A Navy recruiter helps the Navy meet its staffing needs by recruiting men and women who would be good candidates for Navy service. Recruiters are experienced Sailors who sell the Navy to people who are interested in military service to get potential recruits enthusiastic about the idea of joining the military. This job can be extremely demanding. Far from being an office job, Naval recruiting requires long days, odd hours, and lots of field time to connect with potential recruits.
To become a Navy recruiter, it is usually necessary to have at least one term of service in the Navy. The Navy wants people who have served to act as recruiters because they will be able to answer questions honestly. In addition, people who have served are usually more excited about opportunities in the Navy and they can provide recruits with knowledge which comes from first hand experience. When a Sailor is selected to become a Navy recruiter, specialized training is provided and the recruiter is sent to a recruiting station.
Navy recruiters spend much of their time cultivating contacts. They are active in their communities to network with potential recruits, service organizations, and other people who may be of assistance when it comes to finding potential recruits. They attend job fairs to provide information about the Navy, pass out business cards, make home visits, and make themselves as available as possible to people with questions. A Navy recruiter can also be involved in sponsoring events in the community to foster good public relations.
Someone who works as a Navy recruiter provides answers to questions from potential recruits and also provides people with information about the benefits available from the Navy. These benefits include valuable job training which can be used in the civilian world after a term of service is up, the opportunity to have the Navy pay for college, excellent health care, and other job benefits such as housing. People often have a lot of questions about Naval service and the recruiter can handle a wide variety of queries to make people feel at ease.
Recruiters may spend months working with potential recruits, following up on an initial contact and encouraging the recruit to join up. They also help recruits prepare for the tests which are administered to people who wish to join the Navy, and provide them with encouragement and advice as they get physically fit. A Navy recruiter can also provide people with information about the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and the Navy Reserves, and conducts interviews with potential recruits to determine their suitability for Navy service.
The job of a Navy recruiter also includes administrative duties. Recruiters maintain files on their contacts with detailed information about interactions, including files on recruits who have successfully made it into the Navy.
