How to Work With a Recruiter

A good recruiter is a goldmine of opportunity and information. Recruiters often have access to jobs, market information, valuable insights and connections that many individuals don’t. Some job seekers say that working with a recruiter is challenging, but it truly doesn’t have to be. Following these 5 steps will not only help your relationship with recruiters but your job search.

Understand What Recruiters Do
Recruiters are willing to work with candidates giving advice and leads in their job search but they ultimately work for their clients. Understanding this fact is vital to a good relationship with a recruiter. Candidates are often frustrated at the lack of attention or communication they receive from a recruiter but job seekers must remember that recruiters speak with hundreds of candidates a week. Maximize your interactions with a recruiter by asking for their advice, updates on specific positions and ask questions.

Work With the Best
If you want the get the most out of your relationship with a recruiter, make sure they are good. Don’t feel the need to blast your resume to every agency in town, find the most reputable agencies and be selective about who you want to work with. Do your research and find out what other people have said about working with them and if they are people you want involved in your career. Being ‘picky’ about which firms you work with will ensure that the recruiters have the experience and know-how to help you to their best ability in your job search.

Help Them, Help You
While recruiters often have a wide range of knowledge about many positions, they don’t work in the same profession as you do. There may be parts of your profession they don’t understand or know about, so try to be as forthcoming as possible.  Being open with a recruiter about what you do in your career, what you want out of your career and what you’re looking for is very important. Being honest and open can only improve your job search and relationship with the recruiter.

Stay in Touch and Follow Up
Following up is a vital part of your job search. If you had an interview with a hiring manager through the recruiter, call them and let them know how it went. Hearing your feedback can give the recruiter a reason to call the employer and create more conversation about you as a candidate which could lead to another interview or offer. Following up can also provide valuable insights about your experience and interview skills that the employer shared with the recruiter. Throughout your relationship with a recruiter, stay in touch and communicate any changes in your career or what you’re looking for. Staying in touch will allow the recruiter to continuously consider you as a candidate for openings that match your background.

Don’t Burn Bridges
If you’re not looking for a career change and a recruiter reaches out to you, consider speaking with them. Even though you may not be looking at the moment, you never know when you might need a recruiter in the future. Establishing a relationship early on and being able to reach out to them when you’re in need of a new job will be much easier with an existing connection. If you ignore their attempts to get in touch, it may be more difficult to get in touch with them and have them on your side in an upcoming job search.

Learn more about our recruiters and get in touch with them today by applying to our open positions!