We have stumbled upon countless business owners, graduates and team leaders confused about what exactly belongs to the responsibilities of an HR professional and a recruiter. Many seem to believe that one is identical with the other or that one can substitute the other within a firm. We decided to clear up the fog, and explain what each can do for your company, and why it’s essential to have them both.

1. They have different job functions

First of all, while sometimes there are overlaps, recruiters and HR professionals are usually responsible for completely different processes within a company. To put it the simplest way possible, recruitment means finding new people to join a certain team, and while HR generalists often have recruiting duties too,  HR usually means everything that makes employees stay.

To go into a bit more detail, we put together two lists full of tasks that usually belong to these entities, if they have the chance to be separate.

What does a recruiter do?

• – Establishing the specifics of the position the company needs filled, creating task lists and defining specifics of the role
• – Sourcing candidates for the position, reviewing each profile or resume for skills, experience, availability, and culture fit
• – Conducting interviews
• – Introducing the top candidates to the management
• – Supporting management with market knowledge
• – Mediating an offer
• – Constant contact with the management and the candidates throughout the process

What does HR do?  (ideally)

• – The onboarding of the new hires
• – Designing structural procedures that keep employees engaged, motivated and satisfied
• – Advising on pay, benefits and performance management and opportunities
• – Identifying training needs and programs, as well as recognition systems for high performers
• – Handling any sensitive information, caring for the mental and physical well-being of colleagues
• – Creating and ensuring a fair, respectful and compliant work environment

Ideally, recruitment and HR are within one department but have separate teams so that they can distribute tasks effectively. However, especially in the case of startups or smaller businesses, there aren’t enough resources for them to be able to afford more professionals. Naturally, this results in greater workload and slower progression, but without the privilege of starting from the top, it’s an essential phase for everyone just starting out. There are also recruitment agencies like us that are happy to take over part of the job, and also help clients with valuable market insights during our cooperation.

2. They interact with employees at different stages

How (and when) HR and recruiters interact with employees is a major distinguishing factor. Although both recruiters and HR professionals deal with people, who they interact with the most is usually not the same.

Recruiters have to balance relationships with both employees and candidates. They spend a lot of time interviewing potential workforce outside of the organization and report to either the manager or HR. Recruiters have to represent the company and every candidate that made the cut and act as a mediator between the two. They are the first person a newcomer sees as a representative, so it’s crucial they are able to identify with the core values of the given business.

On the other hand, the HR department starts to interact with people after they are hired. Although they might be in charge of conducting some of the interviews, they really first come into the picture during onboarding. Then, they follow all employees throughout their entire stay at the company. They are responsible for overseeing the progress, satisfaction, and experiences of all employees, making changes according to their wishes and needs, and caring for a healthy and happy environment within the firm.

3. Employment type may differ

There are various opportunities for professionals of both fields when it comes to employment type, there are, however, some tendencies considering this particular question. HR professionals usually work within a company, either full-time or part-time. In the case of smaller companies, HR managers are usually hired independently as a one-person department, reporting directly to the management. Their tasks are usually closely tied to the operations of an organization, so contract-based cooperation is usually not effective.

Recruiters can be full-time employees too (or part-time, of course),  however, they can be hired collectively as an outside entity, in the form of a recruitment agency too. Recruitment agencies will work with various employers on a day-to-day basis, matching people to all the roles that they have available. Usually, bigger companies have in-house teams dedicated to recruiting new talent, but in many cases, it’s just easier to have it done by experienced professionals outside the organization.

4. You need them both, but for different reasons

Many companies, including large ones, assume that one person or one team can do both tasks, but because of the distinct workflows and field of expertise and experience, it’s best to keep them separate. Putting both roles on one person could hurt your company while eliminating one can result in either lack of growth or toxic company culture. Companies need both roles to succeed in the long run, to oversee all the different areas of business that deal with the most important part of it: its people.

If you happen to need further information on why both HR and recruitment are essential parts of a company or seek guidance of how to do both properly, don’t hesitate to contact us or read our other articles covering these topics.