How Many Recruiters Get Psychology?

What Do Recruiters Know About Psychology?

When it comes to recruitment, the spotlight generally falls on skills, qualifications, and years of experience. But what about understanding human behaviour? Recruiters often talk about culture fit, team cohesion, and emotional intelligence, but how deep does their grasp of psychology go? It’s a mixed bag. A few recruiters invest time in learning behavioural cues and techniques derived from psychological research. Most stick to traditional stuff like CV screening and keyword matching.

What About Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking allows us to understand how individual components within an organisation interact with each other. Does a typical recruiter understand these nuances? Generally, the answer leans towards no. Recruiters often focus on filling a role rather than understanding how that role interacts with other parts of the organisation. This can lead to problematic hires that may fit a job description but disrupt a system.

How Important Are Group Dynamics?

Group dynamics explore how people interact within a group and how the group itself functions as a unit. Understanding this is key to fostering a harmonious work environment. A recruiter who appreciates group dynamics goes beyond placing a candidate based on skill set alone. They’ll look at how a new hire might impact the existing team culture and dynamics. However, recruiters often don’t delve deeply into this topic, as it’s usually considered the purview of internal HR teams or hiring managers (who, BTW, also rarely appreciate this topic).

Can Recruiters Improve?

Recruiters can certainly benefit from a broader understanding of psychology, systems thinking, and group dynamics. While a very few are already there, many could make strides by investing in study that delves into these areas. After all, the aim is to place candidates who don’t just fill a role but also contribute positively to the organisation as a whole.

Conclusion: Room for Growth

While it varies, recruiters generally have room to grow when it comes to understanding psychology, systems thinking, and group dynamics. Adopting a more holistic approach to recruitment can yield benefits for organisations and candidates alike. It’s difficult though, as dwelling on these areas risks alienating their hiring clients.