Finding the best possible people who ca contribute to your organization is a challenge. It requires strategy and tactics to recruit and retain great talent.

Top recruiters however, know how to implement well-thought out plans better than the others. They are smart in employing unique approaches into winning the game of recruitment and hiring the best candidate.

There are six key traits that separate the top recruiters from so-so recruiters. Find out which traits can make you a better recruiter:

Key Trait 1: They think ahead.

Smart recruiters know that there’s more to the scout’s motto, “Be Prepared.” They know that you can’t keep employees forever so they build their candidate pool before they need it.

Step up your recruitment game:

Invest time in developing relationships with university placement offices, recruiters, and executive search firms. Encourage your current staff members to actively participate in industry professional associations and conferences where they are likely to meet candidates you can recruit.

Key Trait 2: They’re tech-savvy.

Great recruiters are on top of new and emerging tools that may be helpful in the recruitment process. They are not afraid of exploring software, apps and other digital instruments to make it easier for them to find, hire and retain great talent.

Step up your recruitment game:

Be on the lookout for up-and-coming technologies that your company can use like OnRecruit, which enables employers to know which job aggregate websites are bringing in the best candidates, or Hiretual which can tell companies how likely a candidate will make it through to an offer.

Key Trait 3: They use a company website for recruitment.

The company’s website portrays your vision, mission, values, goals, and products. Great recruiters know how to effectively use this information to attract potential hires who experience a resonance with what you state on your site.

Step up your recruitment game:

Create an employment section which describes your current vacancies as well as a section featuring testimonials from your happy employees. A recruiting website is your opportunity to shine and a highly effective way to attract great candidates.

Key Trait 4: They know how to use social media.

Recruitment has moved from traditional newspaper ads to Facebook ads, and a top recruiter knows how to take advantage of social media to find great talent. They know how to create clever ad campaigns on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and even Snapchat, to get potential hires.

Step up your recruitment game:

Watch social media for potential candidates who may have resumes online, even if they’re not currently looking. Use professional social media groups and websites to advertise for your current vacancies.

Key Trait 5: They build up the company brand.

Top recruiters know that it is important to let people know that, building a positive reputation and company brand is essential to find the best candidates. Google, which frequently tops Fortune’s Best Companies list, for example, receives around 3,000,000 applications a year.

Step up your recruitment game:

Work with your company’s marketing department to find the best way to build up the company brand to get the best prospects. You can create interview videos featuring current happy employees or make press releases highlighting why your company is a good place to work.

Key Trait 6: They know they can’t do it alone.

No man is an island, and same goes for recruitment. Smart recruiters know that in order to be effective and efficient, you have to involve employees in the hiring process.

Step up your recruitment game:

You can ask your current employees to refer excellent candidates to your company. If they have a particular expertise on a subject area, they can assist you to review resumes and qualifications of potential candidates. Employees can also help you interview people to assess their potential “fit” within your company.

Great recruiters have mastered their way around the tried-and-tested ways of finding and hiring candidates. What sets them apart is their ability to innovate and transform the traditional hiring process into a well-organized and efficient business operation.

Did we miss out on any other key traits of top recruiters? Share them in the comment section below.