Many recruiters already feel the impact of AI and automation on their careers. Skills that were once highly desired are less so now. Most traditional recruiter skills will be obsolete or heavily augmented by artificial intelligence and algorithms within five years.
Forward-looking recruiters may want to consider a new career path that leverages their current skill sets and experiences. The thoughtful recruiter has many options. Here are nine realistic choices.
#1. One of the most natural choices is sales and business development roles. Recruiters have strong interpersonal skills, the ability to build relationships quickly, and a talent for persuasion – all critical in sales positions. For example, a tech recruiter could leverage their industry knowledge and network to become a sales executive for a software company, selling HR tech solutions to corporations. Their experience in candidate sourcing can easily translate to lead generation, while their negotiation skills are crucial in closing deals. Moreover, the relationship-building abilities honed through years of working with candidates and hiring managers can help retain clients.
#2. Another good choice is marketing and employer branding. Recruiters may have helped create an organization's employer brand, and this experience, combined with their understanding of target audiences, can be valuable in marketing roles. For instance, a recruiter specializing in social media recruitment could transition into a social media marketing manager role, developing engagement strategies for consumer brands. Their experience crafting compelling job descriptions applies directly to copywriting, while their understanding of candidate personas translates well to customer segmentation. Knowledge of recruitment marketing channels can also aid in developing multi-channel marketing strategies.
#3, Customer success and account management roles offer another potential career path for recruiters. The experience recruiters gain in managing relationships with candidates and hiring managers can be directly applied to customer-facing roles. A recruiter from a staffing agency, for example, could move into an account management role at a SaaS company, overseeing client relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction. Their ability to understand and meet client needs, experience in managing expectations and resolving conflicts, and skills in building and maintaining long-term relationships are all highly transferable to these roles.
#4. I recently spoke at a product management conference and realized how many of their skills parallel those of recruiters. The organizational and coordination skills required in recruitment can be valuable in project management roles across various industries. A corporate recruiter could transition into a project management role in the same company, overseeing cross-functional initiatives or product launches. Their experience in managing multiple hiring processes simultaneously, ability to work with diverse stakeholders, and skills in timeline management and meeting deadlines are all directly applicable to project management.
#5. Management consulting is also an option, especially for those with a broad understanding of different business functions and industries. Recruiters with insights into organizational structures, talent needs, and industry trends that can be valuable in consulting roles. A senior recruiter with experience in workforce planning could, for instance, move into an organizational design consultant role, helping companies optimize their talent structures. Their ability to analyze job markets, provide strategic recommendations to leadership, and understand the interplay between talent and business strategy can be particularly valuable in this field.
#6. Career coaching and counseling represent a natural progression for many recruiters. Their experience guiding candidates through job searches and career transitions can be directly applied to career coaching roles. A recruiter could start their own career coaching business, offering services to job seekers and professionals looking to advance their careers. Their in-depth knowledge of job markets and career paths, experience in resume review and interview preparation, and ability to guide professional development make them well-suited for these roles.
#7. Learning and development is another career path for recruiters. Recruiters often understand skill gaps in the market, which can be valuable in learning and development roles. A technical recruiter could move into a role developing training programs for a coding bootcamp, leveraging their understanding of tech skill requirements. Their knowledge of in-demand skills and competencies, experience in assessing candidate qualifications, and understanding of adult learning principles from conducting interviews can all contribute to success in this field.
#8. As recruitment becomes increasingly data-driven, recruiters with strong analytical skills can transition into roles focused on data analysis and people analytics. A recruiter with a solid analytical background could move into a people analytics role, helping organizations make data-driven decisions about their workforce. Their experience working with applicant tracking systems and HR databases, understanding of recruitment metrics and KPIs, and ability to derive insights from candidate and employee data can be valuable in these roles.
#9. Becoming an entrepreneur is another path for recruiters looking to leverage their skills and network in new ways. Recruiters with an entrepreneurial spirit can start their own business. This could involve starting a boutique executive search firm specializing in a niche industry or job function, launching an HR consulting practice, or creating a career services platform. Their existing network of industry contacts, understanding of business needs and talent market dynamics, and experience in client management and service delivery can all contribute to success in these ventures.
How to make the change
To move to an alternate career, you must plan. First, you should identify your transferable skills and areas where you might need to improve or augment your skills. This might mean getting additional training or certifications to bridge any skill gaps. Expanding your network beyond HR and recruitment circles is also crucial. Attending industry events and joining professional associations related to your target career paths can help build valuable connections.
It is also essential to create a personal brand. You should reframe your experience and skills to align with your desired role> You must update your LinkedIn and other online profiles. Your resume should highlight achievements and competencies that connect with your desired new career. Conducting informational interviews with professionals in your target field is also beneficial. Gaining practical experience in new areas through volunteer projects or freelance assignments can also help build credibility in a new field.
Finally, staying informed about industry trends and emerging technologies will help you speak intelligently about the issues in your new desired career in an interview or meeting with others in that field.
Proactive planning and skill development, strategic networking, and a willingness to embrace new challenges are key to a successful transition.
As the recruiting world continues to evolve, those who can adapt and apply their skills in innovative ways will be well-positioned for success in the AI-driven future.
Fabulous article. Very well articulated. Intuitively, we all know it, but to execute it requires a completely different mindset, a growth mindset !!
Interesting read. I second the idea that our skills are so highly transferable, it would be a pity not to take advantage of that. I will unapologetically share an article I wrote, as a result of a 3h workshop I led - it talks about alternative roles for TAs, but somehow still in the space of Talent: https://www.theprincipalrecruiter.com/post/forget-the-traditional-career-paths-in-talent-acquisition-here-are-the-modern-roles.
I am curious if this resonates with you?