Advice From Recruiters

Veronica Potyrala

If you have an interview or career fair coming up, you might be wondering “what are recruiters looking for in potential candidates?” After attending many information sessions, guest speaker events, and career fairs, these are the top three tips from recruiters that stood out to me.

Work on your soft skills.

Soft skills include skills like time management, conflict resolution, and good communication. It’s also great to know software programs and have good qualifications; however, ultimately, recruiters are looking for someone who works well together with other people. Many of the more technical skills required can be taught or reviewed on the job, but someone who is friendly and a team player is a better candidate than someone who has an amazing portfolio but acts really arrogantly.

Highlight your impact.

Make sure to really sell yourself. When recruiters ask questions about experience or group projects, don’t spend too much time focusing on what the group did. Instead, highlight how your presence on the team made an impact and what you specifically did to help create a successful result.

Be yourself.

Recruiters can tell when someone isn’t being genuine. They want to know what kind of person you are and what you’re passionate about, so let your personality shine through. Make sure to include an interests section on your resume because it can make you more memorable than just another candidate with a few internships and club involvement.