In today’s corporate world, marketing recruiters are regularly being classified as marketing associates who specialize in human capital. If you have been debating whether you should pursue a career in marketing or human resources (HR), you will be happy to hear that this shift makes it possible to find recruiting positions in HR where you will become a professional who markets opportunities and selects the best talent. In today’s competitive employment market, where talented professionals can choose between several different job offers, big players in virtually all industries have a need for one or more marketing recruiters. Read on, and learn how you can become a marketing recruiter.
Get the Right Major and Minor to Build Your Knowledge
Most prospective recruiters understand that, to compete for a position on a resume, you need years of experience as well as a degree majoring in an area of study like human resources. With so many different HR majors actively looking for positions, the ideal candidate for corporations will generally need a college education. Selecting the right type of program and the right mixture of courses is imperative if you want to be seen as a top talent by other recruiters. After all, you should know what recruiters are looking for if you are applying for the position.
A Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources will help you build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that will pertain to your roles as a recruiter in charge of finding the right talent. While a bachelor’s in HR is very beneficial, you can go a step further to capture the attention of recruiters if you decide to minor in marketing. While marketing services and products is not quite the same as marketing positions and selecting talent, the campaigns and tactics you learn can be used across the board. Showing that you understand that recruiters are now considered marketers will give you a lot of leverage in the playing field.
Build Your Network of Contacts In and Out of School
Finding a job is often about knowing the right people, and having a network of contacts can help when you graduate from school. If you want to find a position in HR, you should start by networking with other professionals who are currently working in the field. Build a strong bond with your professors so that you can get referrals later on after graduation. Building your network online, on social media sites like LinkedIn, can also help get your name out there to big players in the industry. Any talented recruiter knows the importance of marketing oneself through marketing.
Marketing is a science, and you must perform experiments to determine which strategies work and which do not when you are marketing yourself for a recruiter role. The title of recruiter is actually one of the most advertised HR job titles available today. With 14% more ads being published for openings, now is the time to study to meet the qualifications sought after by all of the most respected companies. Work towards an HR and marketing degree, and become a potential candidate for highly-compensated recruitment titles. If, however, you follow this course and still find yourself without a recruiting position, consider working for a few years in HR to then pursue an MBA in marketing (see: The Top 10 Best Online MBA in Marketing Programs). With the added degree and years of experience, you are sure to be sought after for a desirable position in recruiting.