Synonyms for recruitment and their nuances

Though many people call anyone who works within the hiring process a recruiter, the terminology is much more complex than that. The world of finding and employing quality candidates has a rich tapestry of roles within it, each with a special texture and hue.

The word recruiter is an umbrella term describing professionals who shape the workforce behind the scenes. As such, it barely begins to detail what they do. Each type of recruiting professional, however, fits within the talent acquisition niche in their own special way.

Hiring managers

Hiring managers form the backbone of the recruiting process, evaluating potential hires and onboarding new employees. Typically internal employees of your company, these professionals:

• Create job descriptions and outline required skills and qualifications
• Gather a pool of applicants for the job
• Narrow their focus to candidates who tick off all the right boxes 
• Pick employees most likely to help the business meet its objectives

Because the performance of employees they select reflects directly on their skills, hiring managers have a vested interest in making effective recruitment decisions. This motivates these professionals to take their time with the interview and assessment processes and onboard only new employees who can fulfill the company’s pressing, practical needs.

By contrast with traditional recruiters, hiring managers wear two hats—analyzing whether applicants can do the job and helping new hires acclimate to the workplace. Likewise, where recruiters focus on a broader approach, hiring managers take a more personal one. This helps them connect with candidates as individuals so they can hone in on those most likely to do the job well and stay put in the position.

Talent acquisition specialists 

Recruiters focused on talent acquisition have a slightly different role. People in this role:

• Source potential candidates for positions requiring specific skill sets 
• Plan for the long term by anticipating their employers’ future needs for talent, aiming to stay a step ahead
• Look at the bigger picture to align the recruitment process with overarching objectives
• Build relationships with potential candidates before their roles open up

Effective talent acquisition specialists almost always have someone suitable on deck when open positions arise that directly impact company operations. Their areas of expertise include employer branding that excites potential hires to work for the company, engagement with interested applicants and talent development to fulfill future needs. By contrast with reactive hiring managers who fill job vacancies as they come up, talent acquisition specialists take a more proactive approach. 

External staffing professionals

External recruiters and staffing professionals work for outside agencies and do the following:

• Match candidates with temporary or permanent positions across various companies
• Work with numerous clients
• Have expertise on broader trends within the employment market

However, because they work with multiple clients, they may not always have your company’s best interests at heart. They do, however, have large talent pools at their fingertips and excel at matching those candidates up based on the skills and experience you require.

Headhunters

Specialized external recruiters who usually fill C-suite level positions, headhunters:

• Search proactively for quality executives, especially those who aren’t really looking
• Focus on attracting and sourcing top-notch executives
• Place those candidates in specialized roles

They often use targeted tactics when approaching the people they wish to recruit. Headhunters do this hoping to sell them on switching jobs, typically tempting them with more money and better benefits. Keep in mind that these professionals typically work for external agencies or as independent consultants, so they’re usually more transactional than internal hiring professionals at your company.

How the recruitment process works

The right workforce makes all the difference to companies, so your organization’s success hinges on its ability to attract, hire and retain quality employees. No matter what synonyms for recruitment your company uses, these professionals help with this process. Good recruiters get to know your business, employ branding that attracts the type of worker you want and then bring in talent that meshes well with your company objectives. Let’s explore how that process works, from start to finish, so you know what to look for when hiring new employees.

Define the role and requirements

The first step in recruiting is creating clear, concise job descriptions, complete with skills and qualifications lined out to prevent misunderstandings. The job descriptions you create should also include how the role impacts the overall operation of your company. Since this is the initial point of communication between your business and potential hires, it sets the tone for the type of talent you hope to attract.

Source potential candidates

Both traditional methods such as hard-copy advertising and modern methods like online job boards have their place in sourcing potential candidates for open positions. Good recruiters use a mix of these approaches to widen the net for the talent you want. They also often seek employee referrals in addition to scanning social media and attending job fairs and networking events.

Screen and select candidates

At this stage, recruiters go through applications and resumes, seeking candidates who match the job requirements best. Once recruiting staff find job seekers who fit the bill, they move onto the interview and assessment phase, hoping to glean more insight. Things they look for in this phase include the ability to add to the company culture, adapt to changing conditions and grow with time and experience.

Make job offers

When candidates make it past the screening and selection stage, recruiting professionals then offer them the job. These candidates typically find a sweet spot between what your company initially wanted and what they desire in a job, ensuring a mutually beneficial relationship. This capacity to compromise keeps everyone happy as new employees integrate into their positions.

Onboard new workers

The final phase of the recruitment process is onboarding new employees. No matter the initial recruitment method, onboarding typically takes place in-house, with hiring managers doing most of the integration legwork. HR departments benefit from having a structured onboarding program to help new people acclimate to the company and help them understand their roles within the organization.

Knowing recruiter synonyms helps you stay on top of trends as terminology shifts and changes. Understanding the role of each type of recruiter ensures you use the right strategies and tactics when you want to bring new people into your organization.

FAQs about synonyms for recruiting

What’s the difference between internal and external recruiters?

Though both internal and external recruiters are invaluable to the hiring process, there are differences between the two. Internal recruiters are in-house employees who focus their energy on finding and hiring new team members. These staff members typically have titles such as hiring managers or talent acquisition specialists.

By contrast, external recruiters are people who don’t work for your company. These recruiters might be independent consultants or work for staffing agencies you contact when you can’t reach the right talent pool yourself. Executive search recruiters like headhunters are typical examples of external recruiters since they’re not attached to your business once they find the right talent for your open position.

How do you measure the effectiveness of recruiting strategies?

These key metrics help you when you want to see how effective your recruiting strategy is at bringing on quality talent.

• Time to fill measures the time between a job posting and a candidate’s acceptance
• Cost per hire measures the total cost of filling a job vacancy
• Applicant sources track which methods attract the most or best candidates
• Offer acceptance rate measures the percentage of candidates who say yes to your job
• Employee retention rate measures how long employees stay with your company