Where are you headed?
At Round Recruitment, we focus on specialist recruiters, predominantly in the areas of IT, Finance, and HR.
But what is the difference between a generalist and a specialist recruiter, and does it make you more marketable? What factors should influence your decision to move into specialist recruitment?
Generalist versus specialist
Generalist recruiters tend to have a wider and more expansive reach, covering a range of job functions, locations, and industries. This broader span allows them to pivot to the needs of the business. If a company’s hiring needs are changing quickly, or if there is not enough consistent work for a specialist, this broader reach is most useful, as Ross Baron, Head of Recruiting for Western Europe, TikTok, points out:
‘They (generalist recruiters) may not know everything about a role, but that’s not a huge problem since they might not be hiring for it a week from now.’
Specialist recruiters have the benefit of an environment that values consultative, relationship-led approaches, in addition to the business development element. That’s not to say that ‘making the number’ does not matter. Of course, it does. But a less KPI-driven context allows for and encourages the development of richer insights into one industry. In fact, it becomes essential as this expert knowledge combined with skillful questioning makes for a robust discussion of requirements with a client. These recruiters know where to look for the ‘right’ people, as they put feelers deep into niche communities of talent through their commitment to discovering individual motivators and desires. We find that our best specialists tend to thrive when they can manage their own time and are also always open to building their skills. This makes them more marketable.
Have you considered moving into specialist recruitment?
If you:
- enjoy pouring time into building solid relationships
- make it a priority to get beneath what makes different individuals tick
- find that you work well within your own structure
- are naturally curious and relish new knowledge and developing your skills all the time,
then specialist recruitment could be a good choice for you.
If you are a generalist considering a move to specialist, or you already have your feet firmly in the specialist recruitment space, you should give us a call. We are an independent recruitment-to-recruitment agency that offers candid, reliable advice. With an impressive list of recruitment-to-recruitment vacancies for specialist recruiters, we can even offer you amazing roles in exciting locations such as New York and Orlando!
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