be asking? When should they push for more? When should they push back for concessions on skills or pay? Add your own questions to fit your organization and industry.
Operations experience/knowledge
The best recruiters know the business they're recruiting for. The problem is we usually don't have the ability to pull people out of operations and teach them how to recruit. You need to give them a taste of what different employees do to get recruiters comfortable in the departments and locations where they're responsible for recruiting talent. Try ride-alongs, plant visits and attendance at weekly operational meetings. All will help give trainees a better understanding of what skills the organization needs from candidates.
On-demand courses
Organizations move fast, and they need training that can begin and end on their timeline, instead of having to wait for the next available program. On-demand recruiter training is a must. If you have to wait weeks or months to formally train a recruiter, it will be too late to stop bad habits from forming.
Mentoring
Having a mentor to turn to when we don't know something is a huge component to the success of our recruiter training. It seems simple, but most organizations get this wrong. A mentor isn't just another recruiter doing the same job of whom you can ask questions. Mentors are people who have responsibility to ensure the success of a new recruiter.
With everything TA leaders have to do, recruiter training tends to fall way down on their list of priorities. The best leaders understand the importance of training and make it a priority. Great recruiter training is the foundation for great recruiting. It's amazing how much easier the job of TA leader is when you have great recruiters!
