Generally speaking, recruiters are separating into two camps: those who work for the company they are recruiting for and those who work for multiple clients as brokers. These freelance brokers are commonly known as headhunters and they are a popular alternative for smaller firms who don't do a lot of outside hiring.
On the other hand, a recruiter who works for a large company or corporation is often referred to as an internal or in-house recruiter. Typically, these employees work in human resources and have a whole host of responsibilities, one of which is recruitment, whereas headhunters focus solely on recruitment and don't have time for anything else.
So, how do diversity recruiters differ from internal recruiters or headhunters? Well, really, they don't. The only significant difference is that the diversity recruiter must make certain the company he is working with complies with all of the rules and regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Other than that, the rules of recruitment are generally the same. Just like other recruiters, the diversity recruiter is responsible for developing new assessment and recruiting strategies that will make it easier for the firm to attract more qualified applicants.
However, the diversity recruiter often works on a more local level than other recruiters. For example, instead of simply advertising on the internet or in the paper for qualified applicants, the diversity recruiter works with community groups, foundations and nonprofit organizations to help the company locate the ideal candidates.
Diversity recruiters take these extra steps because the simple fact is that there is a dearth of qualified minority applicants in some fields and if a recruiter wants to do his job properly then he must reach out to these individuals. This often calls for a more hands-on approach.
But, after all, that is what makes diversity recruitment an exciting and fulfilling career. It means reaching out to minority candidates who might not have otherwise received consideration. Many recruiters also appreciate that sales is not that big a part of diversity recruitment, which means they don't have to deliver an elaborate spiel. They can just be honest and forthright and explain to the prospective candidate why he or she should work for the company.
Responsibilities
Every in-house diversity recruiter is responsible for perusing each and every resume that is submitted to the company by a minority or affinity group and passing along only the most qualified ones to human resources.
The internal or in-house recruiter must also manage the company's diversity recruiting budget and is expected to submit reports to accounting on a quarterly basis. The recruiter must also maintain detailed files on diversity hiring, which is meant to ensure that the company abides by federal equal employment laws.
The headhunter, on the other hand, often works on a commission or for a fixed fee. Therefore, it is in his best interest to locate as many qualified minority workers as he possibly can. That is why the two jobs are actually very different. For one thing, the headhunter is more of a salesman than the in-house recruiter. Really, these jobs are closer to sales jobs than they are to management jobs. Besides, the internal recruiter has many other responsibilities in addition to recruitment, so it is hard for him to be quite as effective as an experienced headhunter.
Educational Requirements
It may surprise you to learn that many of the larger companies will only hire individuals with a degree in human resources or labor relations. In fact, many diversity recruiters are expected to have earned a master's degree. However, it is possible to enter recruitment with a strong background in sales. After all, a lot of what you will be doing is selling your company to potential employees. Although, recruiting is clearly not a sales job, experience in sales can work to your benefit.
On the other hand, when you work as a free agent or headhunter, you will not need the same level of education or experience. These positions are much closer to pure sales jobs where the headhunter is expected to woo potential employees for his clients.
