There are several top names in the recruiting world and many more you recognize from quickly perusing LinkedIn or job boards. Some are known for the advice they offer other recruiters, others are known for their high-profile clients or for their transitions into blogging. However, one thing among these top recruiters is ubiquitous: they all have a strong personal brand. (Psst! Can’t get hired? Watch this free tutorial.) Not unlike the ways candidates are expected to brand themselves, top recruiters recognize that having an effective personal brand means more than completing their LinkedIn profile (which you should do, too!). It means defining who you are as a person and showcasing how that impacts who you are as a recruiter. It means that you establish your values, your skills, and what separates you from other recruiters, while leaving a welcome mat outside your brand for candidates to come interact. With the right profiles, tools, and exposure, you can develop your own personal brand and boost your climb into the top recruiters’ space. Even if you’ve encountered other recruiters’ content or brands, before you start, you might still be wondering why it matters and how it’s done. Take a look at some of the biggest reasons: Here are three reasons why top recruiters have a personal brand:

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1. Build Relationships

Now more than ever, sophisticated job seekers are disrupting the old ways of recruiting. Not only do they have more power to choose a job that suits them best, but they have different expectations for what their job searching and hiring processes will look like. Part of this means that they want to get to know you as a recruiter before they apply. In a recent survey of our readers, 70% of professionals stated that they’d be more likely to apply for a job if they knew more about the recruiter. When asked why, some responded that they prefer to shape their applications and interactions with you based on what they learn about you, while others pointed out that it helps them feel more confident about applying and better able to understand your perspective. No matter the reason, don’t you feel more comfortable reaching out to someone when you have something in common, can relate to them in some way, or when it’s an acquaintance? Your target talent are no different. Even if they’re not ready (or a right fit) for your jobs right now, that doesn’t mean they won’t be the right candidate ever. It pays off for you in the long run if you develop relationships with your audience because you never know who you may be prospecting down the road. It’s much simpler to build relationships as a recruiter when you’ve clearly defining your brand and given talent something with which to engage.

2. Establish Your Expertise

Are you an excellent tech recruiter? Perhaps the go-to recruiter for trade jobs? Maybe you recruit for executives? In the recruiting space, there are many areas for recruiters to specialize in. Some of you have a knack for a particular industry because you’ve worked in it before, and others just innately understand their fields’ needs. However you came to specialize your recruiting efforts - the unique skills or expertise that YOU bring to the table over the next recruiter - is what you need to showcase to both potential employers and to talent. When you build your brand around being a certain type of recruiter, and establish what you’re known for, you’re showcasing to potential employers that you are the person for the job when they’re looking for their next recruiter. We say “Every Job Is Temporary,” because you should always be looking to expand your career and seek growth. To do so effectively, you should always be shaping your personal brand to say, “This is who I am,” and be ready to back it up with examples of your accomplishments. The same thing holds true for the way you showcase your expertise to talent. Just like you expect prospective talent to brand themselves for the jobs they want, candidates anticipate that you deeply understand the needs of the field or position and are able to effectively interpret their experience. It’s challenging for talent to prepare for an interview if they’re not confident you speak the same industry-language. If you say you’re a tech recruiter, let your brand show how you’re knowledgeable about the needs in the tech space and that you will recognize the solutions provided a chosen candidate.

3. Earn Applicants

While reasons #1 and #2 can also help you earn applicants, this final reason is a little different: building your personal brand in recruiting helps you drive traffic to your job postings that wouldn’t otherwise be seen. The first parts of building your personal brand really are about defining who you are as a person and recruiter, and building relationships with your target candidates. This last reason is about getting their attention to a place where most talent aren’t even looking. At least 75% of the talent pool is made up of passive candidates, so it should be no surprise that these people are relatively happy where they are, and not actively looking at your open positions. To earn their attention, you can leverage your recruiter brand. Because your brand establishes your credibility and earns talent’s trust, you can offer a call-to-action or an invitation to them to engage with you more directly: by applying to your jobs. People don’t connect with companies; they connect with the people, values, and culture within the companies. As a recruiter, you are a major part of creating that connection! By showcasing your personal brand, you’re showing prospective candidates your identity and letting them connect with you. As a result, they will be more compelled to check out the jobs you suggest. As you delve into developing your personal brand, be sure to consider your target audience with this mantra: “Be who you are, where they are.” If you’re looking for a particular type of candidate, ask yourself where they’re spending their time and the types of resources they’re looking for. Building your brand as a recruiter doesn’t have to drain your budget. With free tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you can engage talent where they are already spending their time by being yourself and letting them learn more about you. By blogging on a company page or a website of your own, you can feature your own profiles, illustrate your brand, or provide application and career resources your audience needs most.

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Watch our free tutorial “8 Ways You’re Being SHUT OUT Of The Hiring Process” with career expert J.T. O’Donnell to find out what’s holding you back from getting hired… and how to fix it! WATCH NOW This post was originally published on an earlier date. Photo: Shutterstock