What are the biggest challenges faced when trying to become a recruiter? What is it like as a recruiter?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:14:03 -0400

New E5 my first NCOER coming up in NOV, thinking about being a recruiter, i would just like insight on what its like what the selection process is, day to days, & the challenges face when applying to be a recruiter. I read the eligibility requirements and it states some where on there that SM must not have unsafe or reckless driving records, does that include speeding tickets? And is a no go?

Response by CSM Thomas McGarry made Apr 20 at 2018 1:23 PM

CSM Thomas McGarry — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:23:17 -0400

Recruiting duty can be very stressful especially if you fail to meet your quota of new potential recruits which can be difficult depending on where you are assigned. Also can be long hours. Not sure about your question regarding speeding tickets but if it wasn't recent I would think it wouldn't be an issue or a waiver may be required.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 20 at 2018 2:12 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:12:08 -0400

What does DA-Pam 600-25 say about broadening assignments for your MOS in your current grade? I was a recruiter long ago, but I still remember how challenging it was. Not only long hours, but depending on the market, you might be working on weekends. I would recommend you to do at least two years in your MOS before applying for recruiting duty. Also, speeding tickets not a deal breaker, but do not lie in your application, be truthful about anything that is in your record.

Response by SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S. made Apr 20 at 2018 10:21 PM

SFC Dan Sorrow, M.S. — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 22:21:24 -0400

I was a recruiter years ago as well. Was selected for recruiting right after completing Drill Sergeant Duty. I’d have rather completed 2 more years of Drill Sergeant than recruiting. Like others here have said, the market you’re assigned to is everything in recruiting. I’ll also second the recommendation that you spend more time in your MOS as an NCO before considering anything else.

Response by SFC Wayne Theilen made Apr 23 at 2018 9:12 AM

SFC Wayne Theilen — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 09:12:49 -0400

Are you married? Good luck staying married if going on recruiting. 12 hour days. Working 7 days a week. The beast is never satisfied. Hero to zero. Try to give out 100 business cards a day. Have a one year calendar printed on back of your cards. Stay in your HS. Talk to everyone. I mean everyone!! Even if not qualified. Rock runs do them. Keep up with your PT. You can lose that shit fast. If you can take a class at local college. That’s prime face/face time.

Response by SFC David Xanten made Apr 24 at 2018 6:17 PM

SFC David Xanten — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 18:17:31 -0400

Recruiting Duty can be good or bad. It depends on your commitment to the job. Long hours for the first year is normal, but it gets better if you’re doing a well and meeting your goals. Recruiting is a sales job and like all sales jobs you have to be willing to be rejected almost all the time. Unless you are in a walk in station you MUST go out and turn over a lot of rocks and kiss a lot of frogs in order to succeed. I spent 8.5 years doing it and loved almost every minute. I found Combat MOS’s did the best as they for the most part, are used to work 24/7. However, once you get good at it, the job becomes easy. During my time(71-80) it required having goals up to 7-8 people a month but I hear that today it is only 1-2 a month which is going to be easy. Good luck with you decision and good luck with your career.

Response by 1SG Bill Farmerie made Apr 26 at 2018 5:38 AM

1SG Bill Farmerie — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 05:38:16 -0400

Recruiting was my worst duty of years, although I learned more about myself during my 3 years doing it. If I could have avoided it, I definitely would have. I know recruiting has changed since I was out there 95-98, and apparently they are not working the 12-14 hour days that we were expected to work.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2018 11:30 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 11:30:21 -0400

There is no “individual mission” anymore... Officially. Fact is, it depends on where you are. Now there is a REAP that tracks “touch points that lead to an enlistment” which in real-speak means an individual mission. There will be late hours and weekends. It’s not just a maybe. And you will go from Hero to Zero in an jnstant. USAREC doesn’t care what you did yesterday. It’s today that counts. It’s not impossible, but it’s definitely a challenge.
I highly recommend you stay in your MOS a little longer. Get a couple more NCOERs. Besides, you’re almost guaranteed to get DA Selected (voluntold) eventually.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 2 at 2018 2:46 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 May 2018 14:46:01 -0400

Recruiting like most assignments will depend on you and your chain of command. I have been recruiting since 2009. I have been a recruiter, future soldier leader (when that existed), an assistant station commander (again when that existed), station commander, health care recruiter, and now health care station commander. Recruiter can be the most rewarding, challenging, and worst assignment you ever had all in the same week. You could get a station commander who micro manages your every move and hate it or a station commander who builds you up and love it. I think a lot of it is subjective to you and where you go. However I would say by all means do it. Worst case you hate it and 3 years later you PCS. You will still get time on a career broadening assignment which looks great for future promotions.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 8 at 2019 2:25 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 02:25:04 -0400

You know, that's a really interesting question, for myriad reasons, as I reflect on recruiters I actually spoke with in all.svcs...I spoke with just about all branches, in many soecialties...one USAF OTS recruiter actually told.me,.quite correctly as I soon leanred, that I was going on the wrong way...I honestly think the single two most.important aspects for any recruiter, in any svc, for any field, are to be absolutely certain that someone applying is directed to as close.to their personal ambition as humanly possible, that first and foremost...and, second, to make amply and abundantly clear to anyone being recruited that things all too frequently can go wrong, despite the best possible planning, and all the research in the world, such that the recruit isn't necessarily going to wind up where they exoect, hope,.wanted,.or planned to be...svc life all too frequently, as with any large bureaucracy, takes on a life all its own, and causes one to be quite frequently swept along in a ride of errors,.poor plannkng, inadequate research or time to research...if all the many things I learned while being recruited, those lessons, I think, have lingered with me longest, truly...when svc life goes right, it can be a very good life...when it goes haywire, nothing else.in one's life ever goes.quite as haywire...honestly, after being recruited twice, and going through the whole thing twice, those are my honest conclusions, after 44+ yrs of exposure to the svc world and things thereunto appertaining...I realize I'm likely to be disagreed with, however, I can only give my conclusions, based on what I oersonally saw...I don't say it happens all the time, however, it happened to me,.which is why, when I see questions on here in career/educ topics, I ask all the questions I generally do as.to.specifics as to background, education, and motivations, so as to have as much concrete info as possible when trying to suggest alternatives, honest...those are my thohghts, at any rate...also, to me, at least,.all recruiters should be reqd to be thoroughly familiar with all.recruiting programs, in all.svcs, not soley their own, so as to be abnle.to guide those seeking to go in to as exactly close.to the right field as they initially seek to be in, that, to me, at any rate, is, truily, the single most important facet...I've found that one generally gets one, maybe two chances to get it right...if one doesnt, one has nothing but aggravation all.too often as a result...that, at any rate, was what I personally encojntered, honest....