A personnel recruiter is someone who specializes in finding candidates to fill job openings. Personnel recruiters typically work in the human resources departments of large companies which want to aggressively recruit employees, and they are responsible for developing a workforce filled with highly qualified and distinguished people who will help the company succeed. Personnel recruiters often have very interesting jobs, as they get to travel and meet numerous people in the course of their work.
Within a company, a personnel recruiter is highly familiar with all of the positions in the company, and the kind of duties and qualifications expected from the people who fill those positions. Personnel recruiters are also familiar with the people who staff various departments, so that they can seek out personnel who will be complementary when job openings arise. They are also very knowledgeable about current employment laws, and the internal policies of the companies they work for.
When a company has job openings, the personnel recruiter must fill them with appropriate staffers. Many personnel recruiters spend a lot of time on college campuses, meeting potential job applicants, networking with college professors who may serve as references, and looking for promising college students who might be an asset to the company. Personnel recruiters also attend job fairs and similar events to provide information about the companies they work for and to look for people who would potentially be good employees.
It is not uncommon for personnel recruiters to keep up with other companies in the same industry so that they can take advantage of situations which might allow them to acquire experienced personnel. For example, a personnel recruiter for a legal firm might poach a lawyer from another firm with the enticement of more benefits, higher compensation, or simply an opportunity to leave a struggling firm. Personnel recruiters try to plan ahead so that they have job candidates for positions before they become vacant, ensuring that they have plenty of time to find the perfect employee.
A personnel recruiter also usually keeps employment records, including resumes for job applicants, notes on interviews with various applicants, and employment-related correspondence. The personnel recruiter may also be involved in the hiring process, reviewing resumes and applications to help human resources staff select candidates for interviews, and sitting in on interviews to determine who will be called back for interviews and providing feedback to decide who will eventually hired by the company.