Can a Non-Technical HR Professional Transition to a Technical Recruiter Role?

Dear All,

Please help me to understand if an HR professional with a non-technical background (like B.Sc. in Biology + M.B.A.) can become a technical recruiter. What are the skill sets one should possess for this role?

Can you please assist me in understanding the recruitment process in software organizations?

Your support in this regard is highly appreciated.

Thanks & Regards,
Mona

Hi Mona,

I don't think that basic qualification is necessary. A BSc grad + MBA is a good combination, but the company may prefer candidates who have some experience in the field, such as recruiting software professionals (handling preliminary rounds, HR rounds, etc.).

Just check this link for assurance: [http://jobsearch.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=37401503&WT.mc_n=jobscomview](http://jobsearch.monster.com/getjob.asp?JobID=37401503&WT.mc_n=jobscomview)

Hi Mona,

Your qualifications do not matter. Just take care of the following things before you appear for a technical recruiter interview:

1. Know the technologies that the company is working on.
2. Understand the stages of a career in those technologies.
3. As an executive, you will mostly have to work on junior profiles, which is even easier.
4. Understand how, when, and why the technology is used.
5. Just have an idea so that you don't look like a novice with the technical terms.

In initial interviews, you can also ask questions during your interviews such as:
1. Could you tell me why you use this?
2. Are there any options for this, etc., to add to your knowledge.

I guess this will be enough for you to get through. Best of luck.

Mona,

I was a recruiter for a technical company and also came from a non-technical background. Here are some of the things that I did:

1. Sat down with the process engineers and asked them to teach me the process blocks, from input till product exported.
2. Went to visit the plant, especially during the shutdowns/turnarounds. It was useful when I got the same engineers to visit with me so that I could make some sense of what was explained on paper.

The above would give some brief appreciation for the business, but for position specifics, I would discuss in detail with the managers of the department. Prior to that, I would read the position descriptions. Also, I took the opportunity to learn as much as possible about the positions from the people down the line. It helped to talk to them.

It may not be an example of an IT company, but I hope it was useful for you.

Regards.

Hi Mona,

Nice to see one more BSc (Bio) + MBA coming into Tech Recruitment. I also have the same qualifications.

The basic qualification for this job is to understand the requirements. There are a number of ways you can do this - talk to your Senior Recruiter/Tech Manager. The internet is the best source. If you get stuck on any term, please search and understand what it means, and use the information.

Hi Mona,

The easy way to solve the problem is to first sit down with each department's Heads of Departments (HODs) and prepare core competencies for different cadres. For example, in the Pharma Industry, in the Quality Assurance (Q.A.) department, technical skills needed for a Manager should include experience. You need to categorize the technical skills similarly in the IT field for a developer, a Database Administrator (DBA), for Marketing, etc.

Keep the above data as a soft or hard copy after collecting the information from the relevant individuals. For any clarification, please email me.

Regards,
Y.V. Madhava Reddy

Hi Mona,

First of all, I would like to share with you that a person with a technical background and a person without technical knowledge have different perspectives when looking at the job to be performed by an employee.

In my understanding, while it may not be necessary for an employee to have technical qualifications, guidelines from the department and colleagues are essential for a clear understanding of the job responsibilities.

Being specific during interviews is crucial, especially if one has limited knowledge of the subject.

With Best Regards,

Uddhav
uddhav_uvk@rediffmail.com

Hi,

Technical skills are necessary in the relevant field. We can't say it is not necessary.

Regards,

Y.V. Madhava Reddy