Recruiting is often included within the HR generalist’s long line of duties, yet the skills necessary for a recruiter to be successful are different than the ones needed for the HR generalist, says Sarah Peiker, Strategic Recruiting Leader for Manpower Group.

In an article for Recruiting Trends, Peiker says the HR generalist must be adept at managing multiple skills sets, like analyzing benefits data or helping management develop the organization’s strategic path, but the role of the recruiter is more singular focused--acting as a salesperson, the recruiter must be able to convince a candidate the position and company are right for them and persuade hiring managers that the candidate is the right person for the job.

“In order to be most successful, recruiters must understand how to hone their ability to cater to both audiences. When working with candidates, recruiters need to understand the factors most important to prospective job seekers, whether that might be salary, potential career paths or a certain office environment. Just like a successful salesperson, recruiters must be able to “read” a candidate to learn what it is that they most want from a job. In order to do this, the recruiter must have a strong understanding about the company and position, as well as future opportunities within the organization,” Peiker says.