As an executive recruiter in information technology, I speak with dozens of people every week. Some are well-versed in working with recruiters and others are brand new to the experience. With that in mind, I would like to share some thoughts on the most effective way to work with a recruiter. These tips will help you when you are looking for a career move.
True or false: Recruiters can find you, the job seeker, a job? False.
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Recruiters work for client companies, who pay their fees, to find
qualified candidates to fill specific roles within their organizations. The recruiter’s job is to find the person for the
company, not find a company for a candidate.
If you have never spoken with a recruiter before, do some research before you call. Find out which recruiters cover
your particular niche or specific industry and functional position. Go to the search firm’s web site and see if there are any positions posted that could be a match for you. Then send an email with your resume before calling an individual recruiter. If you have been referred, mention the referrer’s name in the email.
Follow up with a phone call two to three days later and remind the recruiter who you are. Don’t take offense if they do not remember you, they speak with many candidates every day.
Many recruiters and their firms have an inside track into client companies’ hiring needs. A successful recruiter will
have a partnership with the client organization and will understand the firm’s culture and what type of candidate would be a good fit.
The recruiting firm probably has made numerous placements with the company and has networked with many people in various roles, thus recruiters know exactly where to go when they have a candidate with a specific skill set. That’s not to say that you should rely on a recruiter 100 percent; they should simply enhance your career search.
Good recruiters should take job candidates through the entire interview process with the hiring firm from A to Z. They should set up interview times and tell the candidate who will be calling or whom they should call. Good
recruiters also arrange travel schedules and provide a list of people the candidate will be meeting with, as well as
their titles and roles within the organization, the meeting times and any other insights they can provide into each
individual.
The recruiter should prepare you for every interview, whether it’s your first over the phone or the final meeting when you are presented with an offer. The recruiter should provide coaching along the way as well as timely feedback from the client.
There are some less effective recruiters in the executive search business. They take shortcuts and look for “quick hits” instead of trying to build long-term relationships. Make sure you do your homework. When a recruiter asks questions about your background and accomplishments there is no reason you cannot do the same. Research the recruiting firm’s reputation and get some background information. How successful is your recruiter? How much business has he or she done over the last year? Are they responsive to your needs? If you cannot get those kinds of questions answered to your satisfaction, continue your search until you feel comfortable with the person with whom you are working.
If you should take anything from my insights on working with recruiters, it should be to do your homework. Due
diligence on your part is crucial to success in finding the most appropriate recruiting consultant and completing your career search.
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