Ask the Recruiter

Have you ever wanted to pick a recruiter’s brain to find out about the job market? You’re in luck! We asked our LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter followers what pressing questions they’d like to ask a recruiter and we’ve got the answers. Brendan Haugo, one of our lead recruiters at Celarity, he has been with us for almost 3 years and was our go-to recruiter for your questions. He has seen the ins and outs of the job market, recruiting, and job seeking like no one’s business and answered your questions with some of his recruiting wisdom.

1. “What’s a good entry-level position or how do you break into the business?”
Brendan said, “The best way to break in is early and often. Internships should be done as early as possible. If you wait until after you’ve graduated to get work experience then it is an uphill battle unless you’re an unbelievable networker. After that point, getting associate or admin roles in the departments you’re focused on is another good option.”

The lesson to be learned here is that you’ve got to start early if you want a job right out of college. If you’ve procrastinated a bit and you’re having trouble finding a job, like Brendan said, find administrative roles within companies and areas you’re interested in and work on moving up through that department. You can also reach out to your college career network and let your friends and family know you’re looking so they can keep an eye out for opportunities.

2. “How do recruiters view abroad experiences on recent graduate resumes? Does it help, hinder or not make a difference?”
“Education abroad tends to help, it shows that you are able to get out of your comfort zone, adjust to other communication/language needs.” Study abroad is a definite resume builder, it shows you are outgoing and adventurous in life and would most likely be the same way in the workplace. As with any extracurricular or unique experience you have, showing you have an array of interests and passions outside of work is always a resume boost.

3. “Is it bad to apply for more than one job at a company that you really want to work at?”
The answer is yes, with some guidelines. “You can apply for more than one opening, but only as long as it fits within your experience. If there is a required skill set listed and you don’t have it or something close to it, you will get passed over for candidates who already have it.” Brendan also added, “Having too wide a range of interests can hurt as well. Many companies track what you apply for so if you’ve got a resume in for a project coordinator, graphic designer and a copywriter, it will look like you’re apply for anything, regardless of whether it’s a fit.”

4. “What’s an unusual way to find internship opportunities? I keep hitting dead ends and don’t know where to go next!”
“As far as Minnesota goes, AdFed, MIMA and Indeed are great resources for finding internships. Utilizing your college career/alumni network is also a viable option for connecting with professionals that may be looking to hire interns. These organizations also have mentorship programs where you can work closely with an establish professional on starting your career.” Another trick to finding an internship, especially in the summer, is to start early, make a spreadsheet of application due dates and write down all the requirements so that you’re prepared when the time comes to apply.

If you’ve got other questions for our recruiters and would like your question answered in the next Ask the Recruiter blog, tweet us @Celarity, ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on LinkedIn!

Looking to connect with our recruiters about potential job opportunities? Apply to one of our openings in marketing, creative and interactive today.