Jobseekers, do you really know how to work with recruiters?
Is the recruiter an enabler or a barrier to your career success?
If you are an active job seeker, working with recruiters can be frustrating if you don’t know the best way to approach them.
As a former recruiter and a career transition specialist coach for over 24 years, here are some tips that will help smooth the way for you, as a job seeker.
Of course it is time consuming to research and find the right recruitment consultants to work with, and then decide on the best way to sell yourself.
You’ll need to consider everything you’ve achieved in your career, perhaps explain a bad situation at work, be convincing about why you left your most recent role, or why you are considering leaving your current role.
After you meet, should you write a thank you note or simply send a follow-up email? Then how should you write one that hits the right points?
How do recruiters approach at the entire process? What do they really think when you ask for interviews only between 6-7pm and can you make this partnership a success?
With so much to consider when working with recruiters, here are a few tips to help you along your way.
How to choose a recruiter to suit your needs
Even if the role is not exactly what you are seeking, it does show that the recruiter works within your area and might be interested in and willing to explore your skills and experience.
If no contact name is given, call the consultancy and ask who handles those types of roles. Don’t be disappointed if you are told to simply email your resume to get on to their database. That happens frequently. However you may be lucky and get connected to a consultant who is interested in what you have to offer. Building the relationship from then is up to you.
Taking the Interview Screening Call
When you have successfully registered with a recruiter or a number of recruiters, you are now in the game, and screening interviews may happen anytime.
The first rule is to avoid answering your mobile phone unless you are in the perfect position to talk. If you are still at work, obviously it wouldn’t be wise to speak to a recruitment consultant if your boss is within earshot.
Answer quickly and ask for their direct number to return their call when convenient.
Only return calls to recruiters when you are in a position to speak freely.
Don’t go to a busy café to return the call – the background noise will be a distraction. Call from your car (not while driving) or find a quiet place to return the call.
Call back as soon as you can as you know that the recruiter will keep calling others on their list if they are not able to speak to you soon after.
How to Schedule Job Interview Times
Give the recruiter a few blocks of time when you will be available to interview.
The recruiter’s job is to move the process along as quickly as possible. If they are an executive search consultant conducting a senior level role, they will need to take care to confidentially uncover the perfect candidate for the role.
You, as the candidate, must give the recruiter windows of time that work for you to schedule these meetings. Make it easy for them by offering consistent blocks of available time from week to week.
If early morning or evenings are the only times you can speak, where possible recruiters will try their best to work with your availability, whether it’s at 7.30am. or 6pm.
What if you are totally free and can interview anytime?
Don’t be too available, work with reasonable and specific blocks of time to give the recruiter some structure. Sometimes scarcity makes you more desirable, make sure you gauge what would be more appropriate.
Don’t claim to be in ‘all–day meetings’ constantly, recruiters want potential employees to be low–maintenance. Scheduling multiple managers and candidates can be difficult enough without having to battle with the unavailable job seeker.
Be realistic and respectful of employers’ and recruiters’ time.
Knowing the demand level for your particular skill set and expertise can also help you.
Professionals in mid–level positions with widely–available skills can expect less flexibility, but those coming from senior–level positions and specialty fields may experience more freedom.
Based on that, you can gauge employers’ potential flexibility and willingness to accommodate your needs in the interview process.
What is your Value Proposition to the Potential Employer?
In order to secure that job, help the recruiter sell you to the employer. Help them build a best–case scenario for your candidacy. Articulate why the position is a good fit for you. Give them a good story about your experience and skill sets, your relevant qualifications, the projects you have managed.
Provide tangible results of your past efforts at work whenever possible. Give examples of positive performance, quotas, numbers, positive percentage improvements and other tangible results. Your results are what will make you stand out to a recruiter. They want to know the SOLUTIONS you will provide to your new employer.
Be prepared to discuss your resume in a succinct, concise manner.
The best way to discuss your Accomplishments is to consider the Problems or Situations you have encountered at work, the specific Actions you took (as an individual or as part of a team effort) and then the quantifiable Results of your Actions (and what you learned in the process).
Be ready to discuss them to back up your claims of competence for any role to which you apply.
How Open should you be regarding Personal Issues in a job interview?
Don’t delve into the nitty-gritty of personal problems that have no bearing on your ability to perform in a role.
Keep the information you present pertinent to the job. Focus on your relevant job skills.
If there is a story to tell that will demonstrate your resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity that relates to the role you are targeting, then that story may be well worth sharing.
Follow Up the job interview with a Thank You Note or Email
This is polite and shows attention to detail. Thank you notes should be sent within 24 hours of the interview.
Your note does not have to be long – simply acknowledge your appreciation of their time and point out the skills, talent and experience that make you the ideal candidate for the position and your continued interest in the role.
You may be surprised to learn that few people send a follow up thank you note, so this is your opportunity to stand out.
These suggestions can help you along in the interview process.
It’s important to remember that once you are in the running, recruiters and employers actually want you to be right candidate for a job – it means they can stop their search (and don’t forget this means commission for the recruiters!)
However you need to do your part to get in front of them and market yourself to show how you are the best person for the role.
If you have a great experience working with recruiters or have any additional helpful tips, please share them here.
If you need help with your job interview preparation or job search, book a complimentary exploratory chat with Jane Jackson today.
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