How Do Human Resources Managers Handle Recruiting for Unfamiliar Roles?
HR Interviews
How Do Human Resources Managers Handle Recruiting for Unfamiliar Roles?
To gain insights on recruiting for roles outside of five's expertise, we asked recruitment team leads and technical recruiters this question. From diving into research and networking to focusing on problem-solving skills, here are the top five strategies these professionals shared on how they handled such situations and what they learned from it.
- Dive Into Research and Network
- Master New Roles Quickly
- Leverage Online Communities
- Understand Requirements Thoroughly
- Focus on Problem-Solving Skills
Dive Into Research and Network
When I had to recruit for a role outside my expertise, like hiring a software developer when I specialize in blue-collar jobs, I felt a bit overwhelmed. I started by diving into research to understand the role and its requirements. I reached out to colleagues in the field for insights and advice. Partnering with a specialist recruiter also helped. From this experience, I learned the importance of flexibility and leveraging networks. It taught me that even when faced with unfamiliar territory, I could adapt and still deliver by being resourceful and open to learning.
Master New Roles Quickly
Coming from GTM recruiting (sales, marketing, customer success, solutions engineering, sales operations: all customer-facing roles) to the world of healthcare recruiting last year, every role I worked on was new.
I may get some slack for saying this, but when you're a strong recruiter, recruiting for new roles is not rocket science. The reason I say this is because recruiting is all about understanding and communicating with people. It's about telling a story.
Agency recruiters recruit for new roles every day because they're working with multiple clients.
The way that you master learning a new role quickly is by A) learning how to sell the company you're recruiting for—the culture, the team, the 'why' behind the leaders' and peers' decisions to join the company—and B) identifying what is different about the must-have skill sets.
For instance, I recruited for a mental health leadership role, and the biggest difference between that position and recruiting for tech companies was the licensure, certifications, and education requirements. In order to streamline the sourcing process, I used tools and databases that gave me the answers to the knock-out qualifications first, and then conducted my interview process the same way I've done for over a decade—getting to know the candidates through multiple conversations, behavioral interviews, and gauging engagement.
- Identify the must-have skill sets and qualifications first.
- Understand the company's 'why'.
Recruiting for new roles can be such a great learning experience for you! And here's a secret... it's okay to tell a candidate, 'I don't know the answer, but I'll find out for you.'
You don't have to know everything right away—give yourself some time. By the third phone screen, it'll feel like you've been recruiting for that role your entire career.
Leverage Online Communities
As a recruiter, I've seen my sector expand exponentially as technology infiltrates every aspect of our working lives. Tech jobs used to mean IT professionals, engineers, and developers. Now, the label encompasses far more, and that means I'm often placing workers in fields I have little experience in. I've met this challenge through extensive and regular research. The first thing I do when I'm assigned to source a role I'm less familiar with is get on the Internet. Specifically, Reddit and LinkedIn. The former provides insights into the lived experiences of workers. Since Reddit is anonymous, people speak freely about their roles and aren't afraid to discuss both the positives and negatives. These community boards give me insight into the type of personality best suited for the role, and I can then apply that knowledge to my candidate search. LinkedIn, on the other hand, lets me see the real names attached to similar jobs. I'm able to get a feel for postings in the sector and see who is applying. It's a great way to evaluate the competition. This research-based strategy has taught me the value in a variety of opinions. It's great to reach out to people you know in real life and hear their opinion of sectors outside your expertise. But the Internet will always be a stronger option due to the breadth of people online.
Understand Requirements Thoroughly
Before starting any recruitment process, it's important to understand the requirements first, whether they are technical or non-technical. To understand the requirements, it’s always best to connect with the person who initiated the vacancy, as they are the most knowledgeable about the expertise needed from the candidate. With their assistance, you can prepare an accurate job description. In cases of ad-hoc requests or when the concerned person is unavailable, you can utilize resources like Google, Naukri, or LinkedIn to understand the requirements and prepare the job description. Non-technical interviews are generally easier to manage since we often encounter similar roles in our daily lives. However, technical interviews can be challenging due to the specialized knowledge required. Therefore, it’s important to prepare thoroughly before beginning such a recruitment process. Always conduct background research before connecting with a candidate, as you never know what questions they might ask. From my experience, having a non-technical background initially made me nervous about technical hiring. But once I started, there was no turning back. This process has helped me understand current market trends and how different technologies are interconnected. Despite not having a technical education, I’ve learned to comprehend these technologies. As I mentioned, always prepare before entering the market. I follow this approach diligently. Even today, when a new requirement arises, I research to understand the technology’s use. Only after I have sufficient understanding—through connecting with the project manager or using other resources—do I begin my candidate search. This approach not only saves recruitment time but also ensures you have the right candidate pool for future needs.
Focus on Problem-Solving Skills
In the early days of scaling my agency, I found myself needing to recruit for a technical role far outside my usual expertise in book marketing. Feeling out of my depth, I leaned heavily on clear job descriptions and sought advice from industry peers. Surprisingly, my lack of technical knowledge became an advantage; it forced me to focus on candidates' broader problem-solving skills and cultural fit rather than technical minutiae. This approach led to hiring a candidate who brought fresh perspectives and a diverse skill set, enriching our team dynamics. The experience taught me the value of humility in seeking expertise where needed and the importance of prioritizing adaptability and cultural alignment in hiring decisions.
