How to become a freelance recruiter

Being an independent worker is an alternative that more and more Human Resources professionals are taking. However, being a recruiter, headhunter, or freelance HR consultant is not as simple as it seems.

It is true that there is great flexibility, freedom, and opportunity to grow and improve your earnings according to your efforts; but it also requires a high degree of professionalism, adaptability, and, above all, discipline to achieve success and make the most of the freedom that working under this modality allows us.

That is why on this occasion we have compiled a series of tips that every freelance recruiter would have liked to know at the beginning of their career.

Gain some experience

If you have never worked in recruiting before, it will take a little longer to convince clients, but it is not impossible. However, it is advisable that before embarking on a project as a freelance recruiter, you have some experience working for someone else. This will give you the necessary experience to find clients and look for candidates, and it will also help you build your network of contacts for when you start your project as a freelancer.

Choose a niche

As an independent recruiter, it is preferable to offer quality over variety. This will allow you to make a difference and open a path for yourself in the world of recruitment. In addition, you can decide which niche you want to pursue. Many successful freelance recruiters specialized in specific niches and activities. This will allow you to have a deeper knowledge of the sector and offer a service of clearly superior quality.

Get to know your niche

If you have already chosen a niche to which you want to dedicate yourself, it is important to have knowledge of it. Knowing the field will allow you to evaluate the suitability of each candidate more effectively. In addition, each industry has its own terms and vocabulary that you will need to understand in order to communicate effectively with clients and candidates.

If you invest in educating yourself about your niche, you will avoid having a candidate with good social skills selected over another who has the required technical skills and knowledge but is weaker on the social side. Nowadays there are platforms where you can take a large number of courses, on almost any subject, at a low cost, such as Coursera or edX.

Find clients and candidates

As an independent recruiter, two of your most important tasks will be to find clients and look for candidates. When you start working as an independent recruiter, it is unlikely that you will be allowed to contact the clients you worked with during your jobs as an employee, due to contractual clauses.

However, there are other ways to find clients. A good way to do it is to look for companies that are actively hiring on job boards such as Indeed. Afterwards, you will need to contact them to offer your services and ask whether they would like to work with you.

As for candidates, if you have worked for others in HR agencies, then you must have a lot of experience finding candidates. That is when you can use the extensive network you have built over the years to try to find candidates. You can also post the vacancy on job boards.

Expand your network and client base

If you have already landed your first clients and candidates, congratulations! Now it is important that you establish a good relationship with both clients and candidates. The key to achieving this is to maintain fluid communication that builds trust. This way, you, your clients, and your candidates will feel free to express opinions and points of view; and, perhaps, recommend you to other clients and candidates.

Most recruiters, both freelance and traditional, use LinkedIn as their main way of making themselves known to potential clients and candidates. Optimize your LinkedIn profile and work on building your network. This network will stay with you even when you change positions or start your career as a freelancer.

Invest in technology

Investing in technology will make your job easier and help you optimize the time you spend on it. Acquiring a new laptop, new software, or subscribing to a new platform can help you reduce the time you spend on specific tasks.

Nowadays, you can even subscribe to platforms that help you automate your selection processes; a good example of this type of platform is Evalart, which also allows you to create your own tests and maintain a database of candidates.

Work on your professional image

As a freelance recruiter, you are in charge of running your own business. Therefore, you will not only be responsible for finding clients and candidates, but also for marketing and managing your social media.

In addition, like any other freelancer, regardless of the field they work in, it is important to:

• Keep your documents up to date. Do you need to issue receipts or register a company? Research all the legal duties of a self-employed worker. In addition, it is advisable to create a business bank account and hire an accountant to keep legal control of your finances. Although you can keep the books yourself, with an accountant you can save a lot of time and money.

• Keep up to date. Considering that the job market is in constant evolution, it is important to stay current with the latest software developments and to take care of your social media, your LinkedIn profile, and your project's website at all times. In addition, technological skills and digital marketing will be essential to succeed in your day-to-day activities.

• Make your workspace a pleasant and appropriate place. It is important to separate the work area from the commonly frequented areas of the home. In this regard, it is essential to set strict rules. For example, not working on weekends or keeping the office door closed during leisure time.

• Set a work schedule. Just as you separate spaces, distribute your time. It is essential to have a work schedule as if you were in an office. Otherwise, you may find yourself working from morning until late at night. And this could cause unnecessary fatigue. Some day, as in any job, it may be necessary to work a couple of extra hours, but it should not become the norm.

• Leave the house regularly. One of the main problems people experience when working from home is the tendency to isolate themselves, perhaps even without realizing it. That is why it is important to schedule meetings outside the home and devote some time to leisure activities that allow you to go out and socialize with others.