“Oh, you are a recruiter?
So you do HR?”
We smile. We nod. We kind of do, ish.
We love to explain it properly over a coffee.
Let us clear it up nicely.
Yes, we work in a people industry.
Yes, many recruiters are HR educated.
Yes, HR teams are often asked to recruit.
But no, we are not doing the same job.
And honestly, that is a good thing. We prefer working side by side with HR teams, not replacing them.
What People Think Recruiters Do vs What a Recruitment Agency Actually Does
Myth #1: Recruiters Do HR
Fact: A recruitment agency supports HR, not replaces HR.
People think recruiters:
- Handle policies and HR planning
- Manage performance issues
- Mediate workplace conflicts
- Track who submitted paperwork
Recruiters actually:
- Live in the talent market
- Headhunt passive candidates
- Sell roles to people who were not job hunting
- Negotiate salaries while being ghosted politely
HR runs the people strategy.
Recruitment brings the people in the door.
Myth #2: Recruiters Just Post Jobs and Wait
Fact: If that worked, HR would not need a recruitment agency.
People think recruiters:
- Post on LinkedIn
- Sit back
- Drink coffee
Recruiters actually:
- Map the hiring market
- Track salary trends across Alberta and Canada
- Convince strong candidates to leave good jobs
- Follow up more than a Canadian apologizing
Posting a job is step one.
The real work starts when no qualified candidates apply.
Myth #3: HR Recruits Full Time
Fact: HR recruits on top of everything else.
HR already:
- Keeps companies compliant
- Manages employee relations
- Supports leadership
- Protects culture
- Solves daily issues
Then someone adds:
“Can you also fill five roles by Friday?”
Totally reasonable, right.
This is where a recruitment agency becomes a real partner.
Why HR and a Recruitment Agency Have Different Jobs
Myth #4: If You Understand People, You Can Recruit
Fact: Recruitment is its own skill set.
Recruitment requires:
- Competing with every employer in Alberta and Canada
- Knowing who is hiring, who is paying more, and who is bluffing
- Moving fast without breaking hiring processes
- Selling employer brands like they are our own
- Understanding what candidates really want and matching fairly
HR protects the business.
Recruiters fight the market.
Myth #5: Recruiters Do Not Understand HR
Fact: Many recruiters are HR trained, they just specialize.
Recruiters understand:
- Fair hiring practices
- DEI expectations
- Employment regulations
- Candidate experience
But the daily focus is always:
How do we secure the right person before someone else hires them?
The Very Scientific Comparison
|
HR |
Recruitment |
|
Long-term people strategy |
Immediate hiring pressure |
|
Internal focus |
External market obsession |
|
Policy-first |
People-first |
|
Risk & compliance |
Speed & competition |
|
“Let’s do this right” |
“We needed them yesterday |
Same goal.
Different daily chaos.
Why HR and Recruitment Work Best Together
When HR is expected to do everything:
- Hiring slows down
- HR teams burn out quietly and politely
When HR partners with a recruitment agency:
- HR keeps control of culture, compliance, and process
- Recruiters handle sourcing, screening, and market competition
- Hiring managers get talent faster
- Everyone sleeps better
That is not outsourcing.
That is teamwork.
So, Do Recruiters Do HR?
No.
And HR does not “just recruit.”
But when both teams work together, hiring becomes:
- Faster
- Smarter
- Less painful for everyone involved
Recruiters find the people and match culture.
HR builds and protects the culture.
And together, hiring finally works the way it should.
Contact us today to discover how our expert recruitment, hiring, and payroll services can help elevate your business or explore our exciting career growth opportunities and transformative training programs. Whether you’re seeking your next role or your next rockstar employee, we’ve got you covered!