1.     Great recruiters understand that in order to source the best people, they need to have a search strategy which incorporates both online and offline methods. Great recruiters might decide to find job candidates on an online social network while also attending regular networking events where they can connect to passive candidates.

2.     Great recruiters go beyond the surface of the job description and try to understand what the job is really about. Great recruiters understand that sometimes the job description does not do a good job of conveying the true duties of the position. They will find out from the employer what exactly the job entails and how the job may have changed since the job description was first written. 

3.     Great recruiters take the time and effort to discover the true motivations of job seekers before they send them out to an interview. Of course most job candidates aren’t going to say, “I’m taking this job until I can find something better,” but a great recruiter might ascertain that they don’t have an intention of remaining in the job if they are applying for work which is far beneath their skill level and experience.

4.     Great recruiters make sure that they are selling the job candidate on the job at every step in the process.  The recruiting process can be lengthy especially during a recession, that’s why great recruiters work hard to keep quality job candidates engaged while employers make their way through their recruitment system.