Perhaps you’ve received a recruiter’s phone call after submitting an application. They most likely asked you some basic questions to determine if you would make an excellent candidate and move along to the hiring manager.
But have you ever considered being the one to contact a recruiter first? If you’ve never contemplated the possibility, it might be time to examine the benefits of working with a recruiter for your upcoming job search.
What You Need to Know to Effectively Work With a Recruiter
Recruiters can be an invaluable resource for job seekers. They can help you identify open positions that fit your skills and experience, provide insights into the hiring process, and offer guidance on salary expectations and negotiation.
If you’re intrigued, we’ve gathered up what you need to know about working with a recruiter.
What Kinds of Recruiters Are There?
First, it’s important to understand that there are many different ways to perform recruiting tasks. But realistically, recruiters fall into one of two categories—internal and external.
Internal recruiters are employees of the company they’re recruiting for, while external recruiters work for a staffing agency, recruiting firm, or as headhunters.
Both types of recruiters can be beneficial to job seekers. However, external recruiters typically have more time to dedicate to each candidate since they’re not also managing other duties within the company. As a result, external recruiters can provide more personalized attention and guidance.
How Do Recruiters Work?
Recruiters typically work with candidates in one of two ways: proactively or reactively.
Proactive recruiters reach out to candidates who they think would be a good fit for a position, even if the candidate isn’t actively looking for a job. These recruiters source candidates through various industry networking resources, such as LinkedIn or exploring online company profiles from competing firms within the same field.
Reactive recruiters wait for candidates to reach out to them or apply to a job posting before beginning the recruitment process.
What Are the Benefits of Working With a Recruiter?
There are several benefits of working with a recruiter, including:
- Access to unadvertised jobs: Because they work with multiple departments or companies, recruiters often have access to jobs that haven’t been publicly posted.
- Save time: Applying to jobs and going through the interview process can be time-consuming. Recruiters can help you save time by doing some of the legwork for you.
- Guidance and support: External recruiters can often provide insights into the hiring process and offer guidance on salary expectations and negotiation.
How to Find a Recruiter
If you’re interested in the possibilities that a recruiter has to offer, you need to find one that is good match for your personality and your career goals.
There are several ways to find a recruiter, including:
- Online job boards: Many job boards, like FlexJobs, allow you to filter your job search by company type. You can use this feature to find positions listed by staffing agencies and recruiting firms.
- Company career pages: Many companies list the contact information for their internal recruiters on their career page.
- Professional networking sites: LinkedIn is an excellent resource for connecting with recruiters. You can also use LinkedIn’s advanced search features to find recruiters who specialize in your industry or field.
- Personal connections: Ask your friends, family, and colleagues if they know of any good recruiters. They may have worked with a recruiter in the past or know someone who did.
- Online search: Try inserting your target job title or field into Google and adding “recruiter” to the search field. You’ll often discover recruiters who specialize in a specific niche or industry.
Acing Your Meeting With the Recruiter
Once you’ve found a recruiter you’d like to work with, it’s time to prepare for your meeting. To make the most of your interactions with a recruiter, it’s important to understand how recruiters work and what they’re looking for.
Use the following tips to ensure that the recruiter is eager to help you land a job.
Polish Your Brand
Recognize that a recruiter is different than a career coach. While they can give you some feedback, you should have your LinkedIn profile polished, social media cleaned up, and a clear goal before you approach them.
Update Your Resume
Along those lines, ensure that your resume is up to date and ready for your career search. While your recruiter might offer you some tips on how to make it stronger, you shouldn’t be looking for them to help you write it from scratch.
Be Prepared for Interview Questions
You are essentially getting interviewed by the recruiter as they try to determine what jobs your skills are a match for. You’ll make a strong impression if you’ve practiced answers to common interview questions.
They will most likely ask you questions about your skills, experience, and career goals. It’s important to be prepared, so practice answering open-ended interview questions, such as “walk me through your resume.”
Bring Your Positive Energy
Be prepared to sell yourself. This is not the time to be humble or bashful. Be confident in your skills and experience. The recruiter’s job is to find the best team member for their clients, so you need to show them that you’re the best candidate for the job.
Don’t Forget to Follow Up
After your meeting, don’t forget to follow up with a thank-you note or email. This is another opportunity to sell yourself and reiterate your interest in working with the recruiter.
Effectively Working With a Recruiter
Following these tips will help you make a good impression on the recruiter and improve your chances of getting a job with their help.
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